Gendered Bodies:

Gender Codes and their Effects

Do the forthcoming images convey a message?

How do these models hold their bodies?

Do you see a difference between women and men, in terms of body stance? Attitude?

Is there a feeling that the photos exude?

Is this a normal posture? Is it a comfortable way to stand?

• Look at some of the contrasts between ways that women and men are (differently) posed and portrayed:

– Who has clothes on?

– Who touches themselves?

– Who stands sturdily on two feet, looking ready to take on the world?

– Who cocks their body, crooks elbows, cants knees, looks off-balance?

– Who is aggressively taking on the world?

– Who is reclining, kneeling, inviting?

What message(s) (do)es body positioning and other visual markers convey?

Is there a social and psychological effect when such imagery becomes normalized, even

conventional?