Representing Gender-Based Violence in Teen Series: Young People’s Discourses on the Spanish Series Física o Química

• In Event: ICA Interactive Paper/Poster Session I
  In Interactive Poster Session: Children, Adolescents and the Media Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Through the analysis of the fans’ forum of a popular Spanish teen series, Física o Química (2008-2011), this study explores what meanings the audience gives to the representation of gender violence in the series, focussing particularly on how they deal with the representation of male aggression towards women and how audiences reflect on gender stereotypes and unequal romantic and sexual adolescent relationships. From the analysis emerges that adolescents have internalized a series of stereotypes and myths of romantic love that can be very dangerous because they justify violence of men towards women. But it is the same series representation that leads viewers to question the myths, and thus, to talk about gender violence among adolescents, to reflect on it and the dangers of romantic idealization. This happens because the series presents a risky representation and raises the dilemmas openly, without trying to be moralizing with the audiences.

Authors

• Maria-Jose Masanet, U Pompeu Fabra

• Frederik Dhaenens, Ghent U