Magazines: Oh Comely- Language and Representation
Language: close-textual analysis
Work through the following tasks to complete your close-textual analysis of the Oh Comely CSP pages:
Front cover
1) What do the typefaces used on the front cover suggest to an audience?
Oh Comely magazine does not use the traditional types of fonts which suggests that the magazine is not conventional, instead it is modern and offers different perspectives to other magazines.
2) The words under the title introduce the content and topics addressed. What do these suggest about the potential audience of Oh Comely?
The words under the title suggests that the target audience are sophisticated,strong independent women with an interest in music and fashion.
3) How do the cover lines use narrative to create enigma? What do the cover lines suggest about the magazine's content and audience?
The cover lines are used to create enigma as they use words like 'power and poise' to grab the attention of the readers without revealing much information which makes the readers ask questions and want to read the magazine.
4) Write an analysis of the central image.
The model used in the central image of the magazine subverts western beauty stereotypes as she has short hair and thick eyebrows and is not wearing much makeup. This suggests to the audience that Oh Comely is not a conventional magazine and is not afraid of challenging stereotypes.
The model is not wearing revealing clothes and the camera shot is a medium close up which prevents the sexualisation and objectification of the woman. This also subverts the typical representation of women in the media where they are objectified or restricted to secondary roles.
5) What representation of gender can be found on this front cover?
The magazine overturns the typical representation of woman by using a woman that does not fall into the typical gender 'role' or appearance.
Feature: Speaking Out
1) What does the headline and standfirst suggest about Oh Comely's feminist perspective?
The magazine headline immediately gives a sense of women empowerment as it describes the five featuring women as having 'strong voices' and suggests the magazine wants to offer a feminist perspective.
2) What do the interviewees in this feature suggest about the values and ideologies that underpin this magazine?
The interviewees that are featured are women that people may not have heard about but have strong opinions and voices on issues that are important. Issues such as FGM and encouraging more women to work in tech etc. This suggests that the core values that underpin the magazine are feminism, equality and women empowerment.
3) How conventional is the page design in this feature? Why?
The page design is not conventional as it just has a picture of the women and text in the centre of the page which adds to the minimalist design, this allows the audience to focus on the important messages in the magazine.
4) Pick out specific aspects of this feature that subvert the stereotypical representation of women in the media. Are they different to what we may find in conventional women's lifestyle magazines such as Glamour or Cosmopolitan? Why is the absence of men a key feature of Oh Comely?
One of the features in the magazine is Fahma Mohamed, a young somali woman that is passionate in campaigning for the ending of FGM. This subverts the stereotypical representation of woman in the media. This is because women in the media were only used for objectification but here we see a woman that subverts the traditional western beauty ideals as she is a black muslim woman. She is not posing in a sexual/flirtatious way nor is she being objectified, she is there to promote the campaign. Additionally, she is a muslim women and in the media muslims are often misrepresented as a threat which is not the case here.
5) How does the photography offer a fresh or unusual perspective on women?
The photography is not used to objectify any of the woman which subverts the typical representation of women in the media.
Feature: More than gender
1) How does this feature offer a fresh perspective on gender and identity?
This feature offers a fresh perspective as it reflects modern and more fluid ideas on gender and identity which people are not used to seeing in the media.
2) What is the significance of the writer and photographer? How does this fit with the Oh Comely brand?
The writer needs to communicate with the audience in an "intelligent and interesting voice". The photographer needs to add pictures that go with the aesthetic of the magazine.
3) What style of photography is used in this feature?
The style of photography used seems candid and natural which makes the stories seem more natural.
4) What representations of the transgender lifestyle can be found in this feature?
Allows the audience to get to know Andrea and Ash on a personal level.
5) Why is the biographical information at the end of the article significant? (Clue: the writer is also an editor of a niche, creative magazine called Entitle).
The pictures add to the minimalist and natural aesthetic of the magazine. It may be to promote the work of the editor.
Representation and identity
Work through the following questions on representation and Oh Comely:
1) How do representations in Oh Comely challenge stereotypes?
Oh Comely challenges gender and identity stereotypes by offering alternative representations.
2) What representations of race, ethnicity and nationality can be found in the 'Speaking Out' feature?
There is Diane Roger is Jamaican and Scottish and Fahma Mohamed who is somali which suggests Oh Comely represents all types of women because ethnic minorities are underrepresented or misrepresented in the media.
3) What representation of women and femininity can be found in Oh Comely?
The representation of women in Oh Comely is strong,powerful,independent and beautiful. They fight for what they are passionate about, stand up for other woman and promote self love and positivity.
4) Why might Oh Comely deliberately under-represent men? (The absence of men in the magazine appears to be a largely deliberate move by the editors).
They want the essence of the magazine to be about women, for women and created by women as we live in a world of patriarchy and women are not given the same opportunities as men.
5) Does Oh Comely fit into the possible fourth wave of feminism? Or is it evidence of post-feminism - that feminism is no longer needed?
The feature challenges Strauss's theory of binary opposite as the feature talks about shifting identities which suggests everything is not as simple as binary opposites.
7) Judith Butler argues gender is a performance. How does Oh Comely challenge traditional gender roles? You should refer to both the cover and the selected CSP features.
`Oh Comely challenges traditional gender roles as the model in the cover does not fall into the typical beauty ideals and the features show that women are more than gender roles because of the diverse group of women promoting different important causes.
8) Liesbet van Zoonen has suggested women's bodies are objectified and artificially constructed to present women as passive and restricted to secondary roles. How does Oh Comely challenge this stereotypical representation of women in the media?
Oh Comely challenges Van Zoonen's theory as the woman in the front cover is not presented as passive since she is the only person in the front cover and is dominating most of the page, she is not being sexualised and seems to have a stern facial expression which highlights her power and significance.
9) David Gauntlett argues that identity is becoming more fluid, media representations change over time and that there are generational differences. Does Oh Comely support this viewpoint?
Oh Comely supports this viewpoint by using their platform to represent trans people.
Work through the following tasks to complete your close-textual analysis of the Oh Comely CSP pages:
Front cover
1) What do the typefaces used on the front cover suggest to an audience?
Oh Comely magazine does not use the traditional types of fonts which suggests that the magazine is not conventional, instead it is modern and offers different perspectives to other magazines.
2) The words under the title introduce the content and topics addressed. What do these suggest about the potential audience of Oh Comely?
The words under the title suggests that the target audience are sophisticated,strong independent women with an interest in music and fashion.
3) How do the cover lines use narrative to create enigma? What do the cover lines suggest about the magazine's content and audience?
The cover lines are used to create enigma as they use words like 'power and poise' to grab the attention of the readers without revealing much information which makes the readers ask questions and want to read the magazine.
4) Write an analysis of the central image.
The model used in the central image of the magazine subverts western beauty stereotypes as she has short hair and thick eyebrows and is not wearing much makeup. This suggests to the audience that Oh Comely is not a conventional magazine and is not afraid of challenging stereotypes.
The model is not wearing revealing clothes and the camera shot is a medium close up which prevents the sexualisation and objectification of the woman. This also subverts the typical representation of women in the media where they are objectified or restricted to secondary roles.
5) What representation of gender can be found on this front cover?
The magazine overturns the typical representation of woman by using a woman that does not fall into the typical gender 'role' or appearance.
Feature: Speaking Out
1) What does the headline and standfirst suggest about Oh Comely's feminist perspective?
The magazine headline immediately gives a sense of women empowerment as it describes the five featuring women as having 'strong voices' and suggests the magazine wants to offer a feminist perspective.
2) What do the interviewees in this feature suggest about the values and ideologies that underpin this magazine?
The interviewees that are featured are women that people may not have heard about but have strong opinions and voices on issues that are important. Issues such as FGM and encouraging more women to work in tech etc. This suggests that the core values that underpin the magazine are feminism, equality and women empowerment.
3) How conventional is the page design in this feature? Why?
The page design is not conventional as it just has a picture of the women and text in the centre of the page which adds to the minimalist design, this allows the audience to focus on the important messages in the magazine.
4) Pick out specific aspects of this feature that subvert the stereotypical representation of women in the media. Are they different to what we may find in conventional women's lifestyle magazines such as Glamour or Cosmopolitan? Why is the absence of men a key feature of Oh Comely?
One of the features in the magazine is Fahma Mohamed, a young somali woman that is passionate in campaigning for the ending of FGM. This subverts the stereotypical representation of woman in the media. This is because women in the media were only used for objectification but here we see a woman that subverts the traditional western beauty ideals as she is a black muslim woman. She is not posing in a sexual/flirtatious way nor is she being objectified, she is there to promote the campaign. Additionally, she is a muslim women and in the media muslims are often misrepresented as a threat which is not the case here.
5) How does the photography offer a fresh or unusual perspective on women?
The photography is not used to objectify any of the woman which subverts the typical representation of women in the media.
Feature: More than gender
1) How does this feature offer a fresh perspective on gender and identity?
This feature offers a fresh perspective as it reflects modern and more fluid ideas on gender and identity which people are not used to seeing in the media.
2) What is the significance of the writer and photographer? How does this fit with the Oh Comely brand?
The writer needs to communicate with the audience in an "intelligent and interesting voice". The photographer needs to add pictures that go with the aesthetic of the magazine.
3) What style of photography is used in this feature?
The style of photography used seems candid and natural which makes the stories seem more natural.
4) What representations of the transgender lifestyle can be found in this feature?
Allows the audience to get to know Andrea and Ash on a personal level.
5) Why is the biographical information at the end of the article significant? (Clue: the writer is also an editor of a niche, creative magazine called Entitle).
The pictures add to the minimalist and natural aesthetic of the magazine. It may be to promote the work of the editor.
Representation and identity
Work through the following questions on representation and Oh Comely:
1) How do representations in Oh Comely challenge stereotypes?
Oh Comely challenges gender and identity stereotypes by offering alternative representations.
2) What representations of race, ethnicity and nationality can be found in the 'Speaking Out' feature?
There is Diane Roger is Jamaican and Scottish and Fahma Mohamed who is somali which suggests Oh Comely represents all types of women because ethnic minorities are underrepresented or misrepresented in the media.
3) What representation of women and femininity can be found in Oh Comely?
The representation of women in Oh Comely is strong,powerful,independent and beautiful. They fight for what they are passionate about, stand up for other woman and promote self love and positivity.
4) Why might Oh Comely deliberately under-represent men? (The absence of men in the magazine appears to be a largely deliberate move by the editors).
They want the essence of the magazine to be about women, for women and created by women as we live in a world of patriarchy and women are not given the same opportunities as men.
5) Does Oh Comely fit into the possible fourth wave of feminism? Or is it evidence of post-feminism - that feminism is no longer needed?
Oh Comely does fit into the fourth wave of feminism as it uses technology and digital media for activism and spreading awareness.
6) How does the 'More than gender' feature challenge Levi-Strauss's structuralist theory of binary opposition?The feature challenges Strauss's theory of binary opposite as the feature talks about shifting identities which suggests everything is not as simple as binary opposites.
7) Judith Butler argues gender is a performance. How does Oh Comely challenge traditional gender roles? You should refer to both the cover and the selected CSP features.
`Oh Comely challenges traditional gender roles as the model in the cover does not fall into the typical beauty ideals and the features show that women are more than gender roles because of the diverse group of women promoting different important causes.
8) Liesbet van Zoonen has suggested women's bodies are objectified and artificially constructed to present women as passive and restricted to secondary roles. How does Oh Comely challenge this stereotypical representation of women in the media?
Oh Comely challenges Van Zoonen's theory as the woman in the front cover is not presented as passive since she is the only person in the front cover and is dominating most of the page, she is not being sexualised and seems to have a stern facial expression which highlights her power and significance.
9) David Gauntlett argues that identity is becoming more fluid, media representations change over time and that there are generational differences. Does Oh Comely support this viewpoint?
Oh Comely supports this viewpoint by using their platform to represent trans people.
Comments
Post a Comment