How are women portrayed in mainstream media and how have the people reacted to it?
“You don’t have to be a formal researcher to notice that there has been a pronounced increase in the number of sexual images of girls and young women in mainstream media”(R. Danielle Egan, 56). We see this in different ad campaigns, in magazines and on television. In many so-called ‘chick-flicks’, we can see how a girl becomes popular after the traditional make-over, and she is usually unpopular in the first stage because she is an intellect.
This problem moves past the screen itself to interviews of actresses who are mainly asked about looks, what fitness routine they have at the moment, compared to men who get relevant questions about the movie they are promoting.
“From the red carpet to the slopes, the media sends the limiting message that a woman’s value lies in her youth, beauty, and sexuality and not in her accomplishments […] According to a study that analyzed over 160 million words from decades of newspapers, academic papers, tweets, and blogs, […] women are disproportionately described in relation to their marital status, age, or appearance.” (The Representation Project).
Luckily, people are fighting against this on social media. The Representation Project has undertaken some means to campaign against this. They use the #askhermore, to challenge journalists and interviewers not to ask a question simply based on appearance but to focus on women’s achievements instead.
Works cited:
Youtube video sources:
“Celebrities Who Show You How To Deal With Sexist Comments.” Youtube, uploaded by Salty Facts, 19 August 2018, www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrSTsWNqRzw.
“Helen Mirren The sexist Parkinson s interview 1:2.” Youtube, uploaded by P.I. Becky, 23 August 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VuvyItN3es.
“Charlotte McKinney – Carls Jr Ad Commercial – Super Bowl XLIX 2015 – The All Natural Burger.” Youtube, uploaded by Charlotte McKinney, 23 January 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlUvQkW4B1k.
“Women On The Red Carpet Get Sh!tty Questions – Today’s Topic (Scarlett Johansson, Mindy Kaling).” Youtube, uploaded by Cracked, 9 August 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=paPZX_JLokI.
“Coco Mademoiselle: The Film – CHANEL.” Youtube, uploaded by CHANEL, 8 March 2011, www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRV-2_Un-kk.
“The Devil Wears Prada (4/5) Movie CLIP – Andy Gets a Makeover (2006) HD.” Youtube, uploaded by Movieclips, 18 June 2015, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSPYgwP9R84.
Websites:
“#askhermore”The Representation Project. therepresentationproject.org/the-movement/askhermore/. Accessed 5 December 2018.
Twitter:
@JenSiebelNewsom. ”We are not just objects to entertain the world. We are not simply images to bring smiles or grimaces to people’s faces. We are not members of a giant beauty pageant to be pit against one another for the pleasures of the public. We women in Hollywood, we have voices.” #AskHerMore” Twitter, 16 October 2018, 12:41 p.m., twitter.com/JenSiebelNewsom/status/1052283303540060160
@Just_Tarable. “CRINGE, why did your interviewer Paul Martini ask @tessavirtue about getting a ‘new dress’?? She is competing for a GOLD MEDAL and she is an ATHLETE, can we not focus on that? Unless you also ask @ScottMoir about his snazzy ensemble. #askhermore GEEZ” Twitter, 10 February, 7:29 p.m., twitter.com/Just_Tarable/status/962529051364782081.
@nickykc. “What shoes were you wearing @christopherhope ..Oh wait this isn’t a fashion show so I don’t care – same applies to women #Askhermore” Twitter, 26 September, 7:09 a.m., twitter.com/nickykc/status/1044951989501784064.
Articles:
R. Danielle, Egan. “Sexualising girl troubles” Contexts, Vol. 11, No. 2, from sweatshops to surrogacy (SPRING 2012), pp. 56-57. www.jstor.org/stable/41960814. Accessed 4 December 2018.
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