How is Femininity Socially Constructed Through the Media in

Our Society?

Amanda O’Dell & Allison Jewett

“It almost seemed like they are told their opinions don’t matter and that they should just sit there look pretty or be fragile like glass dolls.”

Equality

• Men and women have never been represented equally in the media, politics, work place, and in society.

• There are social economic standards that girls and boys are expected to live up to and be a man or a woman that does their distinct role and don’t go outside the norm.

Equality for women

• Women are seen as weak, un-opinionated, unintelligent and useless and that what we do is not important.

• Women have always been fighting for their rights and we as a community, country and world have to acknowledge equality and stand for these rights.

Ways women are used in advertising

• Alcohol • Body Parts • Dummies/Dolls/

Mannequins • Emaciation (Skinniness)• Magazine Pseudo-

stories• Sex • Women with no Clothes

• There are a lot of ways that women are seen in the media, advertising and popular culture and most of which are negative.

• In most ads you will find a women with hardly any clothes on, trying to sell an item using her body.

Negative Impacts Caused By Media• Compulsive Exercise • Depression• Diets• Eating disorders• Surgery• Violence against Women • Weight Loss • Women as inanimate objects • Kids want to feel sexy at an

earlier age• Stereotyping for both men and

women increase

• Television, movies, and advertising create molds that women of all ages feel the need to conform to. It has a huge physical, mental, and emotional impact on every girl who tries to attain the idealistic beauty.

What is “ideal” beauty?

• Media shows an ideal body which women must strive to attain ultimate perfection, which is for most women unattainable.

• Women are shown as extremely underweight, with perfect teeth, hair, and tan. They’re tall and have no blemishes. A “perfect” women.

• They use this “beauty” to sell an item by selling the woman’s body. It makes the viewers believe that if they purchase that item, they will receive this perfect, unrealistic, body.

• This is ironic, because countless pictures in the media have been airbrushed, altered, and computer generated. This has a detrimental impact on how women feel about themselves.

Beauty Redefined.

Where do you find these depictions?

• These are present any and everywhere.

• Typical places are:– Movies– Advertising/

Commercials– Billboards– Television– Magazines– And so on.

Stereotypes occurring in the media

“This problem is exacerbated by the under-representation of women in media and

misrepresentation of their role.”

Stereotypes of Women

Toys for Young Girls

Toys for young girls

• Girls’ toys consist of barbies, kitchen sets, dolls, cleaning appliances, teddy bears, make up, dress up clothes, high heels and jewelry.

• The toy industry takes full advantage of the stereotypes displayed throughout the media and presents them to kids so that they will grow up knowing what their “job” is in life and what they are allowed to play with and enjoy.

How do movies and films perpetuate violence towards women?

• “It can include physical, sexual, psychological and economic abuse, and it cuts across boundaries of age, race, culture, wealth and geography. It takes place in the home, on the streets, in schools, the workplace, in farm fields, refugee camps, during conflicts and crises.”

• Films and movies are constantly portraying women as the “damsel in distress,” being murdered, raped, belittled, physically abused, etc.

• Globally on average 6/10 girls are physically or sexually violated in their lifetime.

Battered Women

• About 100 women an hour are the victims of a violent crime committed by their intimate partner.

Violence Against Women• “Among women aged 15-44

acts of violence cause more death and disability than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents, and war combined.”

• Up to 60% of women experience physical or sexual violence from men in their lifetime. The majority from their husbands, partners, orsomeone they know.

• 83% of girls aged 12-16 experience some form of sexual harassment in public schools.

• “Victim means weakness; weakness means violence… media loves violence.” The media creates these horrific scenes in movies because that is what sells. Are we saying that violence is tolerable and even encouraged?

Is this equality?Notice any stereotypes?

What are the results of these stereotypes?

• Women often have a lower self image, and low self-esteem.

• Over 50% of females aged 11-13 see themselves as overweight.

• 80% of 13 year olds have tried losing weight.

• It’s estimated that over 8 million Americans have an eating disorder; only an estimated 10-15% of which, are men.

• Three in 100 American women have bulimia.

5-10% of Anorexics die within 10 years of getting the disease.

18-20% will be dead within 20 years.

60-70% NEVER RECOVER.

More results…

• One in 200 American women are reported to suffer from Anorexia.

• Three in 100 American women have bulimia.

• There has been a 119% increase from 1996 until 2006, in the number of children age 12 who have been hospitalized due to an eating disorder.

• As the portrayed body size of women decrease, the number of eating disorders have dramatically increased.

Think About It?

• Music videos, movies, games and radio banter are filled with negative language and images that stereotype women. How do those messages affect us?

• Are we desensitized and does that lead to violence against women? Do artists and people in the media have any responsibility when it comes to violence?

Ending the Silence.

• “Communication can be one of the most powerful tools”

• Different women of all languages are asking you to stop the negative stereotyping and violence against women.

• If the media encouraged products sold by ordinary people, then there would be fewer negative effects as a result of advertising.

• Businesses would still make their money because women would see that the items they’re selling can be used by the average female as well and even be encouraged by buying their product.

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