Miss Representation Essay

The documentary Miss Representation sheds much needed light on how women are disempowered by our society by emphasizing the need for education, perseverance, and mentorship for girls and young women. Women are often only seen only as objects of beauty and something to be had by a successful man. Yet when women are educated and in a position of power they are seen as being unattractive, old and boring. Because of ideas like these it is so important that we urge women to value themselves and persevere. Mentoring young girls and women is one of the key ideas to helping women in this fight with society.
​The idea of women being seen and had by men is something that has been going on for a very long time and is not only socially accepted but encouraged

as well. We as men are brought up to believe that we can do anything the sky are the limit. Yet these girls and young women are made to believe that as well, until they turn to a certain age. Then they themselves see what is socially expected and accepted and their goals change, they go from wanting to be the President and superheroes to wanting to be mothers and teachers. Although there is nothing wrong with those choices if one freely chooses them and isn’t steered in their direction.
In the documentary Marian Wright Edelman says, “You can’t be what you can’t see.” Those seven little words show the importance of little girls and young women having mentors.

Being able to see women who have successfully reached their goal, despite their appearances and struggles is the positivity they need to persevere. In the documentary they speak to several successful women in the media industry like Katie Couric, Lisa Ling, and Rachel Maddow who all shared their struggles they had to face in their journey. They’ve made it to a place few women have been able to get and stuck through it despite the criticism they faced about their appearances and

qualifications.
Alice Walker said, “The most common way people give up their power is by believing they don’t have any.” Statements like these show the importance of spotlighting strong successful women who are openly applauded and empowered for their success. These women who struggled behind closed doors to help open doors for these young girls with dreams are whom they need to see. Women like Margaret Cho and Geena Davis who have been accepted into male dominated areas help give them the feeling that anything is possible. It gives them the courage to continue and helps them feel that they are empowered by a society who believes and encourages the growth of their future. These women persevered and were not only judged on their appearances but looked over because of them as well. “If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract them from making a difference and becoming leaders” Jennifer Siebel Newsom
In the end it is up to us as a part of society to encourage women to follow their dreams.

It is up to us now to lead by example and encourage women to persevere in all of these male dominated careers. Men need to stop sexualizing women and seeing them as objects of beauty that they can possess. Society has to let it be known that behaviors such as those are not acceptable and will not be tolerated. For a country that prides itself in the idea of quality for all, we seem to fall quite short when you look at other countries around us and realize how far behind we really are. We live in a country where women make up more than half of it, yet they only account for 17% of our congress. At this slow growing rate it will take our great country 500 years to catch up to what is already happening. We allow so much of lives to be run by what we see and by what we think is socially acceptable and because of this we have put so many limitations on ourselves and on one another about what we are all capable of achieving. Its up to us to change this way of thinking and to show women respect and to encourage them in their endeavors. Like anything else it will start small but just the fact that someone was willing to make a film about this issue shows that we are all moving in the right direction. This film alone has been the stepping-stone and voice for all young girls and women to be

heard.