Media Portrayals
Unfortunately, society seems to have a misconstrued perception of women and what the modern woman should be like. In many areas, women have been exploited and stereotyped for the benefit of society and what it deems acceptable for all ages, races and sizes. The media, of course, is probably the biggest purveyor of this misconception. The representation of women in the media is a particularly negative one, ranging from sexual objects with low self esteem, quirky ditzes to frigid housewives. Many films today help show the extent of where women are categorized. At first it may be hard to separate a vaguely entertaining movie to one where there is a fine line between offensive and humor. One such 'test' demonstrates exactly how women are portrayed even in the best of works and award winning films.
The 'Bechdel test' stemmed from a comic strip that Allison Bechdel created in 1985 titled, 'Dykes to Watch out For,' It's described as a “is a simple way to gauge the active presence of female characters in Hollywood films and just how well rounded and complete those roles are (2013). The test only consists of three meager components; there are at least two named women, they converse together, and their topics of discussion are of something other than a man. This test has helped identify the gender bias, relevance and female presence in the media to show that a woman's role in film should be as important and in depth like their male counterparts. Unfortunately, only a handful of 2013 Oscar nominees for 'Best Picture' have passed the test, despite all the great performances. This itself proves that while theatrics have changed to create a more exciting film industry, a woman's role and relevance in movies today remains the same (2013).
The media is extremely influential and bombards society with messages of consumerism. Because of this, advertising runs rampant throughout any sort of media we sustain, watch or read. Many people do not consider themselves influenced by advertising, however, because of its' quick and cumulative nature, it affects people subconsciously. (2011) Women have become a massive target for consumerism in any sort of advertisement seen in the media. Beauty is held in such high regard, with society only expecting women to adhere to these standards, although not everyone will fit in the mold created. Women are taught to obsess over the superficial appearance of things such as clothing sizes and brands, breasts, face, and weight for only the sole outcome of being envied by other women and wanted by other men. (2011) One overlooked category of women who are negatively affected by the media's advertising are those aren't white. The media makes is it seem like they are only beautiful if they are the 'white ideal'. They must have tame hair, a light skin tone, and“white” facial features. They are accepted once they have disowned their own culture or skin for the basis of stereotyping. (2011)
The 'Bechdel test' stemmed from a comic strip that Allison Bechdel created in 1985 titled, 'Dykes to Watch out For,' It's described as a “is a simple way to gauge the active presence of female characters in Hollywood films and just how well rounded and complete those roles are (2013). The test only consists of three meager components; there are at least two named women, they converse together, and their topics of discussion are of something other than a man. This test has helped identify the gender bias, relevance and female presence in the media to show that a woman's role in film should be as important and in depth like their male counterparts. Unfortunately, only a handful of 2013 Oscar nominees for 'Best Picture' have passed the test, despite all the great performances. This itself proves that while theatrics have changed to create a more exciting film industry, a woman's role and relevance in movies today remains the same (2013).
The media is extremely influential and bombards society with messages of consumerism. Because of this, advertising runs rampant throughout any sort of media we sustain, watch or read. Many people do not consider themselves influenced by advertising, however, because of its' quick and cumulative nature, it affects people subconsciously. (2011) Women have become a massive target for consumerism in any sort of advertisement seen in the media. Beauty is held in such high regard, with society only expecting women to adhere to these standards, although not everyone will fit in the mold created. Women are taught to obsess over the superficial appearance of things such as clothing sizes and brands, breasts, face, and weight for only the sole outcome of being envied by other women and wanted by other men. (2011) One overlooked category of women who are negatively affected by the media's advertising are those aren't white. The media makes is it seem like they are only beautiful if they are the 'white ideal'. They must have tame hair, a light skin tone, and“white” facial features. They are accepted once they have disowned their own culture or skin for the basis of stereotyping. (2011)