There is no fucking alternative

TW: reference to abuse but no graphic details. Popular media comes in many forms - TV and film, advertising, trailers, magazines, books, music video, social media - and with the rise of the internet and streaming services, these forms are becoming less distinct from each other. Young people look to media - especially music media - for information on sex, gender and relationships, on how to act and who to be. And over the last couple of decades, there has been increasing concern about the sexualisation of popular culture, especially music videos, and the impact on young viewers. Sexualised images in media have been described as “a wallpaper to our lives, all pervasive but hardly noticed” [1] . Typical representations show women as submissive, sexually-available objects, whilst depicting masculinity as aggressive, forceful and dominant, and these stereotypes are so prominent in all forms of media that we barely notice or question their presence. There are concerns that these rep...

TWs: reference to child abuse, abusers and films that depict abuse - no graphic details of abuse. Contains spoilers for the following films: Sleepaway Camp, Audition, Silent Hill. One of the reasons I love horror is its ability to present real, everyday fears through the lens of the absurd. Some might see Paranormal Activity as a daft romp of privileged white folks in peril, others are drawn to the narrative of society’s dismissal of women’s emotional experiences. The Exorcist features a mother’s brutal fight to have concerns for her child taken seriously, while The Shining depicts alcoholism and violence within the claustrophobic hub of family. 28 Days Later… explores the oppression and commodification of women, whilst Teeth highlights the alienation that women can feel from their bodies, and reminds us to be cautious of even the nice boys. I could go on. Children feature widely in horror. From John and Pearl in Night of the Hunter , little Andy in Child’s Play , Danny ...

We Need to Talk About Kylo *Includes spoilers for The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. You may have heard that a new Star Wars film dropped before Christmas, to a fairly mixed reception. As someone who isn’t a huge follower of the franchise with no cherished childhood memories at threat from the modern sequels, I had the luxury to disregard the crunchy bits and focus on the element that really spo ke to me - the standout narrative of toxic masculinity. And we really need to talk about Kylo. Over the years, the Star Wars universe has presented us with a variety of competing masculinities, from roguish fly-boys to violent, emotionless leaders, the jack-booted followers of orders to the pure of heart and morally rigid heroes. The Force Awakens introduced a new villain, Kylo Ren, with a new kind of masculinity which is more relevant than the chattering jury of the internet may realise. Some fans have been less than impressed with their beloved franchise’s latest bad guy, ye...