Video in the Home – A critical discussion of "Behind closed doors: video recorders in the home" pp327-336 Ann Gray (1987) Media studies a Reader
             This article outlines the role of gender in authority and use of home technology, specifically the home video recorder, or VCR.
             In the economic climate of the late eighties Gray argues that the TV and VCR are a very important part of family entertainment due to high prices of going out as a family. This is one of the first points stereotyping the nuclear family, and using only a very narrow social context. Gray stereotyping women as the inferior of most households implies that such entertainment is heavily gender biased due to a mans superior authority within a 'typical home', thus leading the use of the VCR to be a 'site of constant social negotiation'. Placing the woman as the sole domestic labourer of the household she argues that many women do not see the house of a place of leisure at all, and even daytime television viewing being a treat rather than a natural part of being a 'housewife'
             Gray goes on to discuss the gender differences of domestic vs. entertainment technology in the home. Highlighting the work of Rothchild, she takes up the viewpoint that domestic technology reinforces the women's role as the housewife. Gray states in a study that women tended to see domestic housework appliances as female oriented, whereas non domestic technology as male oriented, with varying degrees of gendering in between. Gray takes up the VCR as a typical male oriented, non-domestic appliance, stating that women feel alienated from Video technology due to both position in the family and institutionalised sexism. However it could be said that women in such situations are choosing this position instead of being placed within it by the system. VCR's have manuals, and such manuals are not written solely for men, many lone females would
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