We will watch my edited version of the documentary “Missrepresentation” (2011) which focuses on how females are portrayed and represented in modern media, and then I will provide you with recent statistics and background info. Please add your point of view on this topic here!
Media Analysis 
In the digital age, it is hard to know what to trust or believe in. More than just photoshopped images of Bigfoot or moth man, hoaxes or fake news, this ‘digification’ of even our faces and bodies have impacted all of us worldwide. It’s a normal thing these days to edit our photos, our bodies and faces beyond recognization – or beyond our true selves. The normalization of editing, perfecting an image that doesn’t exist, goes beyond just what we see online. Whether we realize it or not, we internalize these highly-perfected image, turning it back on our real bodies and judging them as though they’re perfectly liquified, filtered and airbrushed. And companies have figured this out, using the insecurities of women worldwide to push more intensive surgeries, more expensive makeup and more sophisticated editing apps.
Social media has only exacerbated these issues, with highly popular women maintain high follower counts through sexual appeals. With highly edited photos, heavily filtered videos and a focus on ‘relatability’, these women inadvertently create greater insecurities and confusion in young girls surrounding their bodies. It is impossible to be a public facing woman without the discussion of your appearance, beauty and sex appeal coming into account. The most unfortunate truth of this is that these women don’t even intend to uphold sexist beauty standards, but are instead themselves victims of it and perpetuating it through their own insecurities or beliefs about themselves.
But the same expectation is not held to men. There are significantly less men used in makeup, plastic surgery and even dieting commercials, very few men are subject of critique of their beauty or sexual appeal. Far more men that are considered ‘famous’ are conventionally unattractive, where as a woman is not allowed to be anything but aesthetically appealing. This pressure is exclusively directed towards women, and places an unattainable standard of beauty and sexual appeal solely on young women. And the age continues to go down, younger and younger women are feeling pressure to perform ideals of beauty a certain way. More and more young women are pressured into eating disorders, diagnosed with depression or anxiety. Elementary school girls are ruining their natural skin with ‘preventative’ skincare so that they don’t age. Why is this the message we’re pushing onto our children? Onto our daughters, nephews and granddaughters? Moreover, why are we concerned with the ‘beauty’ of such young girls? Why must younger and younger girls be forced to appeal to the aesthetic eye of men far older than them? There is a quiet belief that women lose any and all appeal once they are ‘aged’ or considered old, that they are purposeless and should just resign to being child rearers and librarians.
That is not to say that men are not impacted by the objectification of women. Boys at a younger and younger age are being exposed to violent, unrealistic pornography and sexually gratifying content. It is widely understood that the earlier exposure to pornography is, the heightened risk of pornography addiction and risk of being violent towards their partner during sex. Pornography addiction can lead to decreased dopamine production, increased risk of depression and low motivation, heightened suicidal risk and erectile dysfunction.
Gone are the days of women unable to pursue a higher education, instead tied down by their husbands and forced to provide for children she may or may not want. Instead, women are more likely to be sexually assaulted, be denied positions of power and payed less than their male peers. The road ahead is long, and constantly road blocked by more and more hurdles. Women will continue to push for better treatment, so long as these hurdles remain.
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I think teachers and parents play a vital role in this. They should actively guide girls to focus on their talents and knowledge rather than focusing on their appearance. This not only helps to boost girls’ self-confidence but also makes them realize the importance of inner qualities. Specifically, teachers can motivate girls in a variety of ways. For example, in the classroom, teachers should encourage girls to participate in various academic activities and discussions, recognize their academic achievements, and provide them with opportunities to showcase their talents. In addition, schools can also organize various theme lectures and activities to allow girls to come into contact with successful women from all walks of life, set role models, and inspire them to pursue their dreams.
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Absolutely true! Young girls need a value system that appreciates them for their unique talents and individuality rather than contributing to a beauty system that does nothing for them. I believe that is the central idea put forward by the documentary – that the more young girls that see differing career paths as achievable rather than ‘for men’, the more young women will become career driven and fulfilled in their careers.
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I totally agree with what you said : “Teachers and parents indeed play a crucial role in guiding girls to focus on their talents and knowledge rather than their appearance.” Unfortunately, I feel our society currently lacks these approaches. There is often an overemphasis on women’s appearance, which can overshadow the importance of female intellectual and personal development. By actively promoting and implementing these measures like you said, I want to help girls grow into confident and accomplished individuals who value their inner strengths.
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I also think that education about genders is really important. It is really hard to break the today’s stereotypes now, but I think it is possible to do it in future. I believe that if parents and teachers teach children persistently about gender values and the diversity of how live or be a woman, the stereotypes that exist today will gradually be alleviated. I do not think it is enough to just focus on stereotypes of women. Because I can expect when people think about what lifestyle, behaviors, and things that are masculine, a few people misunderstand that the opposite stuff is what is feminine. Therefore, it is important to think what is the gender, what is the masculine, and what is the feminine, and then it is also important to know them and teach them to next generations.
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I agree with you more we should enrich our inner self . Confidence is the Key
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I think your opinion is on point. These days our society is becoming a more digital society and also a lot of information here and there, moreover new pieces of information posted every second. That is why now it is hard to judge whether it is true news or not. Now we can edit our pictures such as by making our faces sharp, our eyes bigger, and our bodies thinner, etc. So people especially young people believe these edited pictures tend to use edit apps. Almost every woman does that on social media to be perfect that is why the beauty standard is getting high. The movement leads to depression, anxiety, and low confidence.
However, I think there is no problem for women to show their body lines and wear exposed clothes because the beauty standard depends on the person. And I realized the beauty standard is different depending on countries, in Japan most women do not wear exposed clothes compared to the United States. In the United States, most TV shows and movies have a lot of opportunities to see revealing clothes, which is why most women who live in America tend to wear tight clothes and exposed clothes. But that is not the problem so much I think. If they wear revealing clothes and show their body line by force, it could be a problem for sure. Most women wear these types of clothes because they like them. That is why I do not think that the women’s clothes trend in the US is the problem.
Make sure this is not an attack.
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I agree with your idea that beauty standards and ideal body types are different in every country. Firstly, the Japanese women have a preference for round, large eyes and they have a strong desire to have double eyelids. The reason why they want to have a big eyes is clear, they want to create a feminine and doll-like cuteness. I think having double eyelid is such a bi thing in Japan. Almost all the poplular influencers and celebrites have such eyes and by looking them, it will create a strong impression that we must have big eyes to be pretty. This tendency is particularly strong among young people which is the age group that often uses social medias such as Instagram and Tik Tok. The number of young people undergoing cosmetic surgery is increasing rapidly, as evidenced by a survey conducted by the Isea Clinic in 2021. The results of the study are surprising: between 2015 and 2020, the number of teenage patients who underwent surgery to have double eyelids increased 38.5 times. I feel like having double eyelid surgery is not considered as a “surgery” anymore, it’s just like having a makeup.
Additionally, Japanese people prefer small and slender nose and they have a strong admiration for small faces, favoring sharp, V-sharped contours and skim chin and jaw line. I was so surprised to know that in some Western countries telling other people that ” your face is so small! ” does not mean giving a positive compliment. I’ve noticed this fact because one of my foreign friends asked me “Why do Japanese people praise small faces? “, “Isn’t it ironic to say that having a small face means that you have a small brain and are not very smart?”. Hearing this question shocked me because I’ve thought that having a small face was a common global standard of beauty.
One thing that cannot be ignored when discussing Japanese beauty standards is having pale skin as possible. As summer approaches and the sunlights becomes stronger, there are so many women on the streets using umbrellas, wearing long gloves tht cover up to their arms, wearing sunglasses and wide hats, and wearing masks that cover the neck and the lower part of the face. Even in Hawaii, where the weather is always summer, I have never seen a town full of women dressed like this. So, for people from overseas, they might look suspicious and crazy at first. However, the truth is that they are simply trying to avoid the sun light in order to maintain their pale skin.
On the other hand, in Western countries, especially in the summer, teenage girls are trying their best to tan their skin. Being tanned is a basic compliment, signifying that one is beautiful and sexier. This is a big difference from Japanese values, which emphasize cuteness and youthfulness.
If you go to a pharmacy, you will find tanning creams as products to make the skin look tanned in Western countries. While in Japan, products to make the skin look as bright and white as possible are very popular. The catchphrases of these products often include phrases such as ” achieve whitening”. It is clear that the standards for beauty really vary from country to country.
Therefore, if you are feeling depressed because you think you are not beautiful, remember that you are only trying to fit yourself into an imaginary ideal image created by your country and society. At the same time, you will be in a position to be admired by people from other countries. Since there is no set rule for beauty, I thought I would like to be able to see the world with the measure of beauty that I have in my heart, and not be swayed by information from the media.
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I agree with your opinion. In fact, in Japan, I have seen girls who are dependent on appearance for them. In Japanese high school, most of the girls used the edit camera app and service (Purikura), and then edited the pictures from already edited these pictures. These picture’s her face is very different from her real face. They often change to their big eyes, their small face, put the color in the eyes, and so on. Doing this is not strange because editing pictures which is like that is a trend in teenagers. And nowadays, almost all girls hide their faces, mouth and nose when they take pictures nevertheless, they take photos with a normal camera. This is because people wear the mask during COVID-19 is huge spread. People might have a complex showing other people about their faces.
However, I think that these tend is negative aspect because they are dependent showing their better appearance. Editing photos to create a more idealized appearance can cause people to become overly concerned about their appearance and compare their appearance to someone else’s. That leads to depression. Of course, It might be important to show good appearance and feel attractive to others, but I think that it is more important to improve our personal and knowledgeable skills. This is because politeness and knowledge learned in school will be useful when they become a part of society. That is what adults and society should teach children clearly.
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I think that your comment was incredibly well thought out and thought-provoking. You’re absolutely right that we still have a long way to go in the break-down of the disproportionate expectations forced upon women in society. Women are objectified much more than men in society, even from a very young age, and are often pressured into perpetuating the standards into the future. I think our media plays a huge role in this. Until all people in our society can come together to change the way women are represented in media, and especially in advertising, I am afraid that this is going to continue. I think people have grown complacent because women have gained some level of social mobility, but it is happening far too slow. I think we need more groups and media/social programs dedicated to reforming our social expectations of women, and holding men accountable for allowing the status quo to continue.
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When we step into the cinema or turn on the computer, facing the dazzling stars on the screen or the seemingly perfect women around us, we can’t help but wonder: where does the value of women lie? Are they merely appreciated for their beauty, or because of their talents and efforts? “Miss Representation,” this documentary, with its unique perspective and in-depth analysis, has given me deep shock after watching it.
This is a documentary that documents how women are shaped and evaluated in the media. It is not just a critique of the media, but a reflection on the entire social values. The film invited many influential women, such as Christina Aguilera and Charles Barkley, to share their views on this topic.
In the film, what struck me most was the phenomenon of women being objectified in the media. From the covers of fashion magazines to the movie screens, we seem to always see those women with perfect figures and faces. They are seen as representatives of beauty and are marketed as commodities. This undoubtedly brings tremendous pressure to women, making them always pursue the so-called “perfection” while ignoring their true selves. But as mentioned in the film, a girl’s value should not only lie in her appearance, but also in her talents, efforts, and thoughts.
After watching this documentary and listening to my teacher’s explanation, I was able to more deeply appreciate the dilemma that women face in the workplace. In many cases, women always encounter various prejudices and obstacles in pursuing their careers. Whether it is family or society, there is often a skeptical attitude towards women’s abilities. Women are not promoted to positions, and the pay gap between the two sexes becomes wider and wider.
Besides, “Miss Representation” also reveals the issue of women’s status in the political and public realms. The film cites many data and facts, showing that the proportion of women in political decision-making is still very low. This is not just a gender equality issue, but also a social justice issue. Because only when women have a voice in all fields can our society become more comprehensive and fair.
At the end of the film, a question worthy of our deep consideration is raised: how to change this current situation? The teacher proposed three methods. The first is the “gatekeepers” mentioned in the last class, which can control the input and output of information and greatly affect women’s self-awareness. The second is to encourage and empower women, allowing them to boldly break through their shells, change themselves, and focus less on their appearance and more on their talents. Finally, the teacher mentioned the impact of the media. A correct communication medium can help women reshape their correct values and thus change their self-awareness.
I believe that the self-assertion of women requires the efforts of everyone, whether it is the media, family, or society. We need to reexamine our attitudes and perspectives towards women. We need to encourage women to bravely pursue their dreams instead of being bound by those so-called “standards”.
The documentary “Miss Representation,” coupled with the teacher’s detailed explanation of the gender gap in the workplace, not only reveals the truth about how women are portrayed in the media, but also points us in the right direction. I hope more people can see this film, begin to think about the value of women, and make their own contributions to creating a more equal and fair society.
As for how to change the plight of women, I think media content that advocates for and supports more fair coverage of women should be monitored. The media should focus on showcasing women’s diversity and real achievements, not just their appearance. Just like the famous Chinese literary writer and architect Lin Huiyin, she participated in the renovation project of the Forbidden City and also designed many important buildings, such as the Beijing Normal University Library. She has written a large number of poems and prose, such as the familiar “You Are April in the World”. However, the public tends to pay more attention to her personal life and “tad news”, which ignores her outstanding achievements in the professional field. The main reason was that the news media at the time often mentioned her private life rather than her contributions in their reports. Xu Zhimo, who had gossip with her, did not have many reports about gossip, and the public’s evaluation of him was better than that of Lin Huiyin. Secondly, I think we should improve education and awareness, cultivate the younger generation’s awareness of gender equality through education, and break gender stereotypes from an early age. Schools and families should work together to teach children to respect and value the uniqueness and talents of each person. Encourage and support women to pursue their dreams and goals without being restricted by society’s inherent ideas. Because when we were enlightened, teachers taught girls and boys differently. They told girls to dress elegantly and beautifully instead of showing off their personality, and warned girls to be gentle and virtuous in order to be a good wife, but no one told girls to be a female leader, but the education of boys is to become policemen, astronauts, politicians in the future. This is the problem. Provide more resources and platforms for women to showcase their talents and leadership in various fields. Because of stereotypes about women, women often face gender bias in fields such as technology and engineering, making it difficult for them to obtain the same career development opportunities as men. The gender pay gap is prevalent across the world, with women receiving less than men for the same positions.
The documentary “Miss Representation” reveals the problem of women being objectified and stereotyped in the media, and provides a profound reflection on social values. Through a detailed exploration of women’s position in the media, workplace and politics, the film reveals the negative impact of gender inequality on women’s self-perception and social status. To change this situation, all sectors of society need to work together, including fair reporting by the media, gender equality education in the education system, and policy support. The example of women such as Lin Huiyin further emphasizes the importance of focusing on women’s real achievements, rather than just focusing on their private lives. By providing more resources and platforms, women can demonstrate their talents and leadership in various fields and promote social equity and progress.
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I agree with your thoughts on how to change the plight of women. What was interesting to me in Miss Representation was that the media sets the beauty standard for women. Certainly, the women we see through the media are very beautiful, and they are beautified in a way that many women aspire to be. Because of this, women’s worth tends to be judged primarily by their appearance. This also leads me to believe that the value of women is mainly controlled by men. I believe that the reason why gender equality has not become a reality is partly due to genetic factors such as differences in the way men and women’s bodies are built, but history shows that the gap between men and women has been gradually and steadily decreasing.
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One thing I find really interesting about the media setting the standard in society is that the perpetrators of these unrealistic beauty standards are also operating under the same pressures and negative feelings/perceptions of inadequacy in perfection as those affected by their work. The very reason that they portray women in an unrealistic and unattainable light stems from a genuine intrinsic belief that this is the framework for true beauty and I personally thinks it is equally likely that disaffected youth, young adults, or even elders all equally might struggle with these perceptions.
Whether they mean to or not, most victims of these standards are also the perpetrators of them. Their feelings of inadequacy caused by unrealistic media informs their idea of beauty and so they pass on this flawed perception/idea to those around them. That is the way these sorts of things collect and spread so far and wide in society.
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I agree with your opinion that society as a whole should support women in order for them to shine in society throughout their careers. I think it is very unpleasant for women when society clearly values their looks more than how well they can do their jobs. In fact, society allow that even though cover of magazine and advertising use the pictures of women who are edited perfectly. To change this tendency, I think that each of us should be aware that we should drop the stereotypes based on gender and judge everyone equally based on their abilities.
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I agree with your comments. I thought the film was very interesting, especially in its discussion of the value of women from multiple perspectives, including the media, the workplace, and politics. I thought I understood what the film was trying to convey. The part about leadership in the way women are portrayed in the media made me think a lot.
I thought this was the most important point for me, as it shows that women are underrepresented in politics and business. There were many politicians who advocated gender equality, but I think it should be women who advocate it. Your comment made me think that this is necessary for Japan to change in the future. I also would like to take action to bring us closer to equality, little by little.
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I agree with your opinion. When I watch TV, movies, social media, and magazine etc, there are a lot of perfectly beautiful women everywhere. These senses pressure most women must be perfect, and should not show their real themselves. In our society, most women are focused on the beauty and it seems women are evaluated on only appearance, not the other things, such as effort, enthusiasm, and skills. Even though our society says that our society needs to be gender equal, and we need to remove such bias against women, in the movies or TV programs there are overflowing with women’s bias. For instance, men have more power than women, and men are in control in the relationship. And we often see the sense that women show the sexual appearance, the sense has become an essential part of movies. The inspiring the bias of women is also from family at home. I believe most parents are separated by working at the company and doing the housework, and the former role is the father and the latter role is the mother. A decade ago husband earned money so the wife should respect the husband, do not be against the husband, this perspective was normal. So biased thinking is not only in magazines, movies, and TV but also in familiar environments.
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For me, the fact that Japan has the third worst wage gap between men and women in the world did not come as much of a surprise. This is because it is very normal for us Japanese to think that men earn more money than women in Japan. In the class, the professor said that the main reason for the wage gap between men and women in the world is that it is difficult for women to get higher positions, but I think the main reason for the wage gap in Japan is the Japanese working culture. In Japan, there has long been a belief that the husband should rule the household, so much so that the word “teishu-kanbaku(亭主関白)” has been used since ancient times. I believe that some families still hold this view. The husband goes to work, the wife cooks for the husband, and does all the housework at home, which has been the norm in Japan for a long time. I believe this is the reason for the large wage gap between men and women in Japan. In addition, it is very difficult for women to return to society after taking maternity leave in Japan, and this is a very big problem for women working in society. This is also because the idea that child care is a woman’s job has been deeply rooted in Japan for a long time. In Japan, it is almost taboo for men to take time off from work to raise children, and it is so rare for a company to give men leave for childcare that it was even featured on TV news sometimes. In addition, Japan has a long history of differentiating between men’s jobs and women’s jobs, such as career track jobs and general jobs. In particular, the notion that management positions are not women’s jobs seems to remain strong even today. Although Japan government is appealing a gender equal society now, but I feel that these old images of work and society still remain. For these reasons, I believe that Japanese women who wish to get married generally do not choose a job in the first place and concentrate on housework after marriage. Companies that hire women have not changed their views on working women in Japan, and this is one of the reasons why they are not hiring more women. Therefore, it will be difficult to improve the gender wage gap in Japan unless we change the image of how Japanese men and women work.
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It was also very interesting that the professor said in class that the number of women in the world is almost the same as the number of men, and I was curious as to why. I tried to find out why the ratio of men to women is almost the same, but there is no clear reason known. However, my research showed me that the almost equal male/female ratio is a natural principle that occurs on the earth today, and that genetic diversity has been created and the history of mankind has continued.
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I agree with your opinion that the cause of work culture is the cause of Japan’s gender wage gap. Perhaps this tendency is due to the fact that only women can give birth to children. However, even women have the right to work like men. I think that the problem of the gender wage gap in Japan will not be solved unless society as a whole drops the stereotype that women are responsible for housework and childcare, and women’s entry into the workforce and men’s parental leave become a normal part of life.
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This made me think of the head of the Japanese Olympic Committee who, not too long ago, got fired for comments summatively amounting to, “Meetings with women present drag on too long because they talk too much.”
I believe he was an older Japanese man and he resigned shortly after the comments gained public backlash. I think this highlights a lot of the perception of women in the workplace held by much of the older generation. Japan is a traditionalist society so change might be slower however it is important to recognize the growth that Japan has seen in gender equality with a growing number of women in the workforce and at higher level positions than historically occurred in the past 100 or so years.
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I have also noticed this problem. It is difficult for women in Japan to continue to work after giving birth. Many of them stay at home as housewives. Under the pressure of taking care of children, they often cannot continue their careers. Having children does not mean that women have to bear family responsibilities for the rest of their lives. They can continue their career development after giving birth. Men should also share the housework and childcare responsibilities with women and share the pressure on women. Ensure that men and women find a balance between work and family, and women have the same job opportunities.
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I believe that the reason men earn more than women in Japan is because the social structure of Japan was very different from what it is today until World War II. The term “dekasegi,” which many Japanese have probably heard of, describes a culture in which men tended to be paid more. This term refers to a culture in which young men, mostly boys, from the countryside go to the city, find a job, and send the money they earn back home to their parents. Girls marry into different families and take on a new family name, expanding the family tree, tradition, culture, and community. For boys, if there are siblings, the eldest son usually takes over the family business, and the second and following sons often go out to work. And I think this traditional way of thinking is at odds with the emphasis on business opportunities in Western society. Just as Japanese and English are fundamentally different languages, equality in Western society is different from equality in traditional Japanese society. It is not that Japanese society does not consider men and women equal, but perhaps it is that men and women are equal because they have equal roles to contribute to society through their gender.
It is often said that women’s social status is weak in Japan, but it is commonly told that the mother holding the most power in the Japanese family. It is also often said that the most successful family structure is one in which the mother, not the father, is in charge of the family. Because Japan has lived with this form of society for thousand of years, perhaps partial inequalities such as those discussed in class exist due to the fact that people in Japan do not want their culture to be denied when applying it to Western society, and therefore oppose it.
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I quite agree with that. There are many prejudices against women in the society. When women become victims of something, they will be constantly beaten by public opinion. Such prejudices are extremely unfair to women and may be the last straw to crush them at important moments. Women can also be strong, men and women are equal, and should not hold prejudice against either side.
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I also wasn’t surprised to know the fact that the Japanese have one of the largest wage disparities between men and women in the world.
In Japan, the value of men working and women doing the housework is deeply rooted. In recent years, this situation has been slightly improving as the term “イクメン” (men who take care of children considered to be cool) has become more poplular.
However, according to the survey conducted by the Gender Equality Bureau, Japanese women spend an average of 263 minutes on weekdays doing housework, while men spend only 37minutes.
In ”サザエさん（Sazae-san）” and “ちびまる子ちゃん（Chibimaruko-chan）,” such gender stereotypes are often portrayed and established. FOr example, in “Sazae-san,” the husband(Masuo san) goes off to work, while Sazae prepares the evening meal, does the laundry, and cleans the house. Then, when her husband returns home, she does the house works again such as cleaning her husband’s clothes. Similarly, in ”Chibi Maruko-chan,” Maruko’s mother does housework even while Maruko’s father is out and having drinking-session (飲み会) after his work.
Such representation in media reinforce the social expectation that men should work and earn money and women are supposed to be full-time housewives. I believe that these animations have the power not only to reflect but also to perpetuate social norms regarding gender roles and responsibilities. Considering that, I think rasing awareness about the impact of gender streotypes in the media and in everyday life is also crucial step toward achiving a more equitable society.
Moreover, wives often call their husbands as “主人” in Japan. However, the word “主人” originally means master, one’s servant or emloyer. In other words, the word itself, even though it’s commonly used, conveys the meaning that you are in the higher posison and you are the host of the house.
In overall, to adress the gender gap in Japan, I think it’s significanty important to challenge and change these deeply ingrained cultural norms. Japan must strive for a more supportive environment in which individuals can pursue thier career aspirations based on their ability, not gender.
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I think it’s important for us to be aware of the experiences of everyone in society regardless of their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc. It’s important to know if a group is being unfairly treated or not given the same opportunities as other so that we can work as a society to rectify that issue. However, in general I think our over-classification of everything into divided groups can also be harmful. We try to categorize everything into ‘this or that’ when we know that it is almost always more complicated than that. When we divide everything into ‘this or that,’ subconsciously what we’re really dividing these groups into are ‘us or them.’ I think that’s why these issues can be so controversial. Everyone regardless of if they are ‘us or them,’ feels like the stakes are high for them when it’s framed in that way.
I think at the root of issue most everyone would agree on the basic aim we are striving for in a free society. Everyone, regardless of how they are born, what they like, etc. should have equal opportunity and rights. So whether you think of yourself as a man, a woman, o any other identity, we should treat you the same and give you the same opportunities. So, even if you are more ‘conservative’ minded and you think men and women are ‘different.,’ whether that is true or not it shouldn’t change how society treats you. If that person is right that they are fundamentally ‘different,’ then men and women might choose different things. Or if they are not right, maybe they’ll choose the same things. But either way, the opportunities and rights afforded to each person should be the same.
I know to even talk about these issues, we have to categorize things somehow, so we break it down into categories of people and the outcomes of those categories, but I wonder if the categorization and division we use to have that conversation is inherently harmful, and if there is another way of thinking about these issues and approaching equality of opportunity.
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I agree with your opinion. I have found that knowing the experiences of all people, regardless of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, is critical to understanding and correcting the problems they face. Your comments also helped me understand that understanding and respecting diverse perspectives is essential to creating a more equitable and inclusive society. And I found your emphasis on the importance of promoting discussion of the fact that conservative thinkers believe that men and women are “different” in the same respectful way to be constructive, and that this recognition of diverse opinions will promote dialogue and common understanding throughout society.
Discussion of these issues is complex, but I thought your approach was comprehensive and probably something that many people can relate to.
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I agree with your opinion that people should have equal opportunities and rights regardless of where they were born and their preferences. I think that our usually unconscious and immediate grouping of everything leads to discrimination against minorities and creates stereotypes in society that men should be this way and women should be that way, which makes it difficult for more and more people to have confidence in their own individuality.
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I agree with you. The basic rights of everyone in the society are the same, and the equality of the treatment of people in this society cannot be affected by other factors.
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For me, during my youth, I noticed that when I was using media, whether the news was positive or negative, if the subject was female, it always attracted excessive attention. When a woman was a victim, the media would go to great lengths to try their best to find photos of her. Some news outlets would publish these photos with only a thin layer of mosaic, and many without any at all. However, the faces of the perpetrators were often well-protected, covered with thick mosaics and pixelation filters. This unfair phenomenon was also evident in the profession of driving. If a woman made a mistake, she would be labeled as a “female driver, “on the news, whereas if a man made the same mistake, he would simply be referred to as a normal “driver.”
I remember some news about plane crash accident where several Chinese people lost their lives. However, the media focused on a single girl who is a university student among the victims, even exposing her privacy on the internet, subjecting her to public ridicule.
This way of handling news not only caused secondary harm to the victim and her family but also highlighted society and the media’s bias and unfairness towards women. It deeply prompted me to pay more attention to gender bias in the media reporting.
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I agree with the fact that the society tends to pay more attention to the actions that women do than men do. This fact is women’s discrimination, and the problem is that the public does not see this fact as a problem. I also realized this fact after reading your comment and I will be careful about gender-biased comments and behaviors that I may be unconsciously making.
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Nowadays, the media gradually delivery message every day, which shape the whole society, including politics, affecting the value and brain shape of the children. Almost every people, whatever the age, especially kids, use the different platform like twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.
As a girl, from a very young age, I realized that when we watched cartoons, TV series, and movies that included scenes of marriage and pregnancy, Iike my grandparents’ generation of elders would say something like, “You should find a good husband like this in the future.”
We heard a lot of expectations about marriage and family. Such statements subtly set a certain life goal and values for little girls. And I feel these messages influence our self-perception and life choices in an imperceptible way.
After I watched the documentary “Miss Representation,” I aware of girls becoming discouraged because they can’t see women’s leadership whatever on media or daily life. In fact, when they are seeking the identity, the proportion of women in power is very low and women in politics usually face significant objectification and gender bias. The media often focuses on their appearance and behavior instead of their qualifications and achievements. This undermines women’s political influence and public perception.
Firstly, I feel so sad because some excellent women internalize external perceptions of their bodies, leading to lower self-esteem and self-confidence because the media always comment on negative reviews. This impacts their cognitive resources and reduces the political engagement.
Objectification decreases perceptions of female politicians’ competence and warmth, reducing the voter support. Furthermore, objectification reinforces traditional gender norms, suggesting that politics is unsuitable for women. For example, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who faced fake revenge-porn photographs published by a right-wing news outlet, And Madeleine Dean, she received gender-based attacks after questioning Attorney General Bill Barr.
A media analysis by Crimson Hexagon found that major news outlets have published more negative stories about Hillary Clinton than any other presidential candidate since January 2015. The study, which examined reporting from sources such as The Washington Post, Politico, Fox News, the Huffington Post, and CNN, revealed that Clinton received the smallest proportion of positive stories. The negative coverage focused largely on controversies like her use of a private email server.
Then, the media’s portrayal of female politicians often emphasizes their appearance, family life, or perceived emotionality rather than their qualifications, policies, and achievements. Why can’t they report more about the success of women in politics? The unequal treatment perpetuates the stereotype that women are less capable leaders. For instance, media coverage of Sarah Palin during the 2008 vice presidential campaign frequently focused on her looks and family, overshadowing her political stances. Although some improvements have been made in recent years, I feel it’s easy to see these issues still persisted.
https://msmagazine.com/2020/08/31/we-have-her-back-the-objectification-of-women-in-politics-and-why-it-matters/
https://www.mediamatters.org/hillary-clinton/media-analysis-hillary-clinton-received-most-negative-stories-least-positive
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I agree with your comments, and as an insight after watching “Miss Representation” I could reason that the lack of female leadership in the media and in everyday life is such a point. I could also agree that the lack of role models is a particular problem.
And I also found it very interesting that media coverage of women politicians tends to focus on their appearance and behavior rather than their qualities and accomplishments, which is a major factor in weakening women’s political influence. Your comments helped me understand how the media affects women’s leadership and self perception.
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I agree with you that both men and women are human beings, so why is there a gender distinction in society? From childhood to adulthood, men and women are often given different social roles and expectations. In traditional society, men are usually considered the main breadwinners of the family, while women are responsible for household affairs and childcare. This bias accompanies boys and girls throughout their growth process.
The media’s descriptions of female politicians often focus too much on their appearance and private lives rather than their contributions and achievements. This is really sad. . . But it is too difficult to completely eliminate this bias. . .
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News like this happens all the time. . In the beating incident in Tangshan, China, many people did not focus on the attacker, but accused the female victim of being beaten in scantily clad clothes and going out too late. This is simply disgusting.
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Anybody living in the modern world would feel that the image of what a woman should be is biased by the media, even if they don’t want to feel it.
During primitive ages, the value of men and women was two-fold: the ability to hunt and the ability to protect their family and community. Men were more likely to have offspring if they were muscular, and women were more likely to have offspring if they were feminine. Therefore, I feel that the image of women wanting to be beautiful is not entirely wrong, because I assume that many men also want to be masculine and good looking if they can, and perhaps this is due to the subconscious memory we inherit from our ancestors that biological advantage is beneficial for the prosperity of our offspring.
It is also understandable that when the media publicizes cosmetics and clothing, they use thematic elements such as being able to attract men. The elements that attract men to women have not really changed since before the media’s massive manipulation of portrayals of women in the modern age. So I don’t think the concept of women seeking more beauty is incorrect. This is because I know people who actually enjoy the process of seeking beauty and growing themselves. One of the major problems I see with the current society is that it is “capable to know”
Before I talk about this issue, I would like to make it clear that I do not consider the ideal image of what a woman should be, which has been created by “society”, ideal.
The majority of the people who are in the front rows of the fields of science, mathematics, physics, philosophy, politics, etc., which play an important role in the development of human civilization, tend to be men. There may have been some women, but in fact the majority of such fields would have been populated by men. It is often claimed that men are better in these fields than women, or that it is not women’s place to do these things, but in other words, men have been able to be active in these fields by keeping women in the home and in their role as mothers. If we believe that all human beings are equal and that everyone should have the same rights, we should not put a lid on a person’s potential based on his or her gender. Regardless of gender or race, everyone should have equal opportunities to explore their future possibilities based on their own interests. Yet, at the same time, it is absolutely important to understand that the gender we are given has its own unique characteristics and roles to play.
If we want to make society a better place, we need to fulfill the roles assigned to each gender at least as much as is naturally required of us.
Let us go back to the issue that I presented earlier.
Exaggerated images of what men and women should be have been portrayed in a variety of media. Today, they are simply a business. Why are we seeing more discussion and extreme opinions of masculinity and femininity now than ever before that we think it is a problem? What is fueling it? I think the answer is the ease of access to the informations in social media. Easily accessible via our phones, social media continues to spread advertisements of exaggerated images of men and women to people of all ages all over the world with incredible efficiency. Not only companies, but also individual influencers tend to post the best moments of their lives on social media, so people are constantly comparing their own lives to the lives of these influencers and celebrities, who are a small percentage of the population. This accessibility has led people to believe that these unrealistic lifestyles and bodies are the normal way of life, and has made it difficult for them to be satisfied with their own lives and bodies. Many kids are introduced to smartphones before their second growth period, when they develop a firm ability to judge things, and this leads them to adopt this unnatural ideal of men and women as a standard. And again, young people who are influenced by this image will post it on social media, and the chain of events will continue.I feel the current situation in society is a kind of rejection of the way of life that is controlled by social media.
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I agree with your idea that women chasing beauty isn’t wrong because it is biological, and media has made the issue worse by being able to see the very best everyday which has created unrealistic expectations of what is considered beautiful. It has also created unrealistic expectations of what is possible naturally and within a given time frame. This message that is seen by children can be very dangerous as it can lead to nothing ever being good enough for them as they are constantly chasing a ideal perfection that can’t exist. I believe that social medias negative effects outweigh its positive ones.
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I agree with your point of view. People are born equal and cannot be divided by gender. Women can have children, but this does not mean that they have to bear family responsibilities (taking care of children and the elderly) for their entire lives. They can continue their career development after giving birth. Men should also share housework with women, help women take care of children, and share women’s pressure. Ensure that men and women have equal opportunities and treatment at work and at home.
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Your observations highlight a critical issue in our society today: the media’s influence on our perceptions of gender roles and beauty standards. It’s true that media representations can create biased and unrealistic images of what men and women should look like and how they should behave. This phenomenon can be traced back to our evolutionary past, where physical traits often played a significant role in survival and reproduction. However, in the modern world, these media-driven ideals can perpetuate harmful stereotypes and limit individuals’ potential.
I think it’s important that you brought up the idea that the reason why exaggerated images are an issue now is due to the ease of access due to social media. I 100% agree with this, the ability to see such edited content easily every day completely changes the outlook.
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In this week, I watched the documentary video “Missrepresentation”. Arter that, I think that there is a stereotype to women are being which is beauty, sexy, pretty, and so on, and a lot of women have felt suffer because of these.
First, women are damaged mental health with posters. There are a lot of advertisements in the town. A lot of these use beautiful and slim actresses or influencers who are admired for us in the advertising. We think that these models are ideal and want to be these women after we see these advertisements. However, it is possible that these advertisements were edited to the ideal style from the original picture. Still, we believe that the advertisements are a reality, and we diet and study makeup in order to get closer to the model’s style. Because of this too much, a lot of women become in bad conditions which do not eat enough healthily, become depressed, and so on. I think that using famous actresses or models in the advertising is a good way to sell the products because it is more appealing and more reliability than just showing a product. However, I think that sellers should not make advertising too unrealistic, and consumers should not believe advertising’s everything.
Second, women are required to do something different than what they truly should do. For example, newscaster. In this video, newscasters wear clothes which is sexy. However, the actual job of newscasters is to tell the news to viewers, not to show femininity. This means that what is required of women has taken precedence over the true purpose of the work. Like the women, the men are all newscasters with the same appearance and background. From these, it is different required for men and women, not to relate the true job. This fact is humiliating for women who really want to newscaster job. We have the right to do any work regardless of gender, and I do not think we should allow stereotypes to deprive us of that right.
Thirdly, the rate of women who are hired by companies as the same as men is low. In the video, at the company, despite the fact that men were employed by the hundreds, there were only a few women. It is weird that there is obviously a difference in the proportion of men and women, even though there must be a lof of women who can do as good a job as men. Seeing this difference in proportions, I think that women were being judged by society as being less skilled at their jobs than men. In fact, I have seen the news which is unfair to women. Some women was rejected from an entrance exam for a medical school, even though they had the grades to pass the exam. In general, men are said to be better at science than women. However, it is clear that some of these women are better at science than men. Therefore, I think that it could be discrimination to not welcome women into the world of science because of these biases. As such, gender should not be used to judge ability, and anyone should have a chance to get any job.
From these, I think that it is strange that a society exists where being tied to stereotypes of what women should be like is the normal thing to do. People should not seek too ideals, should not have bias from gender not to make these situations. Although it is up to the individual to be particular about what is feminine or masculine, I think the most important thing is to pursue one’s own individuality.
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I was also impressed by the scenes of female newscasters in the video, who were wearing short skirts and low-cut clothes. Despite their strong abilities and skills, the audience will first see their clothes rather than the content of the report. Compared with their male counterparts, women are required to wear revealing clothes. This shows that women do not have equal opportunities and treatment in this professional field.
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Women in media have long been idealized, sexualized, and objectified. My point of view for this topic is that it will get better, however it will take some time and a lot of work. Considering that the movement for gender equality is quite recent and that the media operates based on financial incentives, and all media are actually owned by a few conglomerates, it will be a long time before this issue is resolved. The people who are in power are most likely to choose their successor based on who is closest to them, as such this issue of who is in power will continue for quite some time. Furthermore, there are 105.5 boys born for every 100 girls, or according to other sources around 51% male births for 49% female births. This number used to be more even because historically males didn’t survive as long as females and males had more defects at birth, so the population evened out to around a 50/50. However, due to developments in technology males started to survive longer than before and so the population has a few more males than females. In a modern democracy males will have more representation, voting power, and opportunities (because of bias) than females. Marian Wright Edelman once said “you can’t become what you can’t see” this is a very true, but I believe it is also true the other way around. People tend to mimic what they see in the world. This is important especially for women because the media has portrayed a negative image of them and some women follow this image allowing themselves to be sexualized, and objectified. This issue runs very deep through history and people are affected by that they see when growing up, women in children’s cartoons are also sexualized sometimes as much as the ones in movies and other media not tailored towards children. This is not a good image for children to be learning as it will affect how they view the world for the rest of their lives. Women are also not represented well on screen as only 16% of protagonists in movies are women, and of that 16% the stories tend to revolve around men. Furthermore, women in media can be villainized for example reality tv where they are portrayed as stupid, gold diggers, and enemies to other women and men. Another example of women being villainized is the femme fatal which is a French phrase meaning fatal women, in media this is used as a female character who uses her attractiveness on men and gets them into trouble or manipulates them into doing what she wants. When you are treated so differently from the rest of society and you don’t have the same representation, and opportunities, you feel dehumanized. Which can lead to a lack of motivation and hopelessness about the future and your life. The negative representation of women needs to change because we cannot allow half the population to be objectified and dehumanized.
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I agree with your opinion. But, I feel that in a sense it could happen that the female figures in the animation are not suitable for children. Animation was originally created not for children, but as entertainment for adults. Age ratings exist because it is necessary to clarify what kind of audience the content is suitable for when showing feature-length animated films, but it is essentially just a way of telling a story. However, I feel that companies like Disney’s animated programs for television are relatively more considerate of the needs of children. Whatever the original role of animation, it is an unavoidable fact that distortion of the female image is occurring in various media.
As you mention, one factor is that these media are run by men and thus tend to reflect their views. However, I think the problem of the distortion of the image of women by this media today is more complex. Like Steve Jobs of Apple, who was fired by the board of directors despite the fact that he was the founder of the company, I believe that the companies that run such media cannot be controlled by the opinion of a single founder. What are the most important aspects of the company? It is to keep making money. To continue to make money and distribute it to shareholders, so that more people will buy their stocks and value of company keep risings. Media companies are no exception. So how do you increase viewership and users? This is where psychology comes into play. Humans tend to prefer to see bizarre ideas, extreme expressions, and ideas that would not be morally and practically expressed in real life through the media. They are intriguing to watch because they are extreme in a way, and the kind of immorality of the concept causes addiction. Why do so many media companies use extreme images of women in their ads and products? Isn’t it because it is extreme and a slightly immoral? Perhaps it was just the right amount of extremity in its portrayal to attract people’s attention. I guess in part, the fact that we humans react to such things psychologically is accelerating the media.
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I completely agree with your perspective on the portrayal and treatment of women in the media. I like your points about the historical and ongoing idealization, sexualization, and objectification of women, which highlight a significant issue that needs addressing.
Your observation that media operates based on financial incentives and is controlled by a few conglomerates indeed complicates the movement towards gender equality. This concentration of power means that changes will likely be slow and require substantial effort…I also like the quote by Marian Wright Edelman, “You can’t become what you can’t see,” which resonates deeply. It underscores the importance of positive representation in the media. The negative portrayals of women in reality TV and the concept of the femme fatale contribute to a damaging cycle of stereotypes and biases.
I do believe the points about how this affects women’s self-perception and societal treatment are critical. The lack of positive female protagonists and the villainization of women in the media contribute to a harmful environment that perpetuates inequality and dehumanization.It’s crucial to change this narrative to ensure that women are represented fairly and accurately, allowing for a more equitable society…
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I agree. The expression of female objectification has been more and more prominent under the influence of social thought from ancient times to the present. Due to the deep-rooted patriarchal thought in the past, women’s rights were constantly ignored and erased, and the negative image of women was constantly exaggerated. There are few representatives of successful women, because women are always defined as “bad” by the outside world, so the public ignores the recognition of the image of women’s good and successful side.
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Women in the workplace, overall women earn less than their male counter parts. This can be because of many reasons but the wage gap should not exist. The uncontrolled median wage gap is 79 cents for every dollar the man gets paid, and the controlled wage gap is 98 cents for every dollar a man gets paid with the same position and qualifications. While 21 cents might not sound like a lot it is a lot over the course of a lifetime on average in the USA people work 2080 hours a year which equates to a $436.80 a year difference. Another issue with the wage gap is the difference in pay based on race and ethnicity, which is completely morally wrong. The highest paid ethnicity in America is Asian women with 85 cents to every dollar and the lowest is Latina women with 53 cents to every dollar. Another issue women face in the workplace is the lack of opportunities for promotions for every 100 men that get promoted to manager only 87 women overall get promoted to manager which can lead to a larger gap as workers get older which was seen in the graph we were shown in class. The wage gap between men and women gets worse as age increases because women are not promoted as much as men. Black women have the lowest promotion rate at 54 promotions for every 100 male promotions. White women however had the highest promotion rate at 91 women for every 100 men. I don’t believe that this promotion disparity will ever be equal simply because the male cohort is 2% larger than the female cohort. I do believe that promotions should be given to who ever is the most qualified for the position they are being promoted to, within corporate America all too often people are promoted based on their work in their previous position which can pose a problem if they are a good worker but not a good leader. Another issue that women face is the lack of external support to become successful, when men grow up they are told to become successful however there is not as much of an expectation for women to become successful. I wasn’t surprised to learn that manual labor jobs paid women almost the same as men as these jobs tend to have a lot of unions which fight for equal pay among their workers. I also was not surprised to find out that high position corporate jobs had some of the worst pay for women because corporations will try anything to save a few dollars even if it is immoral or illegal and these jobs don’t have a lot of unions. Japan and south Korea have the worst pay gap of all the developed nations, and the Nordic countries have some of the best. I was extremely surprised that Japan’s representative for women was a man. Maybe he really is the best for that position, but I doubt it as he does not have the perspective that a woman would have about certain problems.
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We think that one of our goals in life is to achieve a society where people of diverse backgrounds and experiences can enjoy equal opportunities and rights. I think that everyone yearns for a free and fair society. In Japan, the difference in wages between men and women has become an issue.I was employed once and felt discrimination between men and women at my place of employment. I worked as a public servant and it occurred to me that there was a problem with the ratio of male to female employment. At my workplace, my peers were 90% male and about 10% female. It was a strange ratio considering the number of people hired.At that time, I wondered if there was even discrimination in employment ratios. I felt that it is a very cruel society where work roles are also determined by gender.
I think that in order to correct discrimination between men and women in Japan, it is necessary to change the work culture, the hiring and promotion systems of companies, and stereotypes in society. However, since these issues are rooted in a long history and culture, it may take time to change.
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In Japan, women earn only 70% of what men earn. During the rapid economic growth period from the 1970s onward, the model of men as primary earners and women as homemakers appeared successful. However, since the 1990s, while the world has changed, Japan has not adapted, leading to nearly three decades of economic stagnation exacerbated by gender inequality. Workplace gender discrimination and unequal pay for equal work pose significant challenges. Yet, these issues can be addressed through media, education, and public campaigns to raise awareness of gender equality and women’s rights. Encouraging the public to speak out against gender discrimination can drive shifts in societal attitudes and cultural norms.
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I agree with your opinion that it may take a lot of time to change the stereotypical gender discrimination in Japanese society because it is deeply rooted in a long history and culture. I believe that this idea has influenced this issue because there are still many people in Japan who hold the idea that the “husband is bossy”. The stereotype that men work more than women causes the percentage of employment hires to be dominated by men. I think that people should pay serious attention to this issue even if it takes a lot of time to solve this problem.
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I agree. Due to the influence of society and culture, the proportion of men in many jobs is much higher than that of women. Social phenomena such as gender inequality and discrimination against women have emerged one after another. In order to change this situation, enterprises also need to make changes, constantly tap the advantages of women’s employment, and gradually improve the disparity between men and women’s social status.
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I learned a lot through Miss Representation’s lecture and video. With the development and progress of society, the Internet has become very popular all over the world. In my country, China, the Internet penetration rate is 76.4 percent, which is also a very high number. With the popularization of the Internet, the influence of the media is profound, especially for women and children. Various media have created many stereotypes about women.(Source:https://www.gov.cn/yaowen/liebiao/202308/content_6900600.htm)
Children are the future and hope of a country and need to be protected. In Miss Representation’s video, more than half of the underage girls are dissatisfied with their bodies. Girls have been instilled with the idea that appearance and body are very important since childhood, making girls think that their value is to look good and have a good body. This has greatly affected the growth of girls, had an extremely negative impact on them, and caused many mental illnesses.
Women are seriously underrepresented in the political field. According to the video, the United States has never had a female president or prime minister in history, and women are particularly affected due to gender bias. Although women in this field are as capable as men, they still face unequal career development and are often underestimated due to long-standing gender bias and structural barriers. In people’s traditional consciousness, men should dominate the political field, while women should have more responsibility for taking care of the family. This discrimination affects people’s attitudes towards gender roles.
Dr. Martha Lauren in the video mentioned that women’s status in the television and film industry is denied. I agree with this point. As an important art form, film has grown and become a way of entertainment for people, but it also plays an important role in cultural expression and the transmission of social concepts. The concept of gender inequality in the film and television industry is still deeply rooted. Compared with male actors, actresses often face serious problems of insufficient role opportunities. Male actors enjoy a wider range of role choices and opportunities to appear on camera, while actresses are subject to more restrictions and constraints. Even in movies about women, male characters often take center stage. Women who appear in movies and television often have appearance anxiety and pressure. Actresses may feel inferior because they cannot meet these standards, which further exacerbates people’s demands on women’s appearance.
In the lecture, through Professor Karl’s explanation, I learned a new term “glass ceiling”. It refers to the invisible and intangible obstacles faced by women in the workplace. The scores in the charts in the lecture show the quality of the working environment for women in each country. The higher the score, the better the working environment. Among them, Japan is ranked 28th, which is very low, which means that women working in Japan face more challenges and difficulties. Sweden has the highest score, indicating that it provides a good working environment for women. This chart reflects that there are still many countries that need to pay attention to the workplace environment for women.
Regarding the issue of pay gap, I will give an example of the film industry. Although actresses are comparable to their male counterparts in terms of ability and popularity, they still face unequal career development and are often underestimated due to long-standing gender bias and structural barriers. This discrimination is fully reflected in the pay gap between men and women. Fair pay should be achieved, and gender should not be a factor in determining pay. (Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/07/jennifer-lawrence-slams-hollywood-gender-pay-gap-in-vogue-interview.html)
There is a small part of Miss Representation’s video left for us to watch at home. In this part, I was impressed by many photos of violence against women. Women are treated as objects to be played with at will, which greatly reflects the media’s degradation and distortion of the image of women, making the phenomenon of violence against women generally accepted by the public. The first thing that comes to my mind is: many children can also see these pictures. If they also see these photos of violence against women on the Internet media, what bad effects will it have on their thoughts and behaviors? Especially when boys see these photos, will they think that violence against women is normal? Childhood is an important stage of behavioral imitation. They are easily influenced by media content and imitate the behavior in it. All sectors of society should work together to promote gender equality in the whole society, protect the mental health development of children, and give women the respect they deserve.
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The most interesting part of the Documentary film is the definition of male and female. From Jackson Katz “ Men are powerful and in control, being smarter than women, better than women. That is not genetically predestined. That is learned behavior” I had a bias about what men and women are like subconsciously. Before I saw this film, men led women and men should be stronger than women in a relationship. However, in wildlife mostly female has a more power than males, males do not control females. So the position is opposite compared to human beings. So it means that our thoughts and behavior are out of the nature’s providence.
I strongly believe that our beauty-based line has been becoming more high. This is because of the things we have seen throughout the day, which are TV, magazines, social media and advertisements, etc. Since the computers were released, we can edit the pictures and then most publishing companies started using the technique to make models look more perfect and more special to people of average. The model should be an ideal person for all girls and women all the time. Because the readers who are attracted by models are more likely to purchase the series of magazines continuously. Moreover, the effect of the model is related to beauty products as well, creating the image of women that all women would like to be, it encourages readers to buy cosmetic goods more, close to the ideal. I think this trend is good as the strategies for making a profit. However, at the same time, a lot of women even younger age girls are tend to addicted to being perfect like models in magazines and social media. This tendency has become more frequent because of social media. Now we can be whatever we want on a social media there are so many editing apps, so even our normal life is also invaded by “perfect.” As for the magazine, although it is still the cause of making beauty standards higher, the paradigm was the models in the magazine and readers, however, the distance has disappeared today. Now most people have almost the same level of beauty as models or idols. Disappearing distance leads many women to have depression, low confidence, and eating disorders.
Men are the also victims of women’s objectification. Recently younger age boys tend to be porn addicted, because of the unrealistic pornography and sexual content. Recently these kinds of content here and there and watching unrealistic pornography and sexual content at an early age, it leads boys to have sexual dysfunction, such as Erectile Dysfunction. The porn content is extremely close to drugs for our brains, the side effects are destruction, low dopamine, and low motivation etc.
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Yes，sexual objectification affects both men and women, and it’s concerning how unrealistic and explicit sexual content is increasingly accessible to young boys. Exposure at a young age to unrealistic pornography can lead to serious issues like erectile dysfunction and impact mental health negatively. Pornography affects our brains similarly to drugs, altering dopamine levels and causing addiction-like behaviors. It’s crucial to address these issues through education, awareness campaigns, and responsible media representation to protect the well-being of young boys and foster healthier attitudes towards sexuality.
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“Miss Representation” is a fantastic documentary that is particularly worth watching in today’s climate of consumerism and appearance anxiety, where women are increasingly isolated and pushed back into traditional roles at home.
I want to discuss the issue of the beauty burden, where women who overly focus on their appearance risk objectifying themselves, thereby losing ambition in the political and social spheres and failing to have their voices heard. I’ve seen too many young women overly concerned with their physical appearance, fussing over their hair and getting alarmed over minor changes in their weight. They preach about accepting their skin color while using hormone-laden whitening creams. They advocate for clothing freedom but end up dressing to attract attention in public places or nightclubs. They live under the scrutiny of men yet believe their sense of beauty is self-formed.
For most ordinary women, makeup becomes a burden; even when lacking money or status, they are pressured into believing that makeup is to please themselves. Isn’t this a subtle shackle on women? You can focus on pursuing beauty for yourself without publicizing it in the broader environment, because women truly have many more important things to learn than makeup.
The concept of ‘beauty burden’ encapsulates this point well. Essentially, ‘beauty burden’ discusses freedom under the influence of societal norms, questioning whether one’s thoughts are genuinely independent or shaped by the environment. Individuals and their surroundings interact; while society often pushes excessive focus on appearance and consumerism, individual thoughts also impact the overall environment. Recognizing this influence prompts resistance, giving rise to the concept of ‘beauty burden.’ It’s not about black-and-white judgments of right or wrong; within the bounds of societal and personal health, maximizing comfort while remaining vigilant but not anxious is the better choice. For individuals, makeup is a matter of personal choice, but ‘beauty burden’ primarily addresses systemic issues imposed by society on individuals.
As women, we should prioritize inner cultivation, value education, and nurture a love for learning to make strides in economic and political arenas in the future. We must unite, avoid mutual suspicion, and refuse to vie for male approval like pets. Egalitarianism has a long way to go; personally, seeing ourselves as complete individuals beyond our gender and pursuing any path we desire is crucial. As gender distinctions blur, the true victory of egalitarianism will come when we no longer define ourselves by gender.
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Your observation about young women being overly concerned with their physical appearance is a poignant example of this burden.
The use of hormone-laden whitening creams while preaching acceptance of natural skin color, and the desire for clothing freedom juxtaposed with dressing to attract attention, which illustrate the internal conflicts many women face. I do think these contradictions highlight the powerful influence of societal norms and the media in shaping perceptions of beauty and the self worth.
Moreover, the idea that makeup is marketed as a means of self-pleasure, and sometimes becomes a financial and emotional burden, underscores the insidious ways consumer culture exploits and perpetuates the beauty burden.
I agree with what you said, this subtle shackle on women not only diverts their resources but also distracts from more meaningful inner pursuits, such as education, career development, and the personal growth.
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As a female, I quite agree with your point of view, “today I find myself with a pimple on my face, tomorrow I find that I have gained a pound…” In fact, I know very well in my heart that these external things are not worth mentioning at all, but I still keep a strict examination of my appearance. In fact, open the mobile phone or TV, the images of women in various advertisements are perfect, with no facial defects, but these images are often carefully dressed and post-PS, without any reference value. Women of all shapes, colours and styles should be represented, reducing the excessive pursuit of the “perfect woman”.
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I think the video pointed out the problems of gender performance in modern media and its extensive impact. Indeed, the media plays an extremely important role in shaping the public concept, and the gender expression form not only limits the display of women’s diversity, but also potentially affects people’s understanding and expectations of gender characters.
First of all, the video pointed out that modern media often tends to use women’s visualization and depict them as sexy, dependent and superficial objects. Not as individuals with complexity, wisdom and independence. This gender expression not only reflects the long -term cultural prejudice, but also strengthens the stereotype of women in women, and limits their role and expression in the public and private fields.
Although in recent years, Western countries have increased their attention to LGBTQ+groups in media and popular culture in recent years. This reflects the improvement of society’s acceptance of diverse gender identity and sexual orientation. This change is reflected in multiple levels, including but not limited to the support of film and television works, advertising, fashion, and public policies. For example, brand and fashion shows are increasingly adopting models with different body shapes, skin tones, age and gender to show diversity and inclusiveness.
The Disney movie “Little Mermaid” announced that the black actress Halle Lynn Bailey played the role of Alier, which is an example of this trend.
However, some people criticize these changes sometimes on the surface, or the attitude of pursuing “political correctness”, instead of changing the structure of the industry and long -term prejudice.
I think that in today’s society, most people want to have one that makes everyone like, the envious body or appearance, whether it is male or female. The picture is to make the photos published more in line with the public’s aesthetics. But what we need to think about is why these pictures are published, and everyone has the purpose of everyone. First of all, I want to express myself, establish a personal image, and build a connection with others. Secondly, I hope to be recognized and belonged through the praise and comments of others. Another is that some people want to attract attention in this way, so as to make money or get opportunities for cooperation. Of course, many people just want to record and share the beauty in life.
Secondly, when discussing such a social gender issue, we should also notice the challenges and dilemma facing men. The display of men on social media often emphasizes traditional men’s characteristics, such as strength, independence, success and control, which exacerbates the limitations of men when expressing themselves. Despite the direct evaluation of appearances as frequent appearances as women, men are also undergoing increasing pressure on the body’s image. Social media is full of muscular and healthy male images, which has prompted many men to pursue unrealistic body types.
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I think being a constant media consumer, I often see a lot of contents that are related to appearance. These include a pretty model advertising for a product, a masculine men telling people the importance of exercise, etc. In today’s media, how women are shown and talked about is a big issue that affects how we see ourselves and each other. The documentary “Miss Representation” (2011) looks at how women are often portrayed as less important than men. I am curious on what exactly should be body image be, so I went to google about it, and, to my surprise, body image does not refer to how people actually look, but rather, how a person sees, thinks, and feels about their own body. It includes how they view themselves in the mirror and is influenced by the culture and norms of their society (Jiotsa et al., 2021). These ideas about the ideal body are shaped by what we see in the media, and by what our family and friends say. In fact, I would think that “Miss Representation” helps us understand the many challenges women face in the media and in society. I think the director of this documentary show is advocating that we work towards a world where women are valued for who they are and their contributions are recognized equally. Achieving gender equality requires everyone’s effort.
In fact, I think the prevalence of social media platforms, such as Instagram, TikTok, etc., are making the body image problem even worse. In fact, social media has a lot of features that are hinting to people on the importance of looks. For example, it encourages constant comparison by having the “likes” function, which shows that people want to receive more likes from others, and it is always the better looking people who receive more likes from others. Therefore, we often see platforms like Instagram and TikTok are full of edited photos and videos that promote unrealistic beauty standards. People who look less good will want to filter their images and edit it carefully to hide away the unpleasant features on their faces. In addition to this, the social media influencers are also pressured to present perfect images, which might not be their true self, but it still intensifies the problem. Even those who do not mean to support these standards can end up doing so because of their own insecurities or what society expects.
Of course, the issue of insecurity and “fake” things online is not just about the looks, but rather, about the roles women play in media. Women are often shown as caregivers or objects of desire, not as leaders or thinkers. Therefore, in popular media platforms, such as TV shows, movies, etc., women continue to assume passive roles that are weaker and are in need of protection. On the other hand, men are more often shown in powerful roles, while women are usually in supporting roles. This again is an indication of society that men’s voices and contributions are more valuable.
Another thing we covered in class is about the representation of women in professional sectors like politics. Even though women make up half of the population, they are definitely equally represented in leadership positions. It has been found that the more the representation of women in political roles, the more the likelihood that society would come out with more policies and measures that cater to the need of women. Example of such includes the fact that many female politicians are having short hair, because that is an indication of masculinity, power, and practicality.
In fact, to deal with the problem, we should offer policies that support gender equality. This includes laws for equal pay, preventing discrimination at work, and encouraging women to take part in politics. Governments and companies should also support programs that help women succeed in fields like science and technology.
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I agree it. Social media platforms can make body image problems worse by promoting unrealistic beauty standards and encouraging people to constantly compare themselves to others. This pressure leads many individuals to edit their pictures to conform to these unattainable ideals.
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Even in these days of focusing on diversity, stereotypes about men being masculine and women being feminine still exist. I do not think this is about what is not good or what need to be changed. I think masculine and feminine things should be exist, but they should not be determined. As seen in the video, I do not think it is very good to make a firm distinction between feminine and masculine, and also to separate the use of products and advertisements for men and women. I think it is better to just recognize that there is a sense of masculine and feminine. People should never say that women are great at being feminine, men are great at being masculine.
I know that is a good way to use the masculine and feminine advertisements or goods to spread the wide range people. Especially, young children are so pure, so they might not be able to understand the diversity. I would say the result is coming from the education though. People other than elderly and children need to care about the education or something like that promoting stereotype separation. I think it is reallly hard movement, but if they did not do that, the number of people who find it hard to live in this society will be increased. Like that people are actually existing now.
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I agree with your opinion that it is not a good thing to use clearly different products and advertisements for men and women. Nowadays, I see the advertising which shows both men and women. This ad breaks the stereotype that only women wear makeup. Also, this allows men who want to wear makeup to purchase and apply it with confidence. I think that if there is a larger movement to increase like this, everyone will be free to do what they want to do.
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I agree with your insights on the societal impact on women and the importance of addressing these critical issues. Your perspective on the documentary “I agree with the notion that both male and female gender traits should be recognized without being too rigidly defined.
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Frankly speaking, being a woman is tough. In class, the professor showed us a short video that a woman was labeled as “ugly”and “gross” when she didn’t wear any makeup. After she put make up on, she receives a lot of compliments. However, the positive feedback quickly turned into criticism, people turned to say that she overdressed, and fake. I remember that I have watched the video before, but I was still very shocked and felt bad for those girls who unfairly judeged by strangers after I watched it again. Women have received so many judegement with their look, the society often views us as a “product” rather than a “individual”. Rather than saying that girls pay too much attention on their appearance, it should be said that the society is being too strict to how we look.
After I moved to Japan, I felt more about societal attitudes towards women. For instance, once I went out without make up. I noticed how people, no matter men or women, they stared at me differently. I felt really uncomfortable and insecure. After this, I barely went out without make up for a long time, or I wear a mask and cap so people will not be able to see my face. Additionally, most of Japanese man prefer short women, while I am too tall for them, so they judge my height. However, I had been so proud and confident with my height when I was little until I came to Japan.
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We also watched a documentary called “Miss Representation”. The film explores representation and portrayal of women in the view of media. I knew that it is hard for female to work in a male-dominated political environment, however, looking at those women suffering from injustice, made me think deeply about status of women in the society. Personally, skinny and sexy can represent beauty but being fat or unisex also cane identified as attractive , it should not be judged. However, the fact is that those women without “good” figure are being judged, and those with “perfect” appearance cannot avoid being said that they just want to impress a man. There has a cause for why women are always insecurity and overthinking, they have being subjected to unfair criticism. Everyone tells us to be strong but no one really stops the malicious attack.
I have being warned that it is dangerous to go out alone or wear short skirts at night because there might be some guys trying to harass you. Until now, I have never travelled by myself since everyone tells me that is not safe. There is so many restrict on to be a woman, just because we want to be “safe”.
I have noticed that when you open TikTok, many girls in the videos are well-dressed or sexy. While we often citicize that man are being too strict to how women look, those kind of beauty standard are insensibly becoming a mainstream for girls. Additionally, I have seen a little girl wearing a revealing clothes from Shein. It is obviously telling us that children are being affected by the beauty-appreciation which is unbelievable and harmful.
There are more and more voice calling for equitable and empowering representations of women coming out, which is exactly what our society needs the most. I believe that patriarchy may exist for good, but embracing self-love and confident is essential to resisting its influence and staying true to yourself.
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The level of sexual objectification in the history of cinema is astounding. From the onset of film you can see a deceiving and harmful narrative that pits women against each other for the ultimate end of being caregivers or ending up with a man. I can remember clearly, being a child and watching movies like Transformers and Iron Man that are obviously targeted in large parts towards children. The female characters in this film were, in hindsight, very clearly sexually objectified in more ways than one throughout the course of those series. The documentary talked about this interesting “empowerment” of woman characters by portraying them as heroes, strong, capable, but with an underlining tone that still displays them as sexualized objects. I think the movie Iron Man 2 is a prime example of this, with numerous unnecessary scenes included to objectify Scarlett Johansson’s character for no other reason than to please the male viewer.
Conversely however, it is really interesting to note Michael Bay’s objectification of Megan Fox’s character in Transformers. With numerous, numerous overtly sexualized shots of the then 21 year old Megan Fox, somehow the narrative actually gives her character far more agency and wherewithal than the male protagonist. It almost seems like the people behind this movie were more motivated to portray an interesting character with compelling motivation and character growth in Megan Fox but were afraid audiences of the popularly male audience Transformers brand would be alienated. Therefore relegated or perhaps compensated for this fear with the characters casting & objectification of Megan Fox. This blog post became a lot more about Transformers than I expected but at least it’s still on the topic of the sexualization of woman lol.
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As you mentioned, there is also a gap between countries or cultures. There are number of ideal appearance and feminine style as number of culture as being existing. For example, people including men tend to like small and tall nose of women or also men’s maybe, and also small face in Japan, but non-Japanese people do not, so when they are praised their nose and face, they are so surprised. Also, I would say Japanese culture more promote the stereotypes for women, so there are some women in Japan who admire the foreign culture such as “just be yourself”. I feel Japanese women especially young women do not have a confidence about their looks or more face. I do not know why like that thoughts or culture happens, but I guess a reason is effects of Anime and Manga. Almost all women characters look so beautiful even though they have certainly identity. I do not think that Japanese women believe Girls should be like that girls on the animations, but if they had watched like that animes and mangas a lot, I can feel that they might misunderstand the looking are normal girls. Recently, I feel anime and manga industry tend to care about the problems. For example, “Precure” which is a girls hero loved by a lot of girls have shown some boys, non-girls, and so on. But, they are still pretty and beautiful in my opinion, so it does not affect on girls who really want to get ideal face or body.
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The documentary “Missrepresentation” inspired me a lot and it made me amend the issue of how social media influences women. I am not a feminist, but as a woman, it’s necessary to discuss this topic and speak up for those of us who are in trouble.
The documentary was recorded in 2011. Although it was a long time ago, we can still find that the problems at that time also exist now. More people are realizing the issue, but the fact never be changed. I was taught that girls should be pretty and skinny, and our appearance is the key to meeting a rich guy and having a wonderful marriage. I realized that I needed to have female autonomy, which is a scary fact. My opinion in this essay is there is no way to solve the anxiety that the world brings to women, but realizing this and maximizing our own value is what we need to do.
Almost all women who appear on social media have wonderful bodies. They have plump breasts, and straight legs, and wear sexy clothes and heavy makeup. It has changed a little currently. We could see more black women and people who have the body shapes that most people have or a fatter body type in magazines or TV shows. Unfortunately, it does not have positive feedback, not only men, some women criticize this behavior and believe that it is the decline of creative aesthetics that leads to their loss of interest. Obviously, we live in a world from a man’s perspective. As women, we all know the perfect image could never come naturally, it is a fantasy. Therefore, I don’t think it is men’s fault. We, women, accept the imagination of men, and From then on, perfection in the eyes of men became what we have been pursuing. If women don’t change the standard of their body image, the stress the world gives to women will never be stopped. Therefore, we must try to accept our own imperfections and not change to satisfy perfection in the eyes of others.
I had not noticed how serious appearance anxiety affects women before l watched this documentary. Lots of women have eating disorders, and some of them even gave their lives for being prettier. Speaking of my experience, I was treated nicer and had more properties when l grew up because I knew how to make up, and how to dress up to be more attractive. Rather than saying this is a privilege given to us by this society, I think this is a fixed standard. Women could lose job chances because they are not beautiful enough. A good-looking face and slim figure are more important than the abilities. The example I want to give is a brand called Brandy Melville which I used to like. The philosophy of this brand is to only serve girls with good figures. The clothes are so small and they are only one size. The brand only hires people who are good-looking and have followers on social media. They strictly regulate the weight of employees. Girls are threatened by this world. As long as they are not good-looking, they will not be able to survive in this society. The consequences are serious, They were starved to death or committed suicide due to anxiety. This is more than having a high standard for one’s own image, but a deformed concept. We never know when the world can cancel the standard of women.
Weirdly, everyone is telling girls to be beautiful, but being beautiful also could be a fault. If a girl dresses very sexy, they will think you are a bitch. If a girl wears heavy makeup, they will judge that she is not doing her job, she is flirting with men. When l did my part-time job, my boss made a rule that every girl has to do makeup when they go to work to keep the image of the company. However, I had been criticized for my makeup being too beautiful to go to work. The people asked me directly: ” Are you going to work or do you want to seduce men in our company？” I was shocked when I heard it. I just can’t understand why people think that girls being beautiful will never be for themselves, it has to be for a man. At that moment, l strongly noticed that girls are treated so unfairly. Men are not our destination, having freedom is our same goal. We can’t change people’s minds, but we can speak up for ourselves. Don’t be afraid to be beautiful, to be sexy because of people’s words. Being pretty would never be girls’ fault, and it is meaningless to change ourselves for anyone.
We don’t know when the world’s high demands on women and unfair behaviors will stop, but as girls, we must know how to love ourselves and speak up for ourselves.
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Hi, I like what you said: “Being pretty would never be girls’ fault, and it is meaningless to change ourselves for anyone.” I know the brand “Brandy Melville ” and also used to like it.After I know the brand by offering only one size, Brandy Melville sends a clear message that only a certain body type is acceptable or desirable. And it reinforces a narrow and often unattainable standard of beauty.What about other female customers? What about other girls?
And employment is all based on appearance: hiring practices that favor those with specific looks and social media followings emphasize superficial qualities over skills and qualifications. This approach can contribute to a very bad culture , where young girls gradually feel their value is tied solely to their appearance.
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Reading your description, I have a new feeling about the documentary you mentioned before, and it aroused my strong interest again. I think I’ll watch it later. I quite agree with you. That’s what a real feminist looks like. In the past, almost every TV drama depicted the “female competition”. The second female lead would make irrational moves in order to compete with the heroine for the hero, and the heroine always felt that she wasn’t pretty enough when she saw the second female lead. We women should wake up and not be influenced by the media. What is beauty? It doesn’t necessarily require full make-up, nor being thin and white. The most beautiful one is always the confident you!
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The documentary “Missrepresentation” sheds light on the portrayal and representation of women in contemporary media. The documentary is an important insight into the stereotypical portrayal of women, the gender disparities they face, and the pressures that shape male and female identities. The media tends to stereotype women and focus on their appearance rather than their skills and intelligence. It highlights the challenges women face in the workplace, in the media, and in politics, including gender inequality. In addition, the pressure on men for strength and damaging views of maleness are tested, revealing the negative impact of these types of expectations on men’s identities and behaviors. The media industry structure pursues the task of balancing the quest for profit with the public benefit. Given these insights, it is important that the media promote gender equality by giving an accurate view of women’s diversity and abilities. I believe that gender equality and diversity will raise the level of gender in individual social roles at all levels of society.
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The documentary misrepresentation effectively highlights how often women are misrepresented in today’s media, which focuses more on their appearance than their abilities and intelligence. It makes important points about gender stereotypes and the inequalities women face in all aspects of life, including work and politics. By exposing these issues, the film calls for a more balanced and fair portrayal of women in the media to promote equality and empower individuals of all genders.
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Many women suffer from the perfect beauty such as they see the women from the TikTok. Classical traditions such as women should be beautiful like everyone else and think that this is perfect should be eliminated in modern society. These bad traditions have a bad effect on many women such as freedom and self-diversity.
Classical standards of beauty have been formed over a long history and are deeply rooted throughout society. The standards have changed over time, but have consistently been accompanied by pressure on women to look good.
Modern views of beauty have been created by various media such as TV, advertising, and fashion industries, TikTok and so on. These media make a good body and face like a super slim body or a beautiful face to express that this is the beauty to womens all over the world. It had a good and bad effect to womens. Many women can have the model like what they want to be is the good thing. If she has the model, she can try to do something. However, the bad effect is the main topic I think. The major bad effect is that many women lose their self-esteem to measure just what she looks like. Many media companies are producing the perfect beauty to many womens but I saw the documentary that the staff use the apps that they can edit their face to bright her face, make a eye bigger, and so on. It is so different from a natural face and body, but many women suffer to see the fake perfect things. It causes stress, anxiety, fear, worry and so on.
In order to get freedom for women, the old standards are eliminated as soon as possible. Beauty has a diversity and also women have their own idea of what she wants to become or achieve. If they find each individual’s beauty, they can respect their own and it will have the power to eliminate the stereotypes.
I think that education plays a crucial role in changing and breaking stereotypes. Through education, people can know what is and they realize that they have their own beauty in each woman. If stereotypes are broken down, people can change society and also change the world so that women do not cry or feel sad because of beauty.
In conclusion, the stereotype of beauty like women should be perfect should be eliminated because they have their own beauty.
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Sometimes I feel very inferior, thinking that I’m not pretty enough, but your words have awakened me. Am I really not pretty? Is being fat my fault? Is a square face not good-looking? The beauty portrayed by the media, whether on TikTok or in front of the screen, seems to be all the same, confusing our eyes and forgetting what true beauty is. I think it’s time to remember. What’s wrong with having monolids? What’s wrong with having dark skin? What are the so-called “beauties” created by the media really like in reality? Many people say they are too skinny
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I agree with your point of view. Beauty is diverse and every woman has her own unique beauty. The current media does bring a lot of pressure to women. On social media, people often see beauty filters and “perfect photos” generated by retouching software. These seemingly perfect photos make women have a psychological comparison, thinking that they are not perfect, they will constantly consume themselves and feel heavy pressure. But the most important thing to emphasize is inner value, not just appearance.
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I watched this movie and I also felt like I am controlled by these kind of media. Recently, this situation getting worth because of social media platform. Also there has been a lot of discussion about a concept called “lookism”. On the internet, there are so many images of beautiful and slender woman. Furthermore, on screen, body shapes appear larger than they actually are, so the thin model’s bodies on screen are becoming unhealthy to the point of causing harm. As mentioned in the video, it often the case that these images are edited, but we have no way of knowing that. I want to share one video.
https://youtu.be/VVLSS6he_hc?feature=shared This video is from one of the most famous orthopedic surgeon in Japan. He talks about how social media is related to the obsession with woman appearance.
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I can understand how you feel after watching MisInformation and how the influence of the media can feel overwhelming. The effect of social media on perpetuating unrealistic standards of beauty is indeed worrying. “Lookism” has become a widespread problem, flooding our news streams with idealized photos of beauty, often edited to the point of distorting reality. This constant exposure hurts self-esteem and creates unhealthy comparisons.
The orthopedic surgeon’s video highlights an important aspect of this phenomenon. It is worrying how social media has fuelled the obsession with women’s appearance, influencing perceptions and behaviour. The pressure to live up to these unrealistic standards can lead to physical and mental health problems.
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This film was made more than 10 years ago but I believe it still has a huge relevance in today’s age. In social media, women are still sexually objectified including minors. TikTok is one of the biggest platforms that has a big influence among the youth. Girls are wearing more revealing clothes even if they are still teenagers or pre teens. This can be influenced by influencers from popular social media platforms because their target audience is young girls.
From watching the film it reminded me of the rap culture. Music has a big impact on the young generation as well. A lot of the music videos from the 2000s feature women as sexy by dressing or acting in a certain way. I’ve realized that even K-pop also has sexualized underage girls as they are starting to wear more revealing clothes. Furthermore, they perform cosmetic surgery when they are still underage and this can be harmful towards the idols and the young girls who grow up watching them. I think this is why cosmetic surgery or makeup products have become much more popular over the years from the influence of the media, especially the music industry.Furthermore, music has a big impact on
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I think that independence can be strong no one should rely on anyone ,only oneself is the most reliable strong oneself is very important ,I think everyone needs to do this.
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It’s hard not to be affected by the current state of female representation in the media without criticizing how it affects gender roles, body image, and society. Media portrayals and representations of women perpetuate inequalities and harmful stereotypes.
In the media, women are often portrayed as things of beauty and sexuality that make them attractive. It also reinforces outdated gender roles, which relegate women to supporting or decorative roles, further minimizing women’s diversity.
Women also don’t feel good about themselves when the media focuses on appearances. Seeing flawless, airbrushed models and actresses leaves women dissatisfied with their bodies, eating disorders, and mental health problems. Sadly, because of this, women’s value is tied to their looks, not what they can do.
Objectification and gender violence are normalized by the media as well. It’s what they’re portrayed as in movies, ads, and music videos. Sexual harassment and assault are trivialized not only because this reinforces the notion that women exist for other people’s entertainment.
Underrepresentation in the media perpetuates a harmful stereotype about women. The majority of viewers are women, but they’re underrepresented in creative roles. Sadly, there aren’t enough diverse stories about women, leading to stereotypical portrayals.
Now it’s time to critically examine and challenge this portrayal. It’s important to show a variety of abilities, interests, and experiences for diverse female characters. It’s about showing the strength, accomplishments, and complexity of women.
Educating people about the harmful representations of women in the media and raising their awareness of these representations is also important. By encouraging viewers to question and analyze media messages, we can build a discerning audience that demands authentic and respectful portrayals of women.
Modern media reinforces harmful stereotypes, perpetuates unrealistic beauty standards, and normalizes objectification of women. It’s time for media creators, industry leaders, and society to work together to get a more diverse, equitable, and respectful portrayal of women. We can make a media landscape that celebrates women’s contributions and experiences by advocating for change and challenging existing norms.
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You’re right, the influence of media opinions is incredible. Perhaps as society develops and we spend more time on our phones, the influence of the media, especially in the age of influencers, is particularly strong in shaping our aesthetic preferences. This is not a good thing. In the past, beauty was never defined in a single way, but with the development of the internet, beauty has become synonymous with “white, young, and thin,” while “dark and fat” have become synonymous with “ugly.” But as you said, although they look very thin on camera, in reality, the level of thinness can be somewhat alarming. This is a distorted aesthetic resulting from the influence of the media. I believe in the future, more and more people will become fatigued with this type of aesthetic and begin to confidently be their own selves. This trend has become increasingly apparent in recent years, and we should all look forward to this development together!
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I agree. Due to the deep influence of women’s objectification, women only pay attention to the image desired by social groups, while ignoring their own diversity. Therefore, we need to break the objectification of women and abandon the inherent ideas.
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I think that it is very important to understand the extremely patriarchal origins, viewpoints, rhetoric, and messaging of the large majority of mass media, especially prior to the 60’s and 70’s. In everything from old aristocratic paintings to Hollywood movies, most media has historically been produced from the perspective of the male gaze, and uses women, at least partially, as objects of visual appeal or symbols of status or “masculine” validation. This is largely because women were oppressed and kept out of the production processes of media creation for most of history, and still continue to be under-represented.
While we have come a long way, it is vital to understand how the history of patriarchy in classic media has shaped the way women and men are portrayed in modern media. Many character archetypes, story structures, and gender stereotypes in media are derived from an era where women were unfortunately not given the respect they deserve in society. I think we should all be taught the specific ways in which the prejudices of the past influence us today and the way we create and interpret media. having an understanding of this historical influence is necessary in creating art that properly portrays people in a fresh an unbiased way, free from the patriarchal influences of the past.
As media continues to reinforce outdated ideas of patriarchy, in can create subconscious reinforcement of gender norms and stereotypes within us, and make us feel pressured to act a certain way. This plays in tandem with the immense pressure people already feel as a result of the abnormal standards shown to us on social media platforms. As students of the communication arts, I feel that it is our responsibility to create an environment that encourages freedom of expression that goes beyond the strict roles that have been constructed for people throughout generations of rigid tradition.
Luckily, I think society is largely progressing in a productive direction when it comes to gender issues in media. For one modern example, look to the Barbie movie, as funny as it may seem. It was one of the first movies to be so proudly women-centric and anti-patriarchy while having massive commercial and cultural success. Being progressive when it comes to women’s freedom in media and freedom of gender expression is becoming popular in the mainstream, which is a great sign. I expect that this trend will continue, as women begin to take more prominent roles in media production, particularly when it comes to movies.
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Something I believe is important to highlight is the massive discrepancy in the portrayal of power dynamics between men and women in media. In the majority of modern popular media, the protagonist is either male, or a women primarily meant to appeal to the male gaze. For a long time, a generic looking white male has been seen as a “default” when it comes to main characters in media. Often times, this leads to women being put in a role that is relegated to support or visual appeal. This, I believe leads to great harm in the development of both men and women, and the perpetuation of patriarchal attitudes from both sides.
This study was very beneficial in my research on this topic: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10218532/. It mentions that in everything from entertainment fictional media, to sports and entertainment, women are both underrepresented and portrayed in a way that is overly critical towards their appearance. only 24 percent of primary newscasters are women, which is a massive lack of representation. It is also worth mentioning that women in news media are expected to appeal to men and present themselves as being conventionally attractive, while the same expectation is not present for men. The study I references also shows that sports coverage of women features less technical and analytical sports talk, and often focuses on the appearance and social conformity of the athletes. From personal experience, there is also a massive difference in discussions on social media in regards to female athletes. I follow both the NBA (go pacers) and WNBA (go fever), and people frequently discuss and critique the appearance of female athletes on social media, where the same is not true for men. The same pattern can be seen in all media, regardless of its form. Women are always held to a much different standard than men in regards to appearance and presentation.
I think in some regards men are trending in the wrong direction as well. In recent years, a large number of social media influencers have gained massive followings, preying off of the insecurities of young men and teaching them to devalue and objectify women, often viewing them as lesser than men and merely objects of sexual gratification. Because of the nature of the internet, this is beginning to effect younger and younger people, which I find extremely disheartening. Even in my day to day interactions with men my age, I find that there is an unfortunately large amount of adult men who have fallen into these communities, which is very harmful to their relationships with women and the way they treat the important women in their life. While these people bear their own responsibility for engaging with harmful content, I think the creators of this content should be ostracized from society through a group effort to make their rhetoric socially unacceptable.
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Once again, watching the “Miss Representation” documentary and listening to the lecture was very informative. It made it quite easy to understand just how influential media is for young adults, and how much it can affect them and their decision making. With how widely available and influential the internet is today; it is important to be conscious about the content that young adults consume.
Young adults are being influenced starting at very young ages by the content they watch on TV or see on the internet. One of the biggest problems being young adults becoming unsatisfied with their body due to the unrealistic figures that they see in the media on a daily basis. For example, young women recently have been increasingly critical of their bodies which has led to some people going to extreme measures to make their body “ideal”.
The problem is this “ideal”. This concept of an ideal is essentially created by money. Realistically, the ideal is simply just the type of body style that sells the most. The more it sells, the more companies will use that body type in advertisements and other media, which more people consume, continuing the loop. An example of this is the development of eating disorders in an attempt to become a ridiculous level of skinny that is often portrayed in media through editing.
Another troubling trend influenced by media is the increasing normalization of cosmetic surgery and body modification among young women. The recent rise of social media has exacerbated this, with the rise of social media influencers. Influencers and celebrities who undergo cosmetic procedures to attain this look often promote these changes to their followers, making such procedures seem accessible and desirable. This pursuit of physical perfection through surgical means can lead to a cycle of dissatisfaction, as the desired results often do not bring the expected boost in self-esteem or happiness.
It also has quite an effect on the mental health of young adults as well. Body image issues are closely linked to a range of mental health problems, including depression and body dysmorphia. Body dysmorphia is caused by an obsessive focus on perceived flaws in appearance, which can lead to body altering decisions.
In class, we learned about the “glass ceiling”, which refers to the invisible ceiling that women cannot pass in the workplace. For example, if a woman and man worked the exact same job for the exact same amount of time and had the exact same performance, there is a higher chance that the man would receive a promotion than the woman. Now this is a measurable concerning fact. It is literally proven and measurable that women face an invisible wall when it comes to promotion and pay in the workplace. This is absolutely something that needs to be addressed and fixed in the future.
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“Miss Representation” was created by American filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom and was born out of her own personal experience and concern for the media representation of women as seen in society as a whole. As her daughter grew older, she was concerned about how the media would limit her self-image and potential, and she decided to bring the issue to the fore through this documentary. What I felt from what I watch was that the film shows how the media imposes an image of women and how it affects their self-perception and social status. In particular, I felt that it emphasized the fact that women are often overly focused on beauty and sexuality. It also touches on the lack of female leaders and authority figures in the media, analyzing how women are portrayed in politics, business, and other spheres. In addition, it points out the problems of women often being portrayed as subordinate roles and sexual objects, and explores how this affects the self-worth of young women and girls.
In my opinion, it is important for viewers to develop the ability to discern the intentions and biases behind them, rather than uncritically accepting the information and images presented by the media. In particular, when it comes to the way women are portrayed, it is necessary to question stereotypes and over-emphasized beauty standards and to recognize their influence. You can also influence the content and policies of the media by expressing your opinions as a viewer and providing feedback to media companies and advertisers. The louder the viewer’s voice, the more likely it is that the portrayal and content of the media will change. Therefore, we believe that having the awareness to participate in and actively participate in media transformation will lead to the improvement of the problem.
Next, I think it’s important to look for media sources that offer diverse perspectives, not just mainstream media. This allows you to get balanced information and compensate for any potential biases that the media has. By consuming diverse media sources, you can broaden your perspective and be exposed to different cultures, values, and experiences. This will lay the foundation for a more critical evaluation of the information presented by the media and the formation of one’s own views. In addition, it is important to support more women with diverse perspectives and backgrounds to appear in the media and to participate in efforts to increase diversity across the media industry. This includes actively consuming and advocating for content that reflects the voices of women and minorities. Subscribing to and watching the work of creators and journalists from diverse backgrounds can help you recognize their work and provide them with even more opportunities. It’s also helpful to join campaigns and organizations that promote media diversity. This promotes a more realistic and multifaceted portrayal of women in the media. Educating media companies and advertisers about the importance of diversity can help drive awareness across the industry and help create a more inclusive and fair media environment. Seeking out diverse media sources and supporting that diversity is our responsibility as media consumers and an important step in contributing to the progress of society as a whole.
The last my suggestion is that it is necessary to promote media literacy education not only for ourselves, but also for children and the younger generation. Education is required to enable them to understand the impact of the media and process information while maintaining a sense of self-esteem. It is important to teach them how the media portrays women and what stereotypes they emphasize. Equipping younger generations with critical thinking and analyzing media messages can help them develop healthier self-awareness and a strong sense of self-esteem that is independent of the media. Furthermore, I think it is important to recognize one’s own value and have a sense of self-affirmation, without being bound by the ideal image presented by the media. It’s important to value your strengths and individuality, and to be aware that you don’t have to try to conform to the standards imposed by the media. You will be encouraged to set and achieve goals based on your own values, without being bound by the beauty and success standards provided by the media. Such an approach allows individuals to correctly understand their own value and act confidently without being bothered by comparisons with others. Media literacy education and the development of self-esteem are mutually complementary elements. Increasing media literacy lays the foundation for protecting yourself from media influences and maintaining your self-esteem. This will help you better understand how the media is portrayed and enable individuals to consume more healthy media.
In fact, as for the specific measures that I have come up with, it is important to take some concrete measures in order to face these points in the future. First of all, it is necessary to strengthen media literacy education and equip the younger generation with the skills to critically evaluate media messages. This includes the introduction of educational programs in schools and communities, as well as the use of workshops, seminars, and online resources. It’s also important for viewers to be proactive in providing input and feedback to media companies and advertisers to raise their voices for more diverse and balanced content. By expressing your opinion through social media and online platforms, you can influence the direction of the media. Second, it’s important to actively seek out and use media sources with diverse perspectives and backgrounds when consuming media. This allows us to obtain unbiased information and broaden our horizons.
Additionally, it is important to provide programs and counseling in schools and communities to foster self-esteem. We can help younger generations increase their self-worth by sharing the stories of women leaders and successful people from diverse backgrounds and providing them with opportunities to learn from their experiences. Finally, there needs to be continuous learning and engagement. To stay up-to-date on media literacy and diversity, attend online courses and expert seminars. Moreover, active participation in projects and campaigns that promote media diversity and critical perspectives through activities in local communities and online communities can help drive sustainable change. Through these efforts, individuals will be able to deepen their understanding of the impact of the media and build a healthy media environment.
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Misrepresentation (2011) is a documentary film that criticizes the portrayal of women in modern media, highlighting issues of misrepresentation, stereotyping, and underrepresentation. Directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the film explores how media shapes society’s perceptions of women, fueling gender inequality and reinforcing harmful stereotypes.
The documentary explores narrow and often unrealistic portrayals of women in various forms of media (film, television, advertising and the press). It emphasizes that women are often devalued for their looks, rather than being valued for their abilities or achievements. This focus on beauty standards not only objectifies women, but sets expectations that are difficult to meet and perpetuates harmful stereotypes.
A central theme of the documentary is the impact of the media on young audiences, especially girls and young women. Consuming media that reinforces gender stereotypes can have a negative impact on self-esteem and ambition. The film argues that by perpetuating a limited representation of women, the media contributes to a wider culture of sexism and inequality.
Misrepresentation also explores the intersections of gender with race, class, and sexuality, highlighting the complex stereotypes and barriers faced by women in marginalized communities. It calls for more inclusive storytelling that embraces the diversity of women’s experiences and challenges systemic biases.
In my opinion, the “misrepresentation” triggers a critical reflection on media literacy and media consumption. By encouraging viewers to question media representations, the documentary empowers individuals to portray women more realistically.
In short, MisInformation advocates for media reform to increase the representation of women in all forms of media. It urges viewers to demand diverse and empowering narratives that promote gender equality and social justice. Misrepresentation (2011) reveals the media’s damaging stereotypes of women. It shows how women are often reduced to superficial roles based on their looks rather than their abilities and achievements. This characterization not only sets unrealistic standards, but also undermines the diverse contributions women make in society. The documentary highlights the need for more accurate and empowering depictions of women in the media, highlighting the impact on self-esteem and social perceptions. It calls for greater diversity behind the scenes to reshape narratives and set positive examples for future generations.
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