Media Influence on Body Modification and Gender Equality

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The capitalist liberal society which has become consumed by the consumerism of beauty enhancement, along with the heavy forms of coercion and manipulation, has caused us to forget just how far we have come since the Ancient Chinese Imperialistic patriarchal society. Body modification processes have become so common that women truly believe that it is their own conscious choice in making these changes.

In Susan Bordo’s work Twilight Zones, she focuses on the influence of media and advertisement on young women and girls. The media, which has played a huge role in framing misguided and un-attainable illustrations of women, has heavily influenced and impacted the present day gender inequality through so called “fantasy” ads.

She focuses her work in Gender and the Media, on the media’s influence over women’s power and endorses that the display of women in ads has turned from objectification to SUBJECT-ifcation. “Women have become viewed as hyper-sexed objects”. One of her most important arguments is focused on post feminism, a concept that many choice feminists have grown from. According to Gill, post feminism should be thought of as "a sensibility” characterized by the female obsession of the body, the sexualizaiton of contemporary culture, and the negative messages that are stemming out of the media.

CHOICE FEMINISM: What she is describing, has become termed as choice feminism. A type of feminism that endangers female power, and objectifies women. Choice feminists, are post feminists who argue that any choice made by a woman, represents individual choice and

This is happening whether we’re here or not. Our founder was just smart enough to capitalize on it.” However, the take away message here is that if we make a decision to objectify ourselves, then we can’t be exploited because we made that choice. (CHOICE FEMINST RESPONSE) We can make sexism fun if we choose it. In fact, we can make sexism disappear if we choose it.

Beyond simply choosing objectification, women are told that if they are compensated, sexism can be all the more empowering. Capitalism, partnered with media and neo-liberalism, tells us that all we need to do is to get paid in order for something to become a feminist act. Famous burlesque dancer Dita von Teese asked, “How can it be disempowering when I’m up there for seven minutes and I’ve just made $20,000? I feel pretty powerful.”

Not only does von Teese ignore the fact that most women who are paid to take their clothes off do not earn that amount of money, but there is also the fact that receiving payment does not negate objectification. A quote I came across while reading up on choice feminism from Baumgartner’s Manifesta was- “When you find yourself choosing what the patriarchy promotes, it's worth asking yourself if it really is a