The idea of containment of sexuality centers on

The idea of containment of sexuality centers on arguably the most recognizable
example of iconic representation of womanhood – the symbol of the Virgin Mary
(Driscoll, 2002). Two key concepts recur in various incarnations of this symbol: her
virginity (which represents purity) and her maternity, a contradictory tension that marks
her as the impossible ideal toward which “regular” woman must strive. As Catherine
Driscoll (2002) argues, the Virginity of the Blessed Mary has come to symbolize a

28
purified state of being for all women (and therefore a preferred or ethically superior state
of being) in which their sexuality is contained, controlled and/or denied (p. 142; see also
Dyer, 2004 on Marilyn Monroe as the innocent sexpot, thus neutralizing the threat of her
sexuality, pp. 17-63). As will be shown in the case study analysis, this is a common trope
in the representation of women in the media today, particularly with regards to female
reality television stars, many of whom often present (and experience) their sexuality as
“real” or are able to barter it for fame (or both).
There are other ways in which classical iconic representations of women foster
the notion of containment – one of which is containment of the female body itself. This is
commonly done through clothing such as corsets, brassières, high heels, etc., all of which
not only contain the female body, but also limit movement, which, in turn, affects “how a
girl produces power with her body” (Justice-Malloy, p. 111; see also Berger, quoted in
Heinecken, 2003; Pollock, 2003). These physical restrictions create normative power
restrictions on women’s activities both in and outside of the home. Women, however, are
contained not only by their clothing, but also by norms imposed upon their physical
bodies in terms of size and behavior. Women who resist – consciously or unconsciously –
these imposed limitations, either by being overweight and taking up “too much public
space” or by being loud and/or partaking in “male” activities, are perceived as threatening
(Heinecken, 2003) and are positioned in opposition to ethical codes of conduct (see
Rowe, 1995 on the “unruly woman” as exemplified by Mae West, Roseanne Barr, etc.)
Women, thusly, are judged against norms of appearance and behavior. If they do not
comply and extend “too far” into the public sphere, they are framed as transgressors.

29
Additionally, certain female celebrities need to be contained in a different way – in
regards to the medium in which they appear. Reality stars, in particular, are vulnerable to
this type of containment, for someone who is famous for “doing nothing” should not dare
try to achieve something such as writing a book or starting a fashion line.
In fact, women have long experienced heavy limitations on what they can and
cannot do in the media. Though by the 1980s, massive progress was being made by
women’s equality movements both economically and politically, most high-powered
culture and media positions (producers, directors, studio heads) were, and still are,
occupied by men (Lind, 2010 p. 327; Turner, 2004, p. 84