1. 36
Muted Group Theory of Cheris Kramarae

2. Muted Group Theory Overview
Theory based on the idea that dominant cultures systematically oppress “minority cultures” through the use of language

3. Slide 33
Muted Group Theory
Kramarae maintains language is literally a man-made construction
Women’s words discounted in our society and women’s thoughts devalued
Man-made language “aids in defining, depreciating, and excluding women” (Kramarae)

4. The Masculine Power to Name Experience
Slide 44
The Masculine Power to Name Experience
Women's talk is subject to male control and censorship
Women often silenced by not having publicly recognized vocabulary through which to express their experience
Muted women may even come to doubt the validity of their experience and legitimacy of their feelings

5. Muted Groups: Black Holes in Someone Else’s Universe
Slide 55
Muted Groups: Black Holes in Someone Else’s Universe
Women as a muted group first proposed by social anthropologist Edwin Ardener
Muted group – people belonging to low-power groups who must change their language when communicating publicly; their ideas are often overlooked

6. Men as the Gatekeepers of Communication
Slide 66
Men as the Gatekeepers of Communication
Even if vocabulary to describe feminine experience existed, women are still muted if their modes of expression are ignored or ridiculed
Gatekeepers – editors and other arbiters of culture who determine which books, essays, poetry, scripts, plays, film scripts, etc. will appear in the mass media

7. Men as the Gatekeepers of Communication
Slide 77
Men as the Gatekeepers of Communication
Kramarae notes women locked out of the publishing business for 500 years
Edwin Ardener noted women’s absence in anthropological research
Smith claims women’s absence from history is result of closed-circuit masculine scholarship

8. Slide 88
Enriching the Lexicon
Goal of muted group theory is to change man-made linguistic system that keeps women “in their place”
Three strategies
Accommodation
Separation
Assimilation

9. Co-Cultural Theory: How Muted Groups Talk to Dominant Groups
Slide 99
Co-Cultural Theory: How Muted Groups Talk to Dominant Groups
Assimilation - blending in with the dominant group
Separation - minimizing contact with the dominant group
Accommodation - persuading the dominant group to incorporate the experiences of the co-cultural group

11. Assimilation Blaming the victim
There are terrible people [among us], and all the awareness in the world won’t stop them from doing terrible things. We can’t control the bad people, so it might make sense to protect ourselves from them.
It is victim-blaming to say someone “deserved” to get raped if they didn’t follow the prevention tips. But it’s not victim-blaming to suggest that people [should] protect [themselves] from the bad people in the world.

12. Accommodation Camille Paglia
Wildly overblown claims about an epidemic of sexual assaults on American campuses are obscuring the true danger to young women, too often distracted by cellphones or iPods in public places: the ancient sex crime of abduction and murder. Despite hysterical propaganda about our “rape culture,” the majority of campus incidents being carelessly described as sexual assault are not felonious rape (involving force or drugs) but oafish hookup melodramas, arising from mixed signals and imprudence on both sides.
Misled by the naive optimism and “You go, girl!” boosterism of their upbringing, young women do not see the animal eyes glowing at them in the dark. They assume that bared flesh and sexy clothes are just a fashion statement containing no messages that might be misread and twisted by a psychotic. They do not understand the fragility of civilization and the constant nearness of savage nature.

13. Separation Andrea Dworkin
Night is magical for men. They look for prostitutes and pick-ups at night. They do their so-called lovemaking at night. They get drunk and roam the streets in packs at night. They fuck their wives at night. They have their fraternity parties at night. They commit their so-called seductions at night. They dress up in white sheets and burn crosses at night....
Any hated group fears the night, because in the night all the despised are treated as women are treated: as prey, targeted to be beaten or murdered or sexually violated. We fear the night because men become more dangerous in the night.
Seduction is often difficult to distinguish from rape. In seduction, the rapist often bothers to buy a bottle of wine.

14. Slide 1414
Critique
PRO—2005 convention reflects theory’s community of support and dedication to understanding people, clarifying values, and reforming society
CON—Some uncomfortable with labels
men cast as oppressors
women identified as oppressed

15. Beschdel Test The Beschdel Test The List Graphs
1. It has to have at least two [named] women in it
2. Who talk to each other
3. About something besides a man
4. For more than 60 seconds
The List
Graphs
(types of movies and gender of executives)
Female Character Flowchart

16. Assimilation, Accommodation or Separation
Assimilation, Accommodation or Separation? THE TRY GUYS Extreme Swimsuits

17. Assimilation, Accomodation or Separation?
Bill Mahr vs Feminism

18. Theoretical Connections
Communication Accommodation Theory
and Muted Group Theory
Convergence = Assimilation and Accommodation
Divergence = Separation