Pop feminism - The role of media and celebrities in the popularization of feminism

Ovaj se rad bavi analizom slučaja pop feminizma, na primjerima pjevačice Beyonce Knowles i glumice Emme Watson, na popularizaciju feminizma kao pokreta u posljednjih nekoliko godina. Istraživanje je provedeno metodom analize slučaja, analizom članaka koji se tiču dvaju spomenutih akterica, i analizom intervjua s Beyoncinim fanovima. Pretpostavka od koje se krenulo bila je kako su mediji i slavni pomogli stvaranju feminizma kao trenda i pokreta koji je postao popularan. Jedna od pretpostavki također je bila kako takvi istupi poznatih osoba reduciraju pravu vrijednost i dubinu pokreta, i ne daju dovoljno prostora svim njegovim licima. Analizom se dokazalo kako se pop feminizam danas shvaća dvojako; kao pozitivna stvar u smislu moći i autoriteta koji slavni imaju da usmjere na važne probleme u društvu, ali i kao negativan utjecaj, u smislu da previše pažnje pridaju sebi i uklapanju feminističkog identificiranja u svoj brend, a premalo dolazi do aktivnog uključenja u rješavanje problema za koje se pokret bori. S obzirom na to da mediji i poznate osobe mogu igrati ulogu u formiranju mišljenja ljudi i utjecati na njihove stavove i svjetonazore, pa čak i ponašanja, ovakve su vrste istraživanja nužne kako bi se vidio način predstavljanja i promjene jednog od najkontroverznijih i najpopularnijih pokreta današnjice.This paper analyses the phenomenon of popular feminism in todays culture. using examples of the singer Beyonce and an actreess Emma Watson and their involment in feminism. The analysis was done using the case study method, by analysing articles regarding two mentioned celebrities, and analysing the interviews that were done with Beyonce’s fans. The starting premise was that the media and celebrities helped in feminism becomings as a trend and a movement that suddenly got popular. One of the premises was also that the involment of the celebrities in that trend, reduced the real values and the depth of the movement, and didn’t give enough space to all of feminism’s faces and images. Analysis showed how todays understanding of pop feminism can be taken in double ways; as a positive thing in terms of power and the authority of the celebrities that can channel people towards the important world issues, but also as a negative impact, meaning that too much attention was given to celebrities themselves and fitting in that identification with feminism as a part of their brand, meanwhile there’s little to none active involments in changing the issues that feminism as a movement fights. Given the fact that the media and celebrities can play a role in forming the opinions of the people and affect their opinons, even behaviours, these types of studies are necessary to see the ways of representation and change of one of todays most controversial and popular movements