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Abstract

The feminist narrative has long been a controversial and highly discussed debate in the media, yet it was not until the past decade that it’s meaning experienced a shift from antagonistic and problematic to iconic and inspiring. To investigate this shift and the ways in which the representation of women in the media contributes to this, this dissertation proposes that the democratisation of the internet has provided feminists with a voice to explore these narratives and create new meanings. The analysis of contemporary feminist texts, Suffragette 2015) and Misbehaviour (2020), portray how female directors and producers are using their power to challenge gender roles and patriarchal oppression. The methodology includes detailed accounts of feminist history combined with brief overviews of several important feminist theorists, each representative of certain movements and values. Ultimately these tools are used to look at the past, to explore the historic and ongoing subordination of women and the ways in which they have fought and challenged patriarchal oppression. Whilst considering the past, this research also looks to the future with fourth-wave feminism, where women are using contemporary tools, such as social media, to reject patriarchal tyranny. This includes a variety of organisations and campaigns, such as ‘Times Up Now’, which emerged after the #MeToo movement, as well as social media projects, such as the ‘Everyday Sexism Project.

Course: Media Studies - BA (Hons) - C1346

Date Deposited: 2022-08-10

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis13980.html