ATS1206 - Miss Representation Reflection

Mass media plays a key role in the social construction of our reality. As such the media is able to present stereotypes as truth, shaping how we view gender roles through its carefully curated portrayal of men and women. I believe that the media acts as a gatekeeper of power, which it defines as strictly masculine, preventing women from reaching their full political agency.

From a young age girls are told that their value depends on their looks. The media paints the image of the ideal woman: thin, sexual, docile, and distributes her throughout advertisements, television shows and movies. How can little girls compare to photoshopped models? They can’t, and that’s exactly what the patriarchal media wants. This is due to the political economy of the media. The media gains revenue from commercials, which aim to make viewers feel insecure. Women are pressured into a futile pursuit of perfection, and are convinced that they need cosmetics and expensive clothes to achieve it. In this way women are encouraged to objectify themselves, to view themselves purely as sexualised beings. Self-objectification results in lower confidence and ambition in women. As a result these women are less likely to see themselves in positions of power.

Moreover when women do gain power, they often find themselves at the end of intense media scrutiny. A prime example of this was the media’s treatment of both Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin. During their campaigns the press focused on the women’s appearances rather than their policies and accomplishments. Clinton was demonised for her age and lack of sexuality, while Palin, who was more feminine, was reduced to a bimbo. Both women were treated with a disrespect that men running for office would never face. The coverage impacted how audiences viewed women in politics, trivialising their positions and diminishing their power. By focusing press coverage on superficial topics such as looks and gossip over female political achievements, the media dissuades young women from pursuing leadership roles.

I do believe that there is hope for girls to reach their potential as leaders, however this can only be achieved through shifts in the media landscape. Currently women only own 5.8% of television stations. As Carol Jenkins points out in the ‘Miss Representation’, 97% of everything that women know about themselves comes from a male perspective. Thus we must allow female content creators to share their own stories, allowing for accurate, relatable representations of female experiences in mainstream media. Social media also creates opportunities for a diverse array of women to share their stories, and act as role models for the next generation of women.

ATS1206 - Miss Representation Reflection This page is part of the collection 'Media Assessments '.

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