At first glance the site is gendered as it is all pink. As talked about in class, the content of the site being called "gossip" is also geared towards women, because we all know it is only women who gossip ;). Also, like the facebook idea, this website provides one story about a certain celebrities, as well as links to more stories about them, or other celebrities they are involved with, in the circular form of writing/communication that we discussed in class.
This site also provides a forum, where readers can comment and critique the lives of the celebrities under alias's, which also goes with what was discussed in class. Women (or men for that matter) can comment on the actions of the celebrities and feel as if they know them all from their own home.
The advertisments along the side of the sites are generally all for women's clothing as well, assuming that the majority of visitors to the site are female.
Another great feature? The site provides your daily Robert Pattinson picture!! :P
-BritFan
I think that gossip sites are so female gendered because they seem to talk about issues only "important to women" (in scare quotes because I disagree, its just a generalization) such as fashion, relationships, and beauty - all things that only women are supposed to care about- These gossip sites are also gendered because of the way women can interact with the site. In class we talked about how women like to interact with their t.v shows and entertainment and gossip websites give them an awsome opportunity to do this.
ReplyDelete-princess consuela banana hammock
Another way this site is gendered is due to the creator of the site. He is a gay man, and although he is a man, he is not "masculine", "aggressive," or "into sports"...this site targets the viewers who (like what was mentioned above),are into fashion, clothes, sex scandals, etc...who are typically women and gays.
ReplyDeleteAlthough i dont agree that "all gay men are 'feminine'", this site brings the ideas of stereotyping to my mind.
It is interesting to note that Perez makes an obserd amount of money for doing his 'job', in comparision when women gossip it is simply deemed as part of our 'nature/make-up'...it is as if it is expected of women to talk about others, but if a man does it, he is respected and paid.
~beautiful bombshell~
I don't think your statement above that "this site targets the viewers who (like what was mentioned above) are into fashion, clothes, sex scandals, etc... who are typically women and gays" is appropriate. That really seems like a construction or stereotype in itself to me. Like we've been talking about in class, gender constructions are powerful but we really need to start deconstructing these ideas and recognizing that they are about power. By lumping women and 'gays' or homosexuals into one group, we're perpetuating certain representations about them. So sure, this website may target women, but I don't think we can say that women and gays are 'typically' into fashion, clothes and sex scandals. Women are socialized into certain gender roles and we are taught that fashion and clothes are important staples of femininity, but that doesn't mean women are typically into these things. Furthermore, the idea that homosexual men are into 'typically' into fashion and clothing is another stereotype or construction. Fashion, clothes and sex scandals are usually devalued and deemed unimportant, and again this is about power. No wonder they would be associated with women and homosexuals, but that doesn't mean it's realistic. Sorry beautiful bombshell, but I just don't agree!
ReplyDeleteAubrey B.
I like the fact that the difference between men who gossip and women who gossip is raised here - I think heterosexist and sexist cosntructions of 'femininity' are crucial to reading Hilton's site as gendered.
ReplyDeleteThe Doctor
ps: there was quite a big discussion about Hilton's site on the gURLs blog last week - does this post feed out of that discussion? Try to avoid repetition in your research [hence the criteria that people post to - and check - blogs while doing the project].
ReplyDeleteThe Doctor
In responce to Aubrey B.
ReplyDeleteI guess i didnt make my point as clear as i should have. I wasnt trying to clump women and gays into one category, because I do agree that it is a stereotype to put them into one category.
When i sais "Although i dont agree that "all gay men are 'feminine'", this site brings the ideas of stereotyping to my mind." that is what i was trying to get across...that it is not about grouping women and gays into a particular category, this website just brought these ideas to mind...i feel the website is trying to say that gay men and women only like fashion, gossip, etc, when in fact this is not reality.
I just wanted to clear that up, i didnt want to offend anyone, or have a misscommunication..because i do agree with you, this is a stereotype, but this website only displays the stereotype to me.
~beautiful bombshell~