Roselle May Advincula

 Analysis on Women’s Representation in the Media The depiction and representation of women in media has long been a topic of heated discussions and debates. Advertisements has always promoted not just the products itself but a certain standard of beauty and sexuality. With the growing number of easily-accessed and available media, these messages are fed to millions of women across the globe- embedding not just brand awareness but a basis of self-worth, as well. In 2010, renowned activist for women’s image and public speaker Jean Kilbourne talked about the effects of the advertising industry’s portrayal of women in her film Killing Us Softly 4. The film highlighted the industry’s devaluing representation of women and the almost fictional beauty ideal they’ve been setting over the years- all sugarcoated as humor, witty copywriting and effective marketing. In one advertisement featured in the film, a woman was quoted saying that she wouldn’t probably be able to marry, hadn’t she lost weight. More than promoting the weight-loss product itself, this kind of advertising teaches women that romance is only available and achievable to those who belong in a certain body type. It pushes in the thought that even something as intangible and deep like love is conditional, and just another reward for when you become good enough. The feed women with the idea that unless they’re good enough, they’ll get nothing. According to a study made by the American Psychological Association in 2007, “girls learn about women’s expected roles in the world and strive to enact these expectations, because doing so brings specific rewards and being consistent with expectations is itself rewarding.” And these pre-constructed roles are showed every day in the media. Young girls and women alike are sexualized and are presented in an impossible state of beauty, whether in print ads or TV commercials. Women are often showed pore-less and with perfectly structured faces, emphasizing their small waists and large breasts- all a set up to what should be deemed as beautiful and acceptable. It creates an environment that values physical appearance over anything else. External beauty itself is not at all bad, but the way it is presented in the media, the way it is set on a certain, single-minded idea and the way it has been put in pedestal over other human attributes that matter are what causes the problem on how the society views women and how women view themselves. The media creates a whole idea of perfection in our brains, one that women would be willing to spend money on and change themselves for. However, when they fail or realize the impossibility of it, it shatters their self-worth- something that they and the society have already based upon a single standard. This failure to meet the expectations set by the media pushes a lot of women’s self-esteem down the drain. Not only that, it also leads to other even more alarming health issues like eating disorders and depression. Given the power and influence the media holds, it is important that people become aware and vigilant of its effects. By acknowledging that a problem exists on how women are presented in the media, more would be informed that something has to change. These advertisements and media depictions are easily accessed everywhere, but so are information, studies and evidences of its grueling results on society’s expectations on women and how it ruins women’s way thinking and self-value. Those who work for the media should also step up, stop denying that such problems and stop excusing demoralizing depictions as humor. It’s about time that they use their creativity and wit in painting women on a positive and uplifting light and in acknowledging that there are more than one class of beauty and body. Works Cited Kilbourne, Jean. Killing Us Softly 4: Advertising Image of Women. Media Education Foundation Production, 2010 American Psychological Association, Task Force on Sexualization of Girls. Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls. American Psychological Association, 2007