DECAPITATED FEMININITY: SEMIOTIC AND SOCIOCULTURAL ERSPECTIVES ON HEADLESS FEMALE REPRESENTATIONS IN HOLLYWOOD MOVIE POSTERS

Abstract

This study examines the visual objectification of women in Hollywood movie posters, focusing on the depiction of headless female figures through the lens of Peirce’s semiotic theory and Goffman’s gender representation framework. By analyzing iconic, indexical, and symbolic elements, the research highlights how women are fragmented, sexualized, and commodified within the media industry. The study identifies the socio-cultural phenomenon of headless depictions, where women’s bodies are reduced to isolated parts, perpetuating patriarchal norms and the male gaze. Furthermore, it explores the commodification of female bodies as fragmented capital, emphasizing their use as consumable objects in visual narratives. This objectification results in the dehumanization and disempowerment of women, reinforcing gender inequalities and undermining female agency. Through qualitative analysis of posters from romantic, thriller, and horror genres, the findings reveal how visual media perpetuates harmful stereotypes, sustaining societal narratives of female subjugation. This research advocates for more equitable media practices that challenge traditional gender roles and foster a reimagined cultural framework valuing women as holistic individual.