Discourses Promoted by the Good Housekeeping Magazine: Ideology of the Readers
After discussing the depictions and stereotyping on women, I would like to discuss on the discourses promoted by the Good Housekeeping magazine, which also have a powerful influence over the ideology of the readers. Ideology can be interpreted as the dominant ideas, value and beliefs about social relations of particular groups circulate in the society that is made to be ‘naturalized’. (Branston, G. and Stafford, R. 2010) As for discourse, it is always connect to the words pattern that people used to think about the world systematically, and examine the language deep-rooted in ideology, and thus demonstrate it. (Macdonald, M., 1995) Both of them can be used to generate daily practices and assumptions by using language and thus positioning the readers in correlative to particular sets of ideas. Through women magazines, people can thus gain access to the socially framed ‘natural womanhood’. Yet, some of the possibilities of women are excluded or marginalized in terms of addressing in the magazine. For example, the photographs of women in the magazine are glossy and feminized, like wearing long dresses and shiny high-heels, perfect make-ups, etc., by using languages such as ‘this bargain party dress is just a snip – an ideal gift for one of my friends’ (Page 113), to inform readers that feminize and being girlish seems natural and desirable to every women. However, boyish style and sport style are not shown or minimized. In the reality, some of the women can be sporty or may not be interested in household or childcare.
Just as what Macdonald, M. (1995) suggests that tracing dominant stereotypes historically is more useful in explaining the changes in ideology. In fact, these three terms – stereotyping, ideology and discourses are closely linked and all are useful to interpret another, in which it can be said that stereotypes are generated through ideology and discourses. Ideology can be interpreted as the dominant ideas, value and beliefs about social relations of
Just as what Macdonald, M. (1995) suggests that tracing dominant stereotypes historically is more useful in explaining the changes in ideology. In fact, these three terms – stereotyping, ideology and discourses are closely linked and all are useful to interpret another, in which it can be said that stereotypes are generated through ideology and discourses. Ideology can be interpreted as the dominant ideas, value and beliefs about social relations of