Self-Identity, Voice, and Power in Female Muggles and Wizards:A Feminist Analysis of Fan

Avatars in Two Harry Potter Fan Sites

Jennifer L. BowieFem Rhet 2007

Females, Technology, and Self• Much of the scholarship has found women

marginalized in computer use• But females can be at the center:

• Girls are weaving the web (Takayoshi, Huot, and Huot)• “The Web is a productive venue for girls self-expression.. Gives

girls a place for self-expression while intimately involving them in the working of technology” (104 Takayoshi, Huot, and Huot)

• The web gives us “heightened possibilities for self-representation” (271 Hawisher and Sullivan)

• The body and representation are key feminist issues and online spaces are a new venues for these issues

• According to DeVoss and Selfe– We need to pay attention to how individuals are

establishing identities online– We need to see women as agents and authors of their own

identities

Method

• Examined the forum of two popular Harry Potter Fan sites– Site 1 was avatar heavy and the

majority disclosed their sex– Site 2 had less avatars and few

disclosed their sex• Gathered 40 female avatars• Analyzed the avatars for self-identity,

voice, and power

Findings

• Of 101 unique avatars:– 59 do not disclose their sex (only 1 from

site 1)– 2 self-identified as male (both on site 2)– 40 self-identified as female

Findings: Types of Avatars• 23 photo based• 16 are drawings of some type• 3 are text• 17 include text with an image• 24 are Harry Potter related

Warning!

• Spoiler on the next page!

More Findings: XX, XY, ?

• 17 have a feminine theme• 4 have a masculine theme• 15 are of females• 16 are of males• 9 have multiple people (3 are all

male, the rest male & female)

Findings: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral • 23 are human• 8 are animal• 2 are of alien/other intelligent being• 8 are of nature• 7 are other non-animate things• 3 in nature• 2 “tech”• 1 abstract• 1 seems to be the real person

Findings: Attributes• 14 are strong• 10 are powerful• 6 are weak• 1 is sexy• 9 are pretty• 8 are cute• 8 are childlike • 6 have attitude• 4 are smart

Findings: Feelings and Connections• 14 have emotional themes• 5 are aggressive• 11 show connections• 14 show individuals• 5 show romances or friendships• 15 express a message/make a

statement

Findings: Traditional Depictions?• 18 had traditional feminine

depictions• 6 had non-traditional depictions• 5 of those also had traditional

elements

Summary of Interesting Findings• 42% are feminine & only 10% masculine• Females were slightly more likely to choose male

avatars than a female (16 to 15)• 28% included or were of nature, but only 2% tech• 35% were strong, 25% powerful, and only 15% weak• Only 2% were sexy, but 23% pretty and 20% are

cute• 23% were childlike, but 15% had attitude• 45% are traditional depictions of the female, only

15% had non-traditional depictions, but 13% include both traditional and non-traditional

• Many females may not be disclosing their sex• Females are much more likely to have avatars than

males

Self-Identity, Voice, and Power• Self-identity:

– Traditional feminine or male– Multiple– Strong connections to nature– Outside self: Harry Potter, movies, other things– Females more likely to give visual identity through avatars

• Voice:– Did present messages– May speak in non-traditional ways, but most with elements

of the traditional– Speak in the voices of others– Emotional with a strong focus on relationships, connections,

and love • Power:

– May use Harry Potter and males to get power– Expressed in masculine ways– Showed weakness

Summary• Many females are choosing to represent

themselves in either traditional methods or as males

• When females choose non-traditional depictions they often include traditional aspects

• Although strong and powerful are included, so are pretty and cute

• Self-identity: feminine or male, multiple, outside self

• Voice: emotional, focused on relationships, spoke through others, often traditional (even when being non-traditional)

• Power: sought through Harry Potter images and images of males, expressed in more masculine ways or showed weakness

• Some females are weaving and authoring strong feminist identities online, but too many stay with the traditional and thus reinforce the problematic

Questions• How can we empower females to visualize and

identify themselves in feminist ways?• Why are self-identifying females more likely to

use avatars?• What do these avatars suggest about the

body/machine female cyborg and representation? Where is the body?

• Why do they choose their avatars and what are they trying to say/do with them?

• What do these avatars say about females as authors and agents of their identity? What does it mean that they are using outside images?

Barry states that “single messages may have great clarification and directional impact, as well as a progressively cumulative impact…” (336).

Thank you!

• jbowie@gsu.edu• www.screenspace.org