Media and Identity
Subject: Charli XCX - Boys
The video seems to be attempting to break the stereotype surrounding males by showing males of all types instead of using the stereotype that all men must be muscular and 'manly' to be considered attractive. Instead the video makes a point to show case not just men that break away from the stereotype through methods such as being unfit but also by showing them partaking in activities that are not normally depicted as masculine such as pillow fights and bubble blowing.
From the way the men are represented, it appears the message the video was going for was equality. It shows everyone presented in a equal and positive light. The use of props and color assists with this message with the "boys" frequently being shown in not just 'manly items' such as chainsaws but flowers, balloons and seen either wearing or juxtaposed on the color pink which is frequently assumed to be a female color.
Source: Charli XCX - Boys
While it is minor, the female presence within the video also reinforces this message. The pink money with a female trapped in the center is thrown around symbolizing that pink isn't just a girl's color anymore and the shot with the female actors is juxtaposed on a brick wall while they have mustaches drawn on them. Both the brick wall and facial hair are symbols of masculinity. While the video focuses on males partaking in 'feminine' activities, the amount of screen time that the females reinforces the idea of equality.
Source: Charli XCX - Boys
One reason this video may be trying to utilize this message is to protect the self-esteem of those whv do not conform to the stereotype. As cited by Cristina Brown (2014) studies show that if a child does not conform to a particular stereotype, such as a boy being good at sports; not only will the child's belief in themselves drop but other children will also tease the child for failing to conform. In this example a boy that performs underwhelming at sports.
The effectiveness of this video is questionable. While the video's message is clear and consise, it's target audience is adults and could be argued to not be targeting the root of the issue. Studies have shown that the reason stereotypes are so ingrained into our head is because we are taught these things as children. Children latch onto the stereotype and that stereotype becomes integral to their way of life. As cited by Brown (2014),"Professor Rebecca Bigler and colleagues found that children would form stereotypes about each other just like they do with gender". One example of this was when students were divided into groups merely consisting of different colored shirts yet after four weeks, the children were already beginning to discriminate against others based on the color of the shirt. However, the problem does not lie with the children themselves but rather the adults. In the classes that were treated as individuals rather than groups regardless of the groups themselves. "If the adults ignored the groups, even when there were very visible differences, children ignored the groups too".
The way children latch onto and copy the attitudes of adults could be used to get rid of the stereotype. After all the video itself has 88 million views and surely a good portion of that 88 million will have understood the message it was trying to convey. By grouping all men into the same category and putting them is a positive light, at least boys won't have to be ashamed if they do not fit in with the stereotype of a masculine male. The same can be said by putting women into this category. The message that should be taken away is that it doesn't matter if you don't conform to the norm because it's what you do as an individual that truly matters. In that sense, the target audience being adults should benefit society in the long run provided children take after the right example.
The video seems to be attempting to break the stereotype surrounding males by showing males of all types instead of using the stereotype that all men must be muscular and 'manly' to be considered attractive. Instead the video makes a point to show case not just men that break away from the stereotype through methods such as being unfit but also by showing them partaking in activities that are not normally depicted as masculine such as pillow fights and bubble blowing.
From the way the men are represented, it appears the message the video was going for was equality. It shows everyone presented in a equal and positive light. The use of props and color assists with this message with the "boys" frequently being shown in not just 'manly items' such as chainsaws but flowers, balloons and seen either wearing or juxtaposed on the color pink which is frequently assumed to be a female color.
While it is minor, the female presence within the video also reinforces this message. The pink money with a female trapped in the center is thrown around symbolizing that pink isn't just a girl's color anymore and the shot with the female actors is juxtaposed on a brick wall while they have mustaches drawn on them. Both the brick wall and facial hair are symbols of masculinity. While the video focuses on males partaking in 'feminine' activities, the amount of screen time that the females reinforces the idea of equality.
Source: Charli XCX - Boys
One reason this video may be trying to utilize this message is to protect the self-esteem of those whv do not conform to the stereotype. As cited by Cristina Brown (2014) studies show that if a child does not conform to a particular stereotype, such as a boy being good at sports; not only will the child's belief in themselves drop but other children will also tease the child for failing to conform. In this example a boy that performs underwhelming at sports.
The effectiveness of this video is questionable. While the video's message is clear and consise, it's target audience is adults and could be argued to not be targeting the root of the issue. Studies have shown that the reason stereotypes are so ingrained into our head is because we are taught these things as children. Children latch onto the stereotype and that stereotype becomes integral to their way of life. As cited by Brown (2014),"Professor Rebecca Bigler and colleagues found that children would form stereotypes about each other just like they do with gender". One example of this was when students were divided into groups merely consisting of different colored shirts yet after four weeks, the children were already beginning to discriminate against others based on the color of the shirt. However, the problem does not lie with the children themselves but rather the adults. In the classes that were treated as individuals rather than groups regardless of the groups themselves. "If the adults ignored the groups, even when there were very visible differences, children ignored the groups too".
The way children latch onto and copy the attitudes of adults could be used to get rid of the stereotype. After all the video itself has 88 million views and surely a good portion of that 88 million will have understood the message it was trying to convey. By grouping all men into the same category and putting them is a positive light, at least boys won't have to be ashamed if they do not fit in with the stereotype of a masculine male. The same can be said by putting women into this category. The message that should be taken away is that it doesn't matter if you don't conform to the norm because it's what you do as an individual that truly matters. In that sense, the target audience being adults should benefit society in the long run provided children take after the right example.
Reference List
- Brown, Cristina. Why "Using" Gender Can Make a Big Difference (Parts 1 and 2).
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