Zoella Representation Blog: Van Zoonen

Lisbit Van Zoon is a feminist cultural and media theorist who has hypothesized that the gender hierarchy is reinforced by the media via traditional representation, particularly of women. The online Blogging and Vlogging enterprise of the 20 something Zoe Sugg (aka Zoella) is a prime example of this in terms of how it both reinforces Van Zoonen and challenges her ideas surrounding how the media works in regards to gender. In very broard terms, Zoella reinforces a traditional view of femininity. Much of the Blog's content contains very frivolous information regarding life style and makeup techniques. This reinforces the idea of a shallow woman who does no real work and spends the day at her own leisure. This is also reinforced when in another video, it was stated that her boyfriend Alfie had an office away from home. This does not entirely disprove Van Zoonen since Zoella does run a multi million pound enterprise from home, however it does peak my interest that the woman in this relationship stays at home and the man goes to work to provide. This publicly creates the perception of a gender hierarchy when one is not really there in the first place. On the other hand, this aspect of the vlogs (Alfie and Zoe relationship) could be an interesting way to show how it subverts the norms. In the vlogs, zoella seems to take a lead and Alfie. In other words she takes the traditional masculine dominant role and Alfie is the passive femenin role and almost seems like an accessory to zoella or a trophy husband. This is particularly evident in the video where they went pumpkin picking. However this was also interesting as she had Alfie purchase the pumpkins whilest she relaxed in the car, carryicarrying out a traditional masculine duty of looking after his GF.