Power of Portrayal
The media function that acts as a primary cultural storyteller, actively constructing what society considers normal, acceptable, or deviant.
power/role of media portrayal
The classic trope where women are written into scripts primarily as passive victims needing rescue by a male protagonist.
the "Damsel in Distress"
The prime-time narrative depicting modern women effortlessly excelling in demanding, high-prestige careers.
"Achievement Script"
The common mistake in media analysis that confuses high female screen visibility with real institutional power.
conflating visibility with parity
The test evaluating whether two named female characters converse about something other than a male character.
Bechdel-Wallace Test
Systemic dislike, contempt for, or prejudice against women, often woven into media narratives as common sense.
misogyny
The practice of placing erotic and violent elements together in cinematic narratives.
the sexualization of violence
The sociological term for unpaid housework and childcare performed after a shift of paid professional work.
"Second Shift"
The off-screen creative positions where women remain starkly underrepresented, such as directors and writers
high-prestige/gatekeeping roles
Camera framing using slow pans or lingering close-ups to treat female characters as passive objects.
Male Gaze
The shallow, decorative roles to which female characters are continuously relegated to sustain patriarchal structures.
one-dimensional or objectified roles
The narrative trope where a female character's suffering or death exists solely to motivate the male hero's development.
"fridging"
The mental responsibility of organizing school schedules, appointments, and support, predominantly borne by women.
the cognitive/emotional load
The dominant perspective through which stories continue to filter when budget-controlling gatekeepers remain mostly male.
male lens (or male gaze)
Step 3 of the Media Audit framework, which examines family dynamics and background chore work.
auditing the domestic division of labor
The media strategy that frames feminist activists as hostile, "man-hating," bitter, or physically unappealing.
the anti-feminist backlash
Two ways female bodies are represented in relation to male-driven cinematic narratives.
sexual desire and physical threat
The idealized media standard created by depicting high-flying careers while ignoring domestic labor realities.
the "superwoman" standard
The definition of true gender parity behind the scenes in media industries.
the equal distribution of high-prestige, gatekeeping roles
The final step of the toolkit, which checks movie credits to compare character depiction against off-screen leadership.
measuring power behind the scenes
The primary ideological purpose behind delegitimizing proponents of gender equality as extreme or irrational.
sustaining/protecting patriarchal power structures
The key narrative quality stripped from female characters when reduced to narrative tools for male character development.
agency
The real-world consequence experienced by women in dual-earner households due to a lack of structural safety nets.
maternal burnout
Executive roles mentioned that hold institutional power behind the camera alongside directors and screenwriters.
executive producers and board members
The three criteria required to pass the Bechdel-Wallace Test.
2+ named female characters, having a conversation, about something other than a man