Gender and the Media

Paper Summary:

The negative portrayal of gender roles in the media can be seen in television, movies, music and advertising and the repercussions of such are exhibited in actions and thoughts of individuals within that society. The paper contends that this mania, this explosion in glorification and objectification of women's bodies, promotes unreal images of women, distorts physical reality, creates an obsession with visual stimulation and trivializes all other natural features of a healthy psychosexual relationship. Furthermore, the paper argues that the media overload of degrading and objectifying women is the cause of society thinking that this practice is acceptable and right, when it, in reality, is an outdated practice that needs to be corrected.

From the Paper:

"A myth is something everyone thinks is true, but in reality, is not. In "The Beauty Myth" by Naomi Wolf, she defines the beauty myth as the thought that beauty is universal, time transcending, and that women have to be beautiful to be socially accepted. The reality is, though, that beauty does not transcend time. From the voluptuous Marilyn Monroe to the famished-looking Kate Moss, American ideas of beauty have changed with media influence. In the mid-twentieth century, Monroe was a full-figured size 16, while models today, like Moss, are thought to be overweight if they are not bone thin and their cheekbones are not protruding from their faces. In addition, this trend has so widely spread that "In New York, you go to a cocktail party and they'll tell you where they had surgery. In L.A, you go to a party and they'll show you where they had the surgery" (Gerhart 404)."

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