Miss Representation Essay

Roseanna Singletary
ENC 1102-Warren
April 9, 2013
NEGATIVE POTRAYAL OF WOMEN IN MEDIA
In our current century, there has been a media revolution that has left the better part of
the world’s population attuned to all sorts of information. The media plays an important role in
society today being the main channel through which we get our information. The media is highly
influential in its defining and formation of the world’s perception of itself and of its occupants. It
has become difficult in the struggle of maintaining one’s uniqueness and identity among people,
aside from the media influence.
Some of the vices that the media often perpetuate that are harmful to the world include
stereotypes that are racial, gender based and class based. The basis of stereotypes is often
artificial attributes, such as physical appearance, financial status, and there are widely
perpetuated and rarely questioned despite their persistence. The excessive, disparaging and
negative portrayal of women is prevalent in commercials, magazines, and videos, where women
display their cleavage in scantily dressed scenes, sending the message to the young and
upcoming women that beauty and big breasts are more important than brains.
On a recent blog, one writer says, the most effective way to inspire female youth is by
having them see, with their own eyes, who they can become (Vivekananda). Too much time and
effort is dedicated by the media to elevating and portraying a small fraction of the population as
symbols and representations of physical perfection.
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Most often, the people used are fashion models, musicians, and actors and athletes. These icons
are normally portrayed in glamorous ways that tend to lead the younger generation to believe
that a certain physical appearance is what is regarded as perfection. Negative depictions of
women in all kinds of media are predisposed to undervalue and objectify women, reducing
them to sexual objects or lesser human beings. In a recent post on Children Now, television not
only fails to reflect the world in which youthful people live, but most often gives the wrong
impression, that some groups are more valued by society (Azad).
With media stations allowing the derogatory depiction of women in commercials or
advocating for reality shows in little or no clothing, young women see this and often fall into
unhealthy eating disorders to try to become like their role models. There is an urgent need for
increased public awareness of not only the existence of, but also the potential harm that is
generated by these stereotypes. Most of the time, the media’s presentation of glamorous lives
and occupations of these icons is often linked to fashion, the products they use, and various
lifestyles (Thorham). In addition, it is in the visual exploitation of these icons, especially female
celebrities that are used in marketing and advertisements of these products.
It is not only in the objectifying of women, but also in how the media portrays women
as dumb and weak, with little or no consideration given to their positive attributes like kindness,
strength and courage. Most often the media focuses on the physical attributes, with society not
realizing the true sense of a woman and what makes her truly beautiful.
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In an interview with Entertainment Times, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the director of the
documentary Miss Representation said that on a worldwide scale, both men and women are
being force fed ideas of what is perceived to be a man or woman, and it is so evident not only
fictional or reality TV shows, but also in media (Royhman).
Despite the overwhelming negative depictions of women in the movies, commercials,
television programs, and advertisements, there are positive models of intelligent and exemplary
women, as well. These, though few, and rarely regarded, can serve as good role models for the
younger female population (Mblinyi). If the media made a conscious effort to show these off,
it would encourage the dreams and boost the self worth of young women. The media can be an
instrument of change; it can maintain the status quo and reflect the views of society, but most
times, it is a means that can help to awaken people and change minds. I think it depends on who
is piloting the plane (Katie Couric).
It is important to know the reality of what the media portrays about women, and contrary
to the image of being sex objects as depicted in movies or as objectified by advertisements.
Women are not only smart, they are strong, witty and beautiful, and therefore deserve to be
treated with equal value.
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Work Cited
Azad, Sifat. Are Women in the Media Only Portrayed as Sex Icons? Statistics show a Massive
Gender Imbalance Across Industries. 2012. Web. March 25, 2013
http://www.policmic.com/article/4439/are women in the media portrayed as sex
icons statistics show a massive gender imbalance across industries
Couric, Katie. Gold Crown Enrichment Host Documentary Film Screening. 2013. Web. March
25,2013.http://www.goldcrownenrichment.org/?p=1312.
Mbilinyi, D.A.S.. Gender relations and women’s images in the media. Dar es Salaam: Daar es
Salaam University Press, 1996. Print.
Rothman,Lily. Miss Representation DOC Director on why the media (Still) Hates Women. 2012.
Web. March 25, 2013,<http://entertainment.time.com/2012/01/10/miss representation.
Doc director on why the media still hates women/>.
Thornham,sue. Women, feminism and media. Edinburgh University Press, 2007.Print
Vandivier,Lindsay. Portrait of women in the media. 1984.web. March 25, 2013<
http://mediarepresentation.wordpress.com/womrnmediapolotics/>.
Vivkananda, Swami. Women and media. 2008. Web. March 25, 2013. <
http://www.caluniv.ac.in/Global%20mdia%20journal/Documents/D.1.%20Women%20
AND%20Media%20-Justice%2020%20%20%20G%20N%20ROY,pdf>