How The Media Failed Women in 2013
The team behind the MissRepresentation doc present their year-end roundup of media misrepresentation of women. It's a pretty long list, and a little painful to watch. But seeing all these wrongnesses back to back is an important reminder of how much work we have to do. Here's to a future of positive media that represents women as real, powerful people. And to the progress we have made, as shown in the intro to this eye-opening onslaught.
also, there's this...
CHATTER
I agree the video highlights a number of really important problems. I work as a music artist within the industry and, although I’ve never been encouraged to do it myself (my genre is folk) – women who I’ve worked with, particularly in the pop genre, are aware that if they behave in a sexualised way in videos etc they can further their careers more easily. But the extent of this really varies from country to country. And it’s hard to know in which cases the woman in question is in control and expressing the sexual element of herself artistically and genuinely and which cases it’s being encouraged by her team and perhaps isn’t something she’s completely comfortable with. I don’t think it’s right to criticise all women who express themselves sexually through their art in say, a music video. As, sexuality is a part of pretty much everyone and Amanda Palmer is a good example of someone who definitely is in control of her image, which is often a sexualised one she chooses to project as a part of her self-expression. But I do think there needs to be more non-sexualised female artists within the music industry who still sell as many records as Miley Cyrus…
I really liked this video up until the point that Rihanna was used. It just goes to show that white feminism is once again demonizing and dismissing women of color for embracing and being empowered by their sexuality. It was severely disappointing because I had high hopes for this. To shame another woman, our sister, for finding something and making a choice and feeling EMPOWERED by it defeats our entire purpose. I’m so so so disappointed in this.
We must do something to give women the special rights that they so dearly deserve. They should be encouraged in using their sexuality to advantage, while at the same time being compensated by special rules that keep them safe from all criticism.
I always thought of myself as somebody who craves equality. As a white male it’s easy to think I’m doing enough simply because I don’t take advantage of my fortunate lot in life. Now I have a daughter. And the things I saw in this video make me want to puke. As do idiots like Brandon. Dude! I know this is the least of your problems but- their not there.
Ooo! The Nazi comparison! Because THAT’S original.
Thanks for your post, Brandon. Now we’ve all identified you as an uneducated male that spouts off incorrect information to pump up his own ego. See this Times article for exactly how wrong you are about where the future of advertisement lays: http://content.time.com/time/interactive/0,31813,2031700,00.html
Oh, and as an ASTOUNDINGLY attractive (by society’s–and thus your–definition of the term), 24-year-old woman, the very idea of your “compliments” makes my skin crawl. My guess: you’re one of those creepy awkward guys that goes to clubs, walks up behind someone and starts grinding before she realizes what’s happening, then whispers something stupid into her ear like, “Hi there, hot stuff” or “Are you American?” Bleh. Excuse me while I go get something to drink to calm the bile that just rose in my throat at the thought of you.
Go back to your video games and let the grownups talk.
You sick feminists are no better than Nazis. You spread disgusting propaganda. Guess what? This is America. We are based around Capitalism. Guess what sells? Sex. You want to tell companies to use your idea of women for there ads? Guess what they’ll all go out of business. Nobody wants to buy products endorsed by whales like Adele. Using attractive women and calling them attractive isn’t offensive, it’s a compliment. Attractive girls like getting compliments and showing off there bodies because they have them. Just because you’re all either used up or have remained disgusting your whole life gives you no right to tell everybody else how to live and what to believe.
The very best satire can simultaneously condemn, provoke, and offend. I didn’t see Seth McFarlane’s entire Oscar gig, but I did see the “We Saw Your Boobs” number in its entirety. And I really do believe he was using comedy to highlight the same double standard we’ve been discussing here. You couldn’t sing a song about Oscar-nominated men called “We Saw Your Junk,” and that was (I believe) the whole point of that song.
*TO ADDRESS ME’S COMMENT*: while your confidence is commendable, the detriment of misrepresenting women as sex object beauty queens is FAR FAR FAR MORE SERIOUS than women simply comparing themselves to media portrayals and feeling discouraged. THE REAL AND SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES OF THIS PORTRAYAL OF WOMEN IS FOUND IN THE IMPACT ON SOCIETY’S SUBCONSCIOUS. The image of women as sex objects feeds into a negative stereotype of women as a gender. In turn, this negative stereotype feeds into human IMPLICIT BIAS against women (implicit bias is also known as implicit social cognition). An implicit bias is a positive or negative mental attitude towards a person, thing, or group that a person holds at an unconscious level (to read more about implicit bias here is a link of FAQs on implicit bias from Stanford University – http://med.stanford.edu/diversity/FAQ_REDE.html). Women are subconsciously regarded as less competent compared to men by a large fraction of society, in part, due to IMPLICIT BIAS. And guess what?!? The implicit bias against women is not exclusive to men – women participate equally in implicit bias against women as well. Again, implicit bias is SUBCONSCIOUS – the people that are committing and acting on implicit biases are unaware they have this bias. Please read this science article on implicit bias published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) that I have posted to make available to everyone (https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2DJxnCKkbNka0ZoemlWeEZEYTQ/edit?usp=sharing). This is one of several articles published on this subject, and PNAS is a reputable scientific journal. So where do these implicit biases come from? The society from which we live – the people we interact with and FROM THE MEDIA. As stated on the link provided above from med.stanford.edu, over time these ideas become so ingrained in us that they are activated automatically without us realizing it.
So what do we do?? How do we fight this? I believe the first step is AWARENESS – which is precisely what this video wonderfully accomplishes. Awareness of how media is misrepresenting women and awareness that IMPLICIT BIAS is a natural subconscious phenomenon that occurs in many individuals (which may include ourselves). If we are ALERT and AWARE of these subconscious tendencies we will be better able to fight them. Is awareness enough? Not nearly – but it’s definitely a first and important step towards gender equality.
The media doesn’t fail women. if you feel discouraged, not adequate, or are constantly comparing yourself to media portrayals, then you are failing yourself. Marketing strategies focus on attracting a specific group. If an add does not appeal to you, or makes you feel disgusted, then rest assure that you are not part of their targeted audience and turn off your damn tv. Sincerely, working mom of 3 who would rather stay at home with her children, but chooses to work and bring in an income to give OUR family and OUR situation the best opportunity for US. Its 2013 people. Stop blaming media and society for the way you allow yourself to feel.
Carol, while I do get what you are saying and even agree to an extent. I am a working homemaker and I adore taking care of my family and that is okay because like you said feminism is the representation of women however they wish to be even if I don’t want to be a CEO. However, I also think maybe you are focusing too much on one aspect of this video. Don’t you think it is ludicrous that a women is seen as emotional, “scary”, or unstable for speaking her mind or even slightly raising her voice whereas a man is seen as “manly”, powerful and respected for it? I wish for my daughters not to be labeled crazy and unstable for speaking her mind in the future since I clearly still can’t do it now.
Wow, what a great comment(s) by Carol! It’s what I was thinking as I watched the video, but she used much better words.
I object much more to the blatant disrespect shown to the female news anchors than anything else in this video. They are dismissed as not knowing their place, being too dominant (for you know, reporting the news) and being dishonest? If any of those comments were made to a male news anchor, there would be major backlash. My own issues with her opinions aside, in the Megyn Kelly clip, the other man doesn’t stand up for her when she is called “O Dominant One,” he starts laughing! And that is the biggest problem I have with the media today– the idea that women, even after they have proven themselves and acquired their positions, are not held as capable of doing their jobs, simply because they are female. We need men AND women to stand up to this kind of discrimination. It’s not about being “strong” or “powerful.” It’s not about making all women “career-oriented, powerful types.” It’s about stopping the idea that all women are “ornamental,” beautiful but dishonest, crazy, unintelligent or incapable of doing their jobs.
Jess
This is ridiculous, as a woman I feel I have achieved equality, i’m treated with respect and dignity by both male and female colleagues. Don’t you feel we are just using a historical grievance to gain advantages over men?
Jess, it’s great that you and many other women are lucky enough to feel equal in their individual situations. But this video isn’t about personal experiences. It’s about what happens on a cultural level, which reverberates in our perceptions. Sexism is not a historical grievance. It continues, and is felt by others, if not by every individual.
How is Goldiblox going viral a good thing? Lets not forget the whole fiasco that followed because people can’t follow proper procedure on producing ads!
I think the title adds to the issue. it should be how “The Media Failed in 2013” – they didn’t just fail women, they failed all of us with their poor depictions of women.
Also, I don’t care that much about the ads depicting scantily clad women – i care that there isn’t the same amount of scantily clad men and scantily clad people of all different shapes and sizes.
Isn’t the point of feminism, as Ruth Bader Ginsburg has said, “The Freedom to be you and me?” Not all women want to be powerful and at least a few aren’t opposed to assuming a very corporal identity politics.
You make pretty serious epistemic commitments when you say “misrepresentation” in the context of gender. Isn’t feminism about NOT making those commitments. When a masculinist person says “Woman is X”, a smart feminist doesn’t say, “No, Woman is Y”, he says “It’s not clear Woman is, nor what Man is for that matter.”
Apparently real women are “powerful”. Smart feminists wouldn’t say that. They wouldn’t say that THEIR conception of how certain women OUGHT to be is how women ARE. Logically, wanting Women to be powerful and so saying that that’s how they are is just as wrong as wanting Women to be submissive sex objects and so saying that’s how they are.
Some women are powerful, many are not. Same is true for men. That’s a crucial insight of feminism.
It may be that not all women are career-oriented, powerful types. It is almost certainly true that not all men are. Both men and women ought to have the Freedom to be who they are.
Media sallies like this try to take that freedom away from women by telling them they are “powerful”. Implicitly, then, assuming a different identity politics is to decline to live in reality. I don’t agree.
I can’t really speak for the creators of this video here, but my personal read was that they have a problem with the lack of range, not a need to show all women in the same way.
Most women in this world will do anything for a dollar! I am glad there are still women in this world with more dignity and respect for themselves
Well, your response doesn’t contain any argument. You make a vast generalization (which feminists are supposed to bristle at, no?) couched in emotive language.
You then turn the guy’s silly comment into a question. How unemotional, measured and logical is that?
That’s nice. Where are all the personal attacks on Sarah Palin?
Hey, what’s the music being used for this video? I really like the song…
Hysterical, emotional and sexy! Don’t ever change.
That is why I am leading Global Women’s Empowerment Network – so that we can establish a platform to EMPOWER women and movements such as this documentary. Great work! http://www.GWENNetwork.org
wow after a lifetime of trying to be great we still get punched down. We are hysterical and emotional huh??
POST SOMETHING