Miss Representation: The Stereotypes of Women in Media

           This week, my Critical Thinking class watched a film called Missrepresentation which was dedicated to exploring how the media tends to underrepresent women in power.  The documentary, produced and directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom provided examples of how women were suffocated by the stereotypes and troupes that media has portrayed over the years. 

           This documentary was something that intrigued me so much because before watching this film, I was guilty of not questioning the things that media does to undermine women.  The magazines, news articles, etc., that I have read have similar headlines to the ones that were criticized in the documentary and only after watching the documentary, I was able to see why reading tabloids and news articles that are more focused on the outward appearances of women and not what they are saying or doing, is something that most of the United States has fallen victim to.  The troupes that television shows and movies have used for women have been recycled to the point where any character played by a woman falls under a troupe that has already been used hundreds of time before.  Whether it be the pretty princess who gets the prince or another ultra-feminine troupe.  Even commercials portray and target their audiences through gender, typically with women being used to advertise cleaning products and hygiene products while men are portrayed in commercials with traditionally more masculine roles whether it be advertising cars, credit cards, tools, or housing.  It is as if commercial advertising is used to discourage women to pursue financial investment by portraying men in their ad campaigns.  Which brings me to my next point.

         The film also addresses briefly that women are more likely to be discouraged from pursuing positions of power if they did not see themselves represented.  Since there aren't many women in positions of power, young girls turn to find role models in the media which portray women in demeaning stereotypes and over-sexualize them.  Women in movies end up being uncomplex characters who side characters or protagonists whos' goals revolve around men.  

        There has been progress in how women are portrayed by the media, but at the same time there hasn't.  I am not trying to undermine any progress that has been made, because there has definitely been progress, but with every step that is taken forward, something always forces the movement a step back.