Media Literacy

Facts about Media•Teens see between 200-1,000 ads a day (tv, movies, clothing, internet, etc.)

• (vid:Media influenceWomen)

•We put BLIND TRUST in the media and allow others to dictate when we will ultimately believe is the STANDARD for acceptability. •We allow media to tell us what is beauty, what we should look like, what labels we should buy. (vid: dove)

•Why?• (vid: Media and Women)

Media Literacy•Media •TV, radio, internet, magazines, ads, movies, etc.

•Media Literacy is the ability to: •analyze media messages, •uncover stereotypical messages• to question “what lies beneath” the messages (motives and money BEHIND the media)

Decode Media Messages•Source• WHO is creating the advertisement?•What do they want in the end?•Will I REALLY get the outcome that’s “promised” (will I look like the model wearing the shoes/clothes/makeup)?•Examples:

• Victoria Secret• Disney• McDonalds• Kardashians• BMW

Stereotypes• Stereotype: Assumptions/belief about what a person is like based on what group s/he belongs to, rather than his/her individual characteristics•Gender (vid: Gender Stereotyping)•Ethnicity•Age•Sexual Orientation•Socioeconomic Class (Poor, Middle Class, Wealthy)

Media’s Use•Media uses stereotypes to sell products or for comedic value. (Cleaning products aimed at women, Tech and Talk using Indian-Americans)• Stereotypes allow a particular group to be superior, powerful, and in control while degrading other groups using slurs, comedy, or insults to make them weak or inferior.

Advertising vid:Dove,

Photoshop:perfect lie

•Goal: Sell product How? • Idealistic body type: •Women- big hair, thin, flawless face, large breasts, small waist, perfect body, sexual•Men- handsome, strong, flawless, serious, perfect body, powerful, sexual, dominating

• Stereotyping:• Gender roles (Men- doing manly activities – strong, muscular, controlling. Women – cleaning, cooking, feminine, submissive, naked)

• Unequal representation• Caucasian, underweight, young. Rare to see diversity. If diversity, very Caucasian or sexy appearance. • Sex sells. Women are sex objects who don’t have a use for their brain.

Women – Nurturing Caretakers

• Media tells girls that they can do anything as long as they’re doing household chores or “women’s work”. • When men are used in cleaning

commercials, they provide the SOLUTION but don’t do actual work (Mr. Clean for example)

The Media Targets Women and Men where it hurts: Body Image

• (vid: Girls /Boys and Body Image)

Gender Roles• From the onset of television for children, gender roles are clearly defined by programs most parents see as “kid-friendly” such as:•Cartoons•Movies•Toy product advertisements•Popular characters

Disney and Gender• Vid: gender and disney

Sexual Power• Often time, women are shown as

submissive and subservient. Men are shown as powerful and controlling.

• Vid: Dreamworlds 3• Does it surprise you that violence against

is still common?• What do you think can be done to change

this belief that men are dominant over women?

• What can men do to teach boys about power and control?

Racism/Racial Stereotypes• Vid: racism and stereotypes

• Why advertisers use racial stereotypes to sell a product•Grabs attention•Usually used for comedic value

• What it actually does•Gives one group power, hurts other groups•Harmful for equality

Racist Advertising

• http://egotvonline.com/2011/08/19/a-collection-of-racist-advertisements/

Truth in Advertising•Heavily airbrushed/photoshopped• Tool used to make models or products appear perfect• Takes away any and every flaw• Turns models into “cartoons”

Assumptions• Women believe that men VALUE

beautiful women more. Truth is that men, like women, care about a woman’s personality, education, and values more than looks. • Men believe that they have to

achieve muscles in order to be seen as strong. Truth is, strength is internal. Some of the most powerful men in the world are internally strong.

Illusion of Image

•Ads create an illusion of status/image•High fashion ads use money to show the perfect lifestyle•The idea is that money will buy happiness or popularity

Remember to Decode•Source• WHO is creating it?•What do they want in the end?•Will I REALLY get the outcome that’s “promised” (will I look like the model wearing the shoes/clothes/makeup)?

Positive Ads•RARE!•Show people happy•Use realistic situations•Clearly show product in use•Show diversity•Respectable appearances (clothes on)•Natural looking people•Show imperfections

Negative Ads • Difficult to know what is being

sold• Objectify women/men• Show nudity• Are heavily

airbrushed/photoshopped• Use impossible images of beauty• Racist or Stereotypical• Rarely smiling/happy- in pain• Show sexual abuse

Conclusion• Become a conscious consumer• Understand the IMPACT of media on

others, especially children• Realize that most advertisements will

NEVER deliver on promises• No product will solve your problems,

make you more “beautiful”, or substitute for something products cannot give: personality and a soul.