Women and the Media

What features of a woman stand out when watching T.V., or reading a magazine? Is it the woman's body shape? Is it the woman's eye color? Is it the woman's hair color?   I chose this topic because I am a woman. The media has a big impact on some of the ideas that people have towards women. Some of the ideas I have, and think, have been influenced by the media. I occasionally watch T.V.; go to the movies, read newspapers or magazines, just like other people, so I am influenced by the way the media depicts women. How does the media depict women? They bombard us with images of extremely thin women, along with a message that tells women that they should look like models. I should look like a model. Not only should I look like the models that are portrayed in the media, but so should every other woman. The message to me is that this is what society wants, this is what men want, and if a person cannot attain these images that are shown, then something is wrong with them. If the current media - media from the mid-eighties till now - continues to portray what is beautiful and/or ugly, than the majority of women will never be confident in the body that they have.

According to, the article Exploring The Consequences Of Sexual Objectification, “Girls’ overall development is influenced by the media’s portrayal of women as sex objects.  These images limit the girls’ self-perceptions and influence their attitudes regarding the importance of appearance.”  The problem is that over time the emphasis on what a women should look like goes from appearing healthy, and having a figure, to an extremely thin women with no curves or shape. This is not a healthy portrayal of what an average women looks like. This type of emphasis has led to a number of eating disorders among girls and women.

The media portrays a slim/thin woman as being beautiful, and the average women that is not thin is not beautiful. “This issue affects women and men because both genders feel the media pressure to look attractive; however, women are more sensitive to appearance rejection then men,” as described in Sociocultural Influence And Appearance-Based Rejection Sensitivity Among College Students. While my topic will cover the overall affect the media has on women, it is important to note that this issue affects men as well.

Six Steps in the Research Process:

1)   Formulate the Question - If the current media - media from the mid-eighties till now - continues to portray what is beautiful and/or ugly, than the majority of women will never be confident in the body that they have.

2)   Review the existing literature – I reviewed the following literature:

i)    Media Contributions To African American Girls’ Focus On Beauty And Appearance: Exploring The Consequences Of Sexual Objectification.  Girls’ overall development is influenced by the media’s portrayal of women as sex objects.  These images limit the girls’ self-perceptions and influence their attitudes regarding the importance of appearance. The exposure to and the identification with women artists and cartoon characters in the media emphasize the roles that young girls’ should strive toward. While this article covers only the African American race it is still valid for the research paper. It discusses the effects that media coverage has on girls’ perceptions of themselves and appearance “norms”.

ii)   Sociocultural Influence And Appearance-Based Rejection Sensitivity Among College Students. Students at a large public university were surveyed based on the influence of parents, peers, and the media in regards to their sensitivity to appearance rejection. Women and men feel the media pressure to look attractive. Women are more sensitive to appearance rejection then men are. My topic is to cover the overall effect the media has on women. The information in this research paper includes both men and women; however, the fact that women internalize media ideals

and the data to back up the research are benefits to the research paper I am writing.

iii)  Holding a mirror up to marketing. The Dove campaign was started to address concerns of visual stereotypes of beauty. It was noticed that young women were developing self-image and self-esteem problems. These problems were not contained in one area, or to a certain culture, the problems were being noticed in all cultures. The information found in this study adds to the research paper I am writing. This particular research paper shows that good marketing can be taught and delivered in such a way that it does not have to have a negative impact on women, whether young or old. The results of this study show that there is a need for change.

iv)  "Do Real Women Have Curves?" This paper examined how Latinas’ assessed their body shape and weight. While the women typically wanted to have a fit/thin “White” woman’s body, they also wanted to have the curves of a Latina. The paper concluded in discussing the need for media coverage that covers the importance of co-existing body ideals. This paper helps my research in that it has hard facts in regards to the differences of women’s bodies and the importance to show in the media that women can come in all different shapes and sizes and still be beautiful.

v)   The Influence of Television Programs on Appearance Satisfaction: Making and Mitigating Social Comparisons to "Friends". This study was on the effects of images of women in television programs. The women were exposed to a television program that depicted thin attractive women. The results demonstrated that the participants suffered from this exposure. Most people watch television and the negative effects on women need to be researched. This paper can help to determine what an alternative approach can be.  

3)   Plan a research design – This research process needs to be a mixed approach; it needs to include both qualitative and quantitative research methods. There is existing literature out there that would benefit the study; however, information needs to be attained by young girls in middle/high school to determine the long term affects and the possible action that needs to be taken to help young women develop healthy attitudes about their body. One way this can be done is by sending surveys to the schools. Participant observation of young women will also help the evaluator to monitor the young women’s behavior and attitude towards the different types of media that they see during the day. Specific questions should be asked in regards to the media: How does the media portray women? What qualities or attributes are positively portrayed? What qualities or attributes are negatively portrayed? What are the consequences of portraying women this way?

4)   Collect data – Information needs to be collected with the thesis statement in mind. If the current media - media from the mid-eighties till now - continues to portray what is beautiful and/or ugly, than the majority of women will never be confident in the body that they have. This information can be collected through a mixed method approach (qualitative and quantitative research methods).

5)   Analyze date – The data must be analyzed thoroughly before any conclusion can be drawn. All results have to be linked back to the thesis; If the current media - media from the mid-eighties till now - continues to portray what is beautiful and/or ugly, than the majority of women will never be confident in the body that they have.

6)   Report the data – upon conclusion of the research steps one through five, mentioned above, the researcher must publish their findings, so that a group of their peers may evaluate the research. This will add to the existing literature in regards to women and the media. 

            Society values women based on their appearance. A good example of this is the T.V. series “Ugly Betty.” The woman is smart, a hard worker, and makes do with what she has, but she is not as pretty as the other models on the show. Even the title infers that if a woman is not beautiful than she is. I do not believe that it is possible for the average woman to be  model material because of the high standard that they have set. This does not mean that I believe the average woman is not beautiful. The standard set to be a model is almost so strict that it is as if the women are not real. The impact this high standard is having on all women; regardless, of age is long-term. It is lowering the overall self-esteem of women. This impact has crossed borders as it effects all races of women, living in different parts of the world. This is largely do to the fact that the media is the main form of information and technology. Therefore, the media influences society and the views that they have towards women. 

 While I will continue to tell my daughter that it is important to eat, and explain healthy alternatives if she must count her calories (like eating healthy foods rather than empty calories) the truth of the matter is; “She will be influenced in some way by the media and her peers.” I find the information on the Dove campaign very informative and helpful. This campaign shows that good marketing can be taught and delivered in such a way that it does not have to have a negative impact on women, whether young or old. It also shows that it is possible to portray women of all shapes and sizes as beautiful.

 

 

 

References

Gordon, M. (2008). Media Contributions To African American Girls’ Focus On Beauty And Appearance: Exploring The Consequences Of Sexual Objectification. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 32(3), 245-256.  Retrieved October 3, 2009, from Platinum Periodicals. (Document ID: 1530261191).

Park, L., DiRaddo, A., & Calogero, R. (2009). Sociocultural Influence And Appearance-Based Rejection Sensitivity Among College Students. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 33(1), 108-119.  Retrieved October 3, 2009, from Platinum Periodicals. (Document ID: 1634818071).

Quelch, J., & Jocz, K.. (2008). Holding a mirror up to marketing. Marketing Management, 17(6), 17.  Retrieved October 3, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1610388101).

Viladrich, A., Yeh, M., Bruning, N., & Weiss, R. (2009). "Do Real Women Have Curves?" Paradoxical Body Images among Latinas in New York City. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health, 11(1), 20-8.  Retrieved October 3, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1611563301).

Want, S., Vickers, K., & Amos, J. (2009). The Influence of Television Programs on Appearance Satisfaction: Making and Mitigating Social Comparisons to "Friends". Sex Roles, 60(9-10), 642-655.  Retrieved October 3, 2009, from Platinum Periodicals. (Document ID: 1681035251).