The Media's Effect On Girls

        After watching the film "MissRepresentation," I was forced to contemplate my media habits and what I have deemed "acceptable" versus "unacceptable" through my perspective as an average consumer. The film discussed things in the media that are often ignored when they should be addressed as harmful to the progression of the world as a society. For example, women in power are often subtly degraded or dismissed simply because of their gender, valued for their looks and sexuality as opposed to their ideas, goals, or beliefs. "MissRepresentation" analyzes why this is allowed to happen at such as a large scale.
        The problems women face in the political world arise from the world's constant exposure to all forms of media, ranging from TV shows to Instagram. It begins very early in a person's life, and so does the perpetuation of the negative portrayal of women as biological caregivers and sexual objects, beginning at the sexualization of female cartoon characters on Disney Channel to the prioritization of coverage of a member of the Kardashian family's latest pregnancy rumor or wardrobe malfunction over a that of a deadly crime on the news. While such things seem irrelevant, the emphasis on the impossible beauty standard created by the media, as well as the idea constantly perpetuated that a woman's value is in her looks alone, has had a disastrous effect on the women and girls exposed to such biased priorities. For example, according to "MissRepresentation," 53% of 13-year-old girls are unhappy with their bodies, a percentage which grows to 78% by the age of 17. 65% of women and girls have an eating disorder, 17% of teens self-harm, and rates of depression among girls and women have reportedly doubled in the years between 2000 and 2010. These bleak statistics do not seem to be directly correlated to the media, but multiple sources including the American Psychological Association have found that violence displayed on TV has lead to an increased number of cases of domestic violence. Women and girls cannot escape the image to which they are constantly compared in the media; "MissRepresentation" states that US teens spend 31 hours each week watching TV, 17 hours a week listening to music, 3 hours watching movies, 4 hours listening to music, and 10 hours online. These statistics combine to create an average of 10 hours and 45 minutes each day of media consumption. In each type of media listed, the impossible standards of women are perpetuated, from misogynistic rappers to female roles in movies that exist purely for men.
        Lacking female role models praised for their successes rather than their looks, young girls tend to devalue themselves, attempting to be like the girls they see on TV who are the media's idea of a "real woman." This allows the stereotypes to go virtually unchecked and the companies that impede the social progression of society to continue to make a large profit at the cost of undermining true Democratic values. As a result, girls see each other as competition to defeat rather than role models or successful leaders. Female politicians, such as Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin, are often ridiculed for their physical features or choice in outfit rather than their decisions as successful politicians. In the political cartoon above, Sarah Palin is criticized for her high spending rather than her political views or arguments.
        Though the situation seems grim and women still have many steps to take in order to achieve the true equality for which they have been working for many years, there are ways each person can contribute to increased representation of successful, multi-dimensional women in the media as well as the creation of a more inclusive and positive environment in which young girls will grow up in the future. For example, rather than simply accepting or ignoring the media that degrades and objectifies women, be vocal; criticize the media as well as those who support its harmful stereotypes. Support women who desire power rather than degrading them for irrelevant things. Measure yourself and others by accomplishments instead of looks. View the media through your own perspective and demand what you truly want rather than what the media has convinced you that you want. In order to progress as a society, people must not accept the constant degradation and dehumanization of women in the media.