The representation of females in the media Essay Example

categorizes stereotyping into two types: sex role stereotyping and sex trait stereotyping. Sex role stereotyping is concerned with the beliefs surrounding the family and a woman's societal position. Although this role has changed with women pursuing careers and delaying motherhood, the media still portrays women in a limited manner. For instance, television programs depict a woman's duty as pleasing men.

According to Gunter's 1986 work on Television and Sex Role Stereotyping, sex trait stereotyping refers to the assumptions made about a woman's characteristics and personality traits. The media often portrays women as emotional, delicate, and dependent, creating damaging effects on society by shaping people's perceptions. Although the sex role of women has changed in recent years, these long-held views of delicate, fragile, and sweet women are still being perpetuated in the media. As a result, women are being directed on how to act and are being educated on what it means to be a "lady."

The portrayal of women varies greatly according to the medium’s genre and intended audience. Nonetheless, two recurring depictions are the 'virgin' and the 'vamp,' which respectively correspond to the motherly housewife and the sex object. These representations are widespread across different media and frequently utilized in advertising despite being considered offensive by many.

The media commonly portrays women as possessions with limited interests and careers, often depicting them as incompetent, nagging, or unintelligent. Women are frequently shown performing domestic tasks such as grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning. The typical representations of women as either a "virgin" mother or a housewife tend to depict them as married with children, happy and overly enthusiastic about cleaning or products that benefit their children (such

as Nutella). The main focus of their lives revolves around keeping the home clean, and they are often seen carrying out laborious tasks with a smile.

Media frequently distorts the depiction of genders, as exemplified by the 'Swiffer' commercial that portrays a woman joyfully singing and dancing while using an antistatic disposable mop. Typically, men are portrayed as inadequate in domestic duties but superior to women intellectually. According to Trowler's 1988 study, personal hygiene ads featured women seven times more often than men did and 75% of commercials featuring women promoted kitchen or bathroom products. The media usually depicts women occupying only eighteen occupations, mostly clerical ones, whereas men occupy forty-three different kinds of jobs. Women are primarily judged on their physical appearance with emphasis on perfect teeth, skin, hair and nails; they're commonly sexualized as 'dream girls' who appeal to male desires for selling products.

The media commonly uses the term 'sex object' in both television programs and advertising campaigns for jewelry, fragrances, skincare products, and clothing. Typically, unmarried young women are portrayed as sex objects in the media and attempt to comply with societal beauty norms. Conversely, when they become married, they are frequently seen as possessions that have lost their sexual allure and conform to an outdated 'neck-to-knee' fashion style epitomizing 'housewifery'. This has resulted in some individuals believing that advertisers have gone too far with their use of sexual content and are exploiting women for marketing purposes more than ever before (see image above).

In 2000, a Perry Ellis advertisement showed a woman lying on a tiled floor, appearing to be in a bathroom. A man stands over her, pulling at her

belt with naked legs. The perception among viewers varies - some believe she may have been raped, while others suggest she's had too much to drink. Many media portrayals of women center around the ultimate goal of marrying and having children. This is exemplified in shows like 'The Nanny', where the protagonist's life revolves around finding a partner, and 'Sex in the City', which follows four women striving to find their 'Mr. Right' and live happily ever after. Soap operas often reinforce this theme as well.

Domestic soap operas, such as 'Home and Away', present women as amiable and content figures whose main objective is to discover love and a companion. Nevertheless, those who prioritize their profession and accomplishments are frequently depicted as resilient and dissatisfied personalities. Conversely, foreign soap operas like 'Bold and the Beautiful' often depict women as scheming, forceful, and desirous of power.

A common tactic used by women in the media to win a man's affection is resorting to extreme measures, even if it involves stepping on other women's toes. Jealousy is frequently employed as a means of capturing a man's attention. This can be seen in a Kleenex TV advertisement where a girl pretends to have a cold so that she doesn't have to ski with the boy she likes.

The sick girl observes from the window as her blonde roommate accompanies the boy on the trip she couldn't join. She regards her with envy and hate, while the good-looking roommate waves back at her. This negative portrayal of women is highlighted by the slogan "The one thing worse than being sick is having a roommate that's not", which suggests that

women are bitchy and insecure, placing greater importance on men over their female friends. The oblivious boy recklessly swings his skis around, accidentally hitting the blonde roommate to the ground, causing pain. However, amidst this situation, the sick girl in the window smiles and laughs at her friend's misfortune.

According to Alexandra Starr, editor of the Washington Monthly, women's magazines continue to promote the idea that marriage and children are more crucial for women than for men, echoing a message that has been present for the past 50 years. Bonnie Fuller at Cosmopolitan and Ruth Whitnet at Glamour argue that this is what readers want to see.

Magazines often feature successful career women expressing their desire for motherhood. Fouts and Burggraf’s research in 1999 revealed that 33% of female characters in sitcoms had below-average body weight and received more positive comments the thinner they were. This perpetuates gender and weight stereotypes that can negatively impact women’s health (Fouts & Burggraf, Female Weight, Male Negative Comments and Audience Reactions, 2000). The portrayal of unnaturally underweight female characters like Ally McBeal, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jennifer Aniston sends misleading messages about the ideal female body. Unfortunately, our entertainment industry's biggest achievement is exporting insecurity by making every woman feel bad about her figure.

In her book Information Technology in Grand Rapids (2000), Goodman notes that some female characters on television and in movies are considered representations of larger women by many women, despite being within a normal weight range. However, these women are still labeled as "large." This is exemplified by actresses Kate Winslet and Alicia Silverstone who have been called "fatty" by the industry. The media and popular culture have

significant influence in western society and can shape people's understanding of various issues, while also forming new ideas.

In 2000, Ruby claimed that the Anita Hill hearings brought attention to women's workplace rights through their discussion of sexual harassment. Unconventional news stories, such as "Man Bites Dog" being more noteworthy than "Dog Bites Man," often capture people's interest.

Unfortunately, the occurrence of men raping around 50,000 women in our community annually is often considered 'non-news' due to its high frequency. Conversely, when a woman commits the rare act of severing her husband's penis, it becomes a noteworthy news story. This demonstrates how news coverage related to violent crime disproportionately portrays women.

The Washington Post noted a group of women who murdered another woman, an act that is not unusual for gangs in Washington to commit against both sexes. However, this specific case gained more attention as the perpetrators were female. Men committing violent crimes are so prevalent that their gender may not even be acknowledged in media coverage.

In his book "Man Bites Dog" (2000), Ruby uses the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington to illustrate the topic being discussed. He contends that repeatedly featuring stories about violent acts committed by women creates an inflated perception of their frequency compared to violence perpetrated by men. Studies indicate that simply repeating this type of coverage three times can cause people to perceive such incidents as more common than they are, leading to significant effects on memory and perception.

Man Bites Dog (2000) states that Ruby's research indicates the media has fabricated an unrealistic portrayal of female behavior and exaggerated gender differences, which do not accurately represent real-life. Media

Literacy Strategies for Gender Equity (2000) highlights how each new production technique used by the media blurs the boundary between fantasy and reality, affecting everyone to some degree. A student would have spent roughly 11,000 hours in class and 15,000 hours watching TV by year 12.

Although uncommon, there is a widespread belief that cars explode following accidents, which has been reinforced by Hollywood movies. Studies conducted over the past 25 years have shown that prolonged television exposure can lead individuals to view real life as resembling what they see on TV and adopt attitudes portrayed in media. The media's depiction of idealized women often contributes to low self-esteem, anorexia, or feelings of inadequacy among many women.

Davidson (2000) states that many women choose to stay in abusive relationships because they believe it is better than being alone. Meanwhile, men often appreciate their lack of physical burdens associated with female biology. This perception is linked to the way TV depicts gender roles, which Paisley and Butler noted distorts how people view them (Gunter, 1986). Advertisers argue they reflect reality; however, scholars disagree and contend that this portrayal does not accurately depict society.

The portrayal of gender in media is limited and fails to showcase the variety of qualities displayed by both men and women, according to Fair Exposure from the Office of the Status of Women in 1983. A study conducted in 1997 found that girls (69%) were more likely than boys (40%) to aspire towards the appearance and persona of characters on television programs (Children Now, Reflections of Girls in the Media). The content presented in media can be particularly influential in shaping children's perception of gender

roles, as Gunter notes, by providing them with the necessary building blocks for their ideas on sex role stereotypes (Television and Sex Role Stereotyping 1986). Consequently, specific attributes and actions are often associated with each sex.

According to Bern (1974) and Gunter (Television and Sex Role Stereotyping, 1986), traits such as outward emotion, nurturing, dependence, and sensitivity are often perceived as feminine, while dominance, strength, and aggression are typically associated with males. Ingham (The Portrayal of Women on Television, 2000) notes that women are expected to embody contradictory qualities such as being both "sexy and virginal" and "experienced and naive." Advertisers and the consumer industry invest around $150 billion annually in understanding the aspirations and worries of both teens and adults (Davidson, Media Literacy Strategies for Gender Equity, 2000).

According to Kathleen Shannon, the founder of woman's production studio D, women are often portrayed as inferior to those represented in the media. She believes that true oppression occurs when others define who you are. To put an end to stereotypes, society needs to reject them. Unfortunately, media's increasing influence has caused people to view these portrayals as realistic, resulting in fewer complaints. As a result, advertising and other media outlets continue to push boundaries even further.

In the foreseeable future, gender portrayals in the media are unlikely to be addressed and may even become more significant as media domination increasingly blurs the line between reality and fantasy. The only solution is education, specifically, ensuring that future generations are media literate and able to comprehend mass media influence. As the media dominates many areas of contemporary life, formal education in media literacy is vital. Although some may advocate

turning off televisions as a means of reducing media influence, teaching people how to become media literate is a more lasting solution.

Without media literacy, people can be influenced by the media without even realizing it, making the idea of trying to escape the media in the western world misguided and simplistic. However, media literate individuals can sort through presented information and make informed decisions or choices.

Media literacy enables individuals to recognize that the media represents a singular viewpoint of the world, empowering them to comprehend information on a deeper level and make informed decisions based on factual evidence. This knowledge allows people to distinguish between the reality of women and how they are presented in media. By decoding media messages or images, individuals gain control over their consumption. A 15-year-old girl stated that comprehending the motives of the media is essential for understanding society, which allows us to focus on ourselves rather than conforming to outside expectations (Davidson, Media Literacy Strategies for Gender Equity, 2000).

Recent studies dispute the belief that men are solely accountable for negative depictions of women in media. While women are prevalent in the women's magazine sector, detrimental stereotypes persist. Therefore, it is not fair to attribute all responsibility for promoting unrealistic standards to men since women also contribute.

Despite the decreasing dominance of men in the media industry, women continue to enforce a hierarchy based on looks rather than intellect. The media's unrealistic beauty standards are placing increasing pressure on women, resulting in significant harm to Western females who feel compelled to exhibit physical perfection. This demand for sexual idealism puts women at risk as they resort to drastic measures such as

extreme dieting, tanning, and even breast augmentation. Unfortunately, since the media's influence is all-encompassing and impossible to avoid, simply turning off TVs or radios will not prevent its harmful effects on women.

Media literacy education promotes a clear understanding of the media and its effects, reducing the power of its influence. This empowers women to make decisions based on their own lives rather than what is shown on screens.