Sexism and the Media

1581 Words4 Pages

In today's world, what we see in the media dictates our world. Media, by definition, is a form of mass communication, such as television, newspapers, magazines and the internet. Since the beginning of this media phenomenon, men and women have been treated very differently, whether it be through advertisements or news stories. As women have gained more rights and social freedoms, the media has not changed their views on women. They are often viewed as objects, whether for a man's pleasure, or for as a group to sell only cleaning products to.The portrayal of women in the media has a highly negative impact on the easily shaped young women of today. Women of power are often criticized, others hypersexualized. The media also directs advertisements for household things at women. Women of power are treated very poorly. These women of power include politicians, doctors, lawyers and businesswomen. Arguably, female politicians receive the worst treatment of all. Everything they do is constantly under media scrutiny, like what they wear and what they say, much more so than their male counterparts. The difference in the number of men and women congress members is vast, almost 5 to 1. Many women shy away from the political light for these reasons. An article, “Women in Politics”, written by Kenneth Jost, he explains the feats of women in the past 100 years: Even if the progress has been gradual, women have advanced in recent decades much faster than they did in the nation's first two centuries. Women did not win the right to vote nationwide until ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920. No woman served in the president's cabinet until 1933 or on the Supreme Court until 1981. And only in the 1970s did the first women win election as a U.S. s... ... middle of paper ... ...Hypersexualization of Girls." Christian Science Monitor. 19 Sep. 2013. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. Hall, Lauren and Donaghue, Ngaire. “'Nice girls don't carry knives': Constructions of ambition in media coverage of Australia's first female prime minister.” British Journal of Social Psychology. Dec. 2013, page 631-647. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 10 Feb. 2014. Brown, Jane, and Jeanne R. Steele. "Sexuality and the Mass Media: An Overview." SIECUS Report. April/May 1996: 3-9. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. Horovitz, Bruce. "Super Sexy." USA TODAY. 20 Jan. 2012: A.1. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. Jost, Kenneth. "Women in Politics." CQ Researcher 21 Mar. 2008: 265-88. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. Huber, Ron. “Advertising and Women - Past and Present.” Ezine Articles. SparkNet. 29 July 2010. Google. 17 Feb 2014.

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