Is the Media Really Sexist?
Yesterday, a friend of mine sent me a provocative trailer for the documentary Miss Representation, which premiered at last year's Sundance Film Festival and has since then had local screenings across this country. The film is about the media's overly sexualized portrayal of women and the harm that this causes to adolescent girls and boys, whose expectations of body image, sex, and how to treat each other is being manipulated by the pop culture (the film's argument goes). The movie, which was broadcast by Oprah's flailing OWN television network in 2011, has been reviewed to great acclaim, critics on all sides embracing its anti-raunch message of girl power.
Here's the trailer:
Miss Representation lays its ideas on so thick that it's hard to disagree with its premise, argument, conclusion, the whole shebang. We see a Sarah Palin interview in which she is asked about whether she has breast implants; we see a news segment referencing Nancy Pelosi's plastic surgery; we see the headline "Condi Rice, Dominatrix," accompanied by an image of the secretary of state wearing black leather boots. In another part of the film, images of anorexic models, nearly naked pop singers, and bikini-sporting Miss Americas flash across the screen, as we are bombarded with one frightening statistic after another.
Women, we're told, hold only 3 percent of "clout positions" in the media. Women make up 51 percent of the U.S. population, and yet only 17 percent of Congress—putting the United States 90th in the world in the international ranking of women in legislatures (we have less women in office than China, Iraq, and Afghanistan). And finally, as professor Caroline Heldman of Occidental College explains, when girls and boys are seven years old, an equal number want to be president of the United States. By the time they're fifteen, the gap widens considerably. What a sexist country we live in! Or so we're left to conclude.
When I see these figures, I don't think "media sexism," I think that women are making choices about the kinds of lives they want to live. Take the example of women holding only 3 percent of clout positions in the media. That's undoubtedly a small number, but one explanation for the absence of female leadership in this industry is that by the time these already successful women are old enough to assume these high-powered roles, they're choosing to bow out of the market to raise children or to pursue other endeavors (their husbands are often as successful as they are, if not more so, meaning that the household can sacrifice two incomes for one).
On the issue of the presence of women in Congress, I read the numbers a little bit differently. If we have less women represented in our legislature that China, Iraq, and Afghanistan, then couldn't that be interpreted as a sign of the health of our society and the successes of feminism? Women here, unlike women in Afghanistan, have won their political and social battles. So they may be more interested in attending to the other aspects of their lives rather than running for office or even going to the voting booths to cast their ballots.
In terms of the number of girls who want to be president at fifteen, can't we grant that they may have changed their minds in the ten years that they have had to develop their identities as young women? I highly doubt that these girls are giving up dreams of the Oval Office for dreams of being a Victoria's Secret model. They probably have decided that being a doctor, teacher, or vet (that was my choice at fifteen) is more meaningful to them and suits them better than being president. Why the gender gap? Women tend to be more practical, compassionate, and less power hungry than men.
But all of this seems to be completely left out of Miss Representation. What we get is one-sidedly feminist. Comedian Margaret Cho complains, "The media treats women like [expletive deleted] and it's horrible. I don't know how we survive it. I don't know how we rise above it." Jean Kilbourne of the Wellesley Centers for Women, agrees: "No matter what else a woman does, no matter what else her achievements, their value still depends on how they look." White letters flash across the screen and we learn that "the media is sending a dangerous message to young people." Then it cuts to a young girl who bemoans the fact that "there's no appreciation for women intellectuals. It's all about the body, not about the brain."
Maybe I'm living in a different media world than all of the people in this film, but when I look at pop culture, I see a very different picture of women. Some of the most popular depictions of women in the pop culture today are not overly sexualized. To the contrary, women in today's media come off as smart, witty, and even frumpy (30 Rock), or incredibly successful, educated, and career-oriented (Grey's Anatomy), or in control of their households (Modern Family), or in control of their sexuality (Beyoncé's Single Ladies [Put a Ring on It]).
Of course there will be raunch and sex in pop culture, but that's not all that there is. For Miss Representation to blame media executives for sexualizing women, all in pursuit of a profit, is not only unfair, but it's a distortion of the facts.
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Comments:
May '10
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
As a parent of an eleven year-old girl I see these as two different issues. I don't see any harm being done by the media to the aspirations of societal achievement for young women. There are plenty of images of powerful women out there to inspire girls to be anything they want to be. But that doesn't mean we don't have a problem as a society and as a culture with an excessively sexualized media environment.
Long before they approach puberty and any legitimate notions of sexuality, young girls are trained by media images all around them to make themselves sexual. Clothing styles for pre-teens are miniaturized versions of trashy 20-something looks, songs on the radio from the likes of Katie Perry glamorize getting drunk and having anonymous sex, Britney Spears has young girls baring their midriffs without understanding exactly what that action connotes. I think this constant barrage that celebrates sexuality has all kinds of negative repurcussions for society but doesn't really bear on how many women run for Congress.
As a parent it requires constant diligence to filter and explain and discount the effects of this. And lots of sports,
Aug '10
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
Feels like they are trying resuscitate the movement . The continued efforts at deconstructing the family is a multi-front assault.
Welfare dependency and increased entitlement programs isn't very sexy, that's why they need a reason to flash the Kate Moss pictures, the A&F ads. It's a key element, but this is Sundance and Oprah, flash is important to grab the attention.
Rage is the new involvement. Doesn't require any study, just misplaced passion and energy. Noticed alot of emphasis at the right wing of the Media, subtle jabs but there.
Corporate bad guys as usual, so where is the funding pitch going to ? Eat more carrots and less burgers so you too can look like Angelina ? At this point in my developing paranoia, it's all about the benjamins so what spigot is this directed to and whose trough is to be filled ?
Edited on January 24, 2012 at 6:01pmRe: Is the Media Really Sexist?
The video's subtext is that capitalism is the problem and feminism is the answer. It takes a real problem, exaggerates it, and repackages it for the use of the left.
Aug '10
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
I'd like to read some of the comments by women who work in the media here. While there aren't many women "behind the camera" in TV in comparison to men, is this because they are excluded or because young women don't typically view this as a real option for them. In other words, is the recruiting pool for female directors small due to self selection?
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
It seems pretty problematic that American teens spend 10 hours 45 minutes each day consuming media. It would appear that one of the primary problems here is bad parenting.
May '10
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
I would not cast it in such judgemental terms Diane, as parenting is very hard work and these images and messages are everywhere. For example, the teachers at school gossip to my kids about Glee plot twists and American Idol episodes -- and these are good, responsible teachers. My kids are Giants and Niners fans which we condone, but that means seeing too many beer commercials.
But it is true that if your daughter's schedule is filled with homework and sports, there is very little time left over for nonsense.
Oct '10
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
I'm willing to bet there's a relationship between the fact that heretofore, the majority of politically active women have been progressives, promoting an array of socially destructive social policies. It's not surprising then that women 'failed to make gains' in the 2010 election - how many progressives of any gender won in the 2010 midterms?
What's probably needed are more conservative women in politics. Unfortunately, the ones that would make the best politicians are way too busy.
Oct '10
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
Don't worry, I live there too. The moms are witty and omnipotent, the dads are bungling; the girls are sassy, the boys are gross; older men are misogynistic grouches, older women are founts of wisdom. (Not that I'm saying these portrayals are completely divorced from reality.)
It is interesting that the most explicitly sexualized images come from glossy advertisements aimed at women and 'hip hop' videos. Of course, pointing out the problems of the latter culture would be racist...
Mar '11
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
There's a lot to react to here, but since nobody's mentioned yet, how about the boy, Calvin, and the way he's being socialized to see himself and men and women?
Jul '11
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
"Don't you think that's sexist?"
"What's wrong with being sexy?"
Spinal Tap.
Jul '11
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
Darn straight!
Dec '10
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
Hey, ladies seeing the trees, let me introduce you to the forest.
Is there seriously anyone, anywhere that disputes the fact that we now live in a thoroughly feminized society?
Apr '11
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
Feminism is not movement for equality but a Gramsci-style female supremacy movement aimed at destroying the family as the basic unit of social organization.
To do this feminists must deny any theory of society rooted in human nature. Feminists believe that human nature is socially constructed; hence, their obsession with popular culture. Mao wanted his New Man; feminists want their New Woman.
Sep '10
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
This argument is soooo not new! And this trailer shows that the same poor assumptions are being made as they have been since the 1980s: that young women are completely passive viewers and not inter-actors. My sweet-sixteen-year-old loves media—in part because she loves asserting her individual take on everything, from songs to celebrities to fashion. ... I don't like raunchy stuff (when it comes to sexuality, less is so much more), but I don't think that, just because it's out there, that many teen girls and young women are drawn to it, except perhaps for those who do not have other job opportunities that pay as well. What worries me much more is this kind of propaganda—feminism's answer to "Just say No!" Simplistic. Alarmist. Trite. A good anecdote would be to read Amity Shales's recent column on the pro-family impact of Taylor Swift. I think that ironically (typically), leftist feminists are failing to see what's really a bigger trend among young women: an interest in traditional relationships in the wake of gender equality. (Of course, that's American feminism's worst nightmare!)
Apr '11
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
KarlUB: Hey, ladies seeing the trees, let me introduce you to the forest.
Is there seriously anyone, anywhere that disputes the fact that we now live in a thoroughly feminized society? · 1 minute ago
I do not dispute the fact, but I do lament the loss of manliness in our culture. Ms. Smith herself eschews machismo.
Mansfield's Manliness is an excellent book on the subject, as is Bowman's Honor: A History.
Dec '10
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
I'm with you, Emily: "Maybe I'm living in a different media world than all of the people in this film, but when I look at pop culture, I see a very different picture of women."
People love Modern Family in large part, I think, because it is a great representation of life today. A goofy but hard working and loving husband with an organized and hard working and loving wife. The same can be seen in the family dynamics throughout the show Parenthood.
I may be too young to have a good historical perspective, but it seems to me that, (popularity of Jersey Shore notwithstanding), the entertainment industry is moving away from the MTV model and towards a somewhat more balanced presentation of the sexes. I hope it's true and I hope it's because the market is demanding a reasonable perspective on the genders.
One place that I think swings too far in the other direction: Ask my wife how often I complain about the portrayals of men in commercials as incompetent dopes. (Answer, a lot). Even yogurt ads make us out to be clowns. Which is why I love the new Dr. Pepper 10 spots.
Oct '10
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
So, this is basically an updated "white heterosexual men are evil" message--and by the way, that message was never a serious attack on white heterosexual males, it was an attempt to unite women and minorities as a political bloc.
If they had stayed away from the left-feminist talking points they could have done a lot of good in this country. They may still do some good, but not as much as they could have.
Oct '10
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
Don't worry, Diane. The great thing about statistics is that there are so many of them. There are a huge number here, for example.
May '10
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
Or bad math. Never trust statistics unless you can examine their data. Even if you believe the individual numbers for TV, internet, and magazines, you can't just take the averages of several interdependent values and add them together. The kids who watch a lot of TV probably don't use the internet as much, for example. Or they do them all at the same time, like reading magazines while listening to music.
Edited on January 24, 2012 at 6:56pmOct '10
Re: Is the Media Really Sexist?
I guess the video is saying capitalism provides so much freedom and prosperity that it allowed a generation of women to be convinced that all you need to be happy is promiscuity, abortion, single motherhood, a welfare state, and knowing that differences between men and women are artificial social constructs.