This is a paper that looks at the many different femaleimages in Taoism. It looks at what they are and the importance they have to the religion as a whole.
Abstract This paper discusses the religion Taoism, and the connection females have to the religion. Taoism is not necessarily a feminine religion, but females feel a close connection to the religion due to its female imagery, females goddesses and methods of enlightenment for females.
From the Paper "The presence of feminine elements in Taoism is sweeping, and these elements have influenced the participation of women in this particular religious movement. The use of this female imagery gives women, and the qualities associated with them, a favored status in this religion. However, just because Taoism does value such qualities as softness and fluidity, usually associated with the feminine, does not mean that it favors a feminine model or can be seen a stronghold of feminism. Rather, it allows for a greater acceptance of women into the religion, and an easier relation between the woman and her religion."
Abstract This paper examines the influence of the image of the Barbie doll on the female gender. The writer discusses Stacy Handler's (the granddaughter of the Barbie creator) struggles with weight, self-worth and social acceptance as a young female in society. It explains how many young girls have developed eating disorders while trying to emulate Barbie physically and how this has had many psychological repercussions. In its conclusion, the paper shows that until society is willing to comprehend the damage that it inflicts on children through these unrealistic expectations, the concept of Barbie as the "perfect" woman will continue to negatively impact the female gender.
From the Paper "The Barbie doll was introduced to the American public in 1959. The idea for the doll was conceived by Ruth Handler who, with her husband, founded the Mattel Toy Company ("Inventing"). Handler has toured Europe and found the German "Lilli" doll a possible appealing toy for young girls. However, the "Lilli" doll was considered to be too risque' for the young American girl and Handler set about making a doll that would embody the American ideal of femininity. Barbie as a housewife, Barbie as a fashion icon and Barbie as a teenage tennis player were just a few of Handler's visions ("Inventing"). With the assistance of a clothing designer Handler set about creating fashions for the Barbie doll and it was not until these fashions began to catch the eye of parents that the Barbie began to gain in popularity."
Abstract This paper shows how media images affect women and influences them to play a part in the Barbie Doll image. It analyzes the different effects caused by those media images and the writer concludes that until the media stops sending these messages women will continue to be affected.
From the Paper "With the new obsessions of weight loss, plastic surgery, and Hollywood stars, women believe they are not normal unless they fit into the so-called "Barbie Doll" image. Young girls are feed body images when they pick up their first Barbie-doll. Yet, research as found that the Barbie-doll would not be able to live if she was human. Her body would be too tapered to hold less than a half of a liver and her back would be too weak to support weight the her upper body (Gerber, 2). No longer do some women base their self-worth on personality, morals, or values but having an unblemished body with designer clothing that are wore by celebrities. Women are reading magazines and watching television, which project the image of rock-hard abs, long skinny legs, and huge breast. The media influences these unattainable images for women through model ads, television commercials, and by boosting Hollywood stars as examples of how women should look. The media influences the way women consume products from the market and her mental well being also."
Abstract This paper examines how the use of femaleimages in the media and particularly in advertising has become a contentious issue in recent years and how numerous studies and articles have been written on the subject. There is a general consensus among academics and researchers that the manner in which advertising uses femaleimages has a profound affect on society in general and the individual consumer. However, whether this effect is entirely negative or positive is a question that is at issue. One of the intentions of the present study is to present these views against the background of the history and function of advertising. A central purpose of this dissertation is to examine the implications surrounding the usage of female imagery in advertising. The implications in both a social and psychological sense are examined in-depth. The study also takes cognizance of the various views and opinions of various aspects of this subject. The overall intention of the study is to present a clear overview and analysis of the historical and contemporary reality of the use of femaleimages in the advertising industry.
Outline
Introduction and History of Advertising
The Function and Functioning of Advertising
Implications: Society and Advertising
Implications: Psychology and Advertising
Conclusion and Summation
From the Paper "Advertising is an integral part of our social and economic systems. In our complex society, advertising has evolved into a vital communications system for both consumers and businesses. The concepts of buying and consuming have been around since time immemorial and the fact that much of life focuses in this commonplace arena, makes advertising a fascinating subject for anyone who is interested in how people cope with everyday existence. In ancient times 'persuasion through communication' was mainly by word of mouth, yet commercial messages were found in the ruins of Pompeii, a town that was founded in the 7th century BC by the Osci, a people of central Italy."
Abstract This paper provides an explanation of the history behind the development of the Barbie doll. It discusses how, from the beginnning, the doll was controversial and how it has been ever since. This paper argues that the Barbie culture is harmful not only to young women and girls, but also to young men. It states that women are not Barbie dolls, nor should they be.
From the Paper "The year: 1991. The occasion: My eighth birthday. My house was full of giggling third grade girls, and the pile of gifts was looming high near the cake. My parents eyed the mountain warily, knowing full well what the majority of the rectangular 13-inch boxes contained. They were inevitable gifts at that age. In fact, they were expected gifts at that age. I tore into them one by one, the bright bubble gum pink flooding my senses, as Barbie reared her perfectly coiffed head. For a female child in America, or a female child, period, Barbie is an unavoidable influence on development, both physically and mentally. I was to become a statistic?by the year 1996, it was reported that 99 percent of girls between ages eight and ten had at least one Barbie, while the average girl had eight (Rogers 13). Though the Barbie doll was created with good intentions, and though proponents today continue to fight for her rights, today Barbie does more harm than good for her followers."
Abstract The paper discusses Mattel Corporation's significant flexibility over the years to meet market demand, notably with the introduction of "My Scene" Barbies that were designed to be more reflective of diversity and true body shape. The paper considers the contentions of many that these dolls have inappropriate dress, an inappropriate figure and are only a superficial representation of multiculturalism. The paper illustrates how the brand will continue to be a source of popular controversy, despite these attempts to be inclusive with culture and body image realism.
From the Paper "Mattel Corporation has been the owner of the Barbie brand and exclusive marketer of said brand for its entire existence, and in fact the original Barbie creator was also the creator of the Mattel corporation. The Barbie brand has gone through only a limited number of changes over the many years, but recently the Mattel company has introduced a new line of Barbie dolls and accessories that are said to be more modern reflections of the doll. The new Barbie dolls are known as "My Scene" Barbies, and they are marketed toward tween girls (girls ages 7-12) and anyone who has an interest in obtaining dolls that are more reflective of diversity."
This paper explores the portrayal of female figures in art and myth, focusing on the Medusa myth and the castrating power of the female gaze and their effect of the female self-image.
Abstract The paper reviews in detail the image of Medusa that pits femininity and masculinity against each other and allowing masculinity to triumph. The paper continues by stating that the gaze of the painted female subject often is depicted with her eyes either diverted from the viewer, or coyly regarding him. The author states that myths like the Medusa myth and the female gaze instruct women that their sexuality is something to be suppressed, that a powerful woman is a dangerous woman, and that the male will triumph in the end.
From the Paper "Though the familiar image of Medusa as a serpent-haired monster is attributed to the Greeks, the myth of Medusa actually has its roots in pre-classical Mediterranean culture. In the matriarchal societies that existed before Greek civilization, Medusa was far from reviled as she was by the Greeks; instead, she was worshipped as a beautiful mother deity who symbolized wisdom, fertility, and female power. With the advent of Greek civilization, the existing gynocentric religion and mythology were compelled to adapt to the new patriarchal value system."
Argues that the images of perfection that are disseminated by society are generally stereotypical images that reinforce gender roles of dominance and submission.
Abstract The way in which society defines the structures and strictures of gender has developed in the last century into a field in which there is an abundance of textual dissertation concerning gender, identity, body image, and other issuances of definitional standards that often defy the status quo and change the way in which we think about what it is to be a man or woman. The paper shows that these essential qualities that define gender are harder to determine the more we explore the boundaries that have been set up, in many cases, as no more than cultural myths that represent the continuance of a socio-economic class system. One of these myths is the idea of the mythical body image, or the ideal physiological representation of a society in which gender lines are clearly defined in terms of male and female. This paper explores the idea of this image in terms of its contrivance, ramifications, social constructionism, and its support of gender stereotypes to provide an understanding of how our culture defines male and femaleimages of perfection.
From the Paper "Myths traditionally focus on the superhuman or divine while providing a model of behavior for their consumer, who is more often than not encouraged by them to accept a sort of socio-economic status quo, along with a sense of diversion and the illusion that in escaping reality, the person buying into the myth is escaping the status-quo of an
economically oriented social class system. This particular diversion is carried on through time and changed, if slightly, by successive generations as the gradations of society change with time (although the continuance of myth is often retrogressive concerning the continuance of the society). Although the theme may only change slightly, the
presentation of a new myth within this traditional trope suggests other changes that are more important."
Abstract The paper discusses the premise that regardless of the efforts of the Chinese media to exclude Western themes from the media, public demand has allowed some Westernized femaleimages to creep into the media of mainland China. The research explores the presence and prevalence of westernized femaleimages in Chinese advertising media.
The paper offers a background of Chinese cultural ideals and provides a literature review. The paper shows how a new image of Chinese women is emerging in the media that is accepted more readily by the women than the men.
Outline:
Background of the Problem
Literature Review
Methodology
Results and Discussion
From the Paper "China is a country steeped in tradition. Historically, it has been resistant to change and the introduction of foreign influences. For many years, China had an isolationist policy towards any type of foreign influence. China wanted to prove that they were self-sufficient. This exclusion of foreign influence isolated them culturally as well. Chinese cultural ideals were reinforced. Traditional female and male roles were predetermined before a child's birth, and the child dare not try to break them."
Abstract In this article, the writer examines the use of the Internet by female teenagers. The writer then studies the effects by the Internet on the teenagers' self image. The writer looks at the influence of the Internet on the psycho-social development of teens. In this paper, the writer also discusses how female and male usage of the Internet differs.
From the Paper "Over the last decade, an increasing number of teenagers have become prominent users of the Internet, thus generating concerns among parents and researchers with regard to its effects on their psychological well-being. In one of the studies many of the parents surveyed assert their worries about their children's isolation from others in the real world and their development of antisocial behavior due to Internet use. Due to their vulnerability to adult predators, teenage girls and their use of ... "
Abstract This paper examines how women experience the world in ways that are inextricably connected with the perceptions of body image. Not only do American women experience a number of physiological phenomenon that are uniquely female, they are also subjected to a wide range of powerful cultural forces that affect their perceptions of their body and how they relate to their own sense of self-worth. It provides an overview of the social issue of body image from a feminist perspective to determine how meaning and identity are constructed in this social issue. A summary of the research is provided in the conclusion.
From the Paper "Pregnancy in particular is a potentially life-threatening and world-shifting condition that women uniquely experience, and it is little wonder that so much focus has been devoted to it in the feminist literature. Merleau-Ponty points out that the integrity of female body is diminished during pregnancy by the fact that the boundaries of the female body are themselves in a state of flux. ?In pregnancy,? she says, "I literally do not have a firm sense of where my body ends and the world beings. My automatic body habits become dislodged; the continuity between my customary body and my body at this moment is broken" (p. 410)."
Abstract This paper looks at the Iconoclastic Controversy. The author talks about John of Damascus' defense of icons at a time when there was debate about whether icons should be used in worship or if they were idolatrous. The essay lists several of John's points and looks at both the positive and negative aspects of each point.
From the Paper "It seems that art is such a natural part of everyday life. It would be difficult to picture a world where art was not involved. From the flower pots outside on the window sill to the mounted picture in the living room, art pervades every aspect of our lives. It is difficult to imagine that there was a controversy over whether such type pf media should be allowed in a Church setting. The word icon usually describes "those religious pictures-mainly portable wood panel paintings-which have a prominent place in the life and worship of the Eastern Orthodox Churches" (Baggley, 1). The Iconoclasm controversy dealt with the debate over whether painted images of the Divine Christ were valid or idolatrous. Popular culture felt that the icon was a necessary part of their worship because it gave them a sense of understanding. It gave the worshipper a visual image of what he/she was praying to and so, made the person feel that his/her prayers were not futile and wasted. However, it was these exact beliefs that sparked the controversy, but also led to the writings in defence of the images. John of Damascus was one of the greatest Christian defenders of the iconodule position (Sch?nobon, 192)."
Abstract This paper discusses how the media can have negative effects on the body image of almost any individual, male or female. It further discusses how women are more prone to the effects of this kind of media image and reviews research that indicates, in its early stages, that these effects can be countered by intervention.
From the Paper "Every day the general public is subject to unrealistic body images portrayed by the media. On television, hypersexual teens worry more about losing their virginity than about a humongous pimple shining like a blinking beacon. In both print and electronic media, women with prominent collarbones and 15-inch waists advertise everything from fast food to pain- and weight loss medication, while men with "ripped" abs drink beer with their buddies in front of the television. In the movies, even the pets are beautiful and gaze at their perfect owners with love from the elegant couch in their perfectly maintained homes. How is the average individual supposed to compete with this flawless worldview? Does the average viewer compete with it at all or is it accepted as the depiction of the American dream?"
Abstract The paper explores the image society has of women through an examination of a child's toy (the Kim Possible Doll), advertising images for Skechers and the television show "The Closer." The paper discusses how the external image of youth, beauty and especially being thin is projected as a virtual necessity. The paper looks at the harmful effects this has on the self-image of girls and young women trying to emulate what they believe is the ideal.
Outline:
Introduction
Kim Possible Doll
Skechers Models
The Closer
Conclusion
From the Paper "The prevailing doll image offered to young girls for many years has been the Barbie Doll, the image of an extremely thin young woman, with an emphasis on thin-ness, beauty, perfect hair, and perfect makeup. This is only one source of this sort of image, and many of the images from popular culture reinforce this idea.
"Meta G. Carstarphen and Susan C. Zavoina write specifically about the experience of adolescent girls and note how these girls are influenced by images of girls their age in magazines like Seventeen and Teen, among other sources, and the authors note first that advertising is directed at young people because they represent an important target market, if one that is particularly vulnerable: "A time of awkwardness and opportunity, adolescence represents a critical time of identity formation for both boys and girls" (Carstarphen and Zavoina 94)."
Comparing three articles - "I Want to Be Miss America" by Julie Alvarez; "My Inner Shrimp" by Garry Trudeau and "Victoria's Not-So-Secret Strategy" by Marisa Kula - which deal with how sociey has physical expectations of a person and beauty image.
Abstract Current society is one where body image or looks is central to self image. Movies, television, beauty products, diet programs and exercise programs are all reminders of this. Every person in society is haunted by the image of what they should look like. This paper focuses on three essays, each which argue something different about the impact of our need to look a certain way. Alverez's shows what happens when a person cannot obtain the ideal look society dictates. Trudeau's shows that even if the ideal is attained, the impact on the person lingers while also showing that it is not only an issue for women. Finally, Kula shows how companies like Victoria's Secret project these images and make profit by fooling women into believing they can be the ideal. This paper considers these essays and the impact of body image and shows how living up to an ideal set by society impacts on everyone's life, whether or not that ideal can be attained. The writer concludes that the end result of this is low self-esteem for all individuals, even if some of those ideals can be attained.
From the Paper "1. The Alvarez family's ritual of watching the Miss America pageant is so important to Alvarez and her sisters because it represents what they could be. The Alverez's come from a culture where women can only be wives and mothers. The Miss America pageant represents that in America, they can aspire to more than that. The Miss America pageant also represents what it means to be American, something the Alverez sisters are trying to find out so they can fit into their new environment."
