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Rihanna’s Super Bowl LVII halftime show in 2023 marked a significant milestone in gender representation, especially in how it depicted motherhood and feminine independence. As the first person to perform the halftime show while visibly pregnant, Rihanna challenged traditional expectations in a male-dominated sports setting. Her choice of androgynous red attire combined masculine and feminine styles, while her confident, minimalist stage presence rejected the hypersexualised norms often placed on female performers. By embracing her pregnancy and presenting herself with unapologetic strength and authenticity, Rihanna redefined what it means to be a powerful woman in the public eye.

Over the past decade, gender representation in media has evolved from merely challenging stereotypes to celebrating complex and nuanced identities. Rihanna’s Super Bowl performance highlights authenticity, visibility, and empowerment in prominent settings. Although some felt her minimalist choreography lacked energy, this view often misses the deliberate intent behind her choices. Rihanna’s performance focused on presence over spectacle, rejecting the idea that female performers must depend on exaggerated movements or sexuality. It clearly demonstrated that strength and femininity can coexist, and that motherhood should be acknowledged and embraced publicly, not hidden. However, we do know how celebrities like their privacy and go to great lengths to protect it!

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Super Bowl LVII 🏈 Rihanna's Halftime Show: Full & Live!

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https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0451279/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

A piece of media that stands out to me due to it representation of gender is the movie Wonder Women that came out June 2nd, 2017. Which was a huge leap for gender stereotypes within the movie industry. As historically women, especially in a superhero movie were portrayed as the “damsel in distress” rather than the powerful superhero, which doesn’t set a good president for the young generations watching these movies as it sets unrealistic gender roles.

She has been a character in the superhero world since 1941, but never the lead role and never given much depth top her character. Her now staring in her own movie is a huge step for gender stereotypes and women in the movie industry. she is portrayed as a powerful, intelligent, and driven women. The is a huge shift for the movie world as typically men are the lead characters and are portrayed as the powerful, intelligent, and driven whereas the women are shown to be a side character. This movie also shows her as a powerful character without her being sexualised for the male gaze. She shows leadership and strength without letting her looks define her. This piece of media is a refreshing look on gender stereotypes within the film world.

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A piece of media that has stuck with me due to how it represented gender is the 2018 Nike "Dream Crazy" campaign. This ad shows many famous women and the stereotypes that accompany women who play professional or even just local sports. The belief that women are "crazy" to push harder and strive to achieve their dreams is the main focus, this is why Nike wrote the line "it is only crazy until you do it".

This campaign came out while I was in high school actively fighting against the stereotype against me, it gave me hope that one day I might achieve those dreams so I continued to push and fight for my place in the sports world. This add inspired a whole generation of women to pursue their dreams of playing sports and to never listen to the people calling them crazy.

This campaign helps young women fight back against the stereotypes against them while also raising the question of why is wanting to play sports such a "crazy" idea for these young girls and women.

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"It’s only crazy until you do it" - Spot Nike

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A piece of media that stands out to me due to it's representation of gender is the 2014 campaign, #LikeAGirl. Striving to take back and/or reframe what was intended as derogatory phrasing, pushing back against harmful gender stereotypes and instead promote empowerment.

The phrase "like a girl" is often used as an insult to women as a gender, implying weakness or inferiority. The campaign, however, pushes against this implication through attempting to shift the meaning to be indicative of strength and capability.

The young girls included in the video, however, respond to the phrase "like a girl" completely differently than some of the adults or young boys; they have not yet internalized the gender stereotype. This contrast emphasizes how gender identities can be misrepresented and absorbed through the continuation of gender stereotypes.

The campaign itself forces people to face the question - "why is doing something like a girl insulting?", resisting stereotypes in a way that promotes strength, equal capability, and empowerment.

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Instructions: Choose a piece of media (movie clip, advertisement, song, etc.) that shows interesting or notable gender representation

1. Create a post that includes:

A link to or file of your chosen media piece

Your analysis of how gender is portrayed

The type of media you selected

The year it was released

2. Read and comment on at least two other students’ analyses

Consider comparing and contrasting different portrayals

Discuss how representations might have changed over time

Share additional insights or alternative perspectives