Have you ever thought about the media’s impact on how you view certain things? In the documentary Miss Representation, discussions are brought to surface about media’s impact on women, and how it can diminish women of power. Studies have found that on average, people are exposed to ten hours of screen time per day. With that being said, how many images portray women as educated and independent? A very slim amount. In most media, women are portrayed as images of sex. A result of this is at a young age, girls are taught that all that matters is their looks, and boys are taught there is nothing more than image to girls.
So, how does this translate into our American society? The wage gap clearly depicts the discrimination women face in society. In 2019, women have earned $0.79 to a man’s dollar. Women are neglected powerful positions men can easily attain. And if a woman has power, the media is derogatory towards them, judging every action they take. In my opinion, this is a prominent issue within our communities, as women deserve equal opportunities as the men around them.
America isn’t the only country that struggles with gender equality. Rwanda, a small country in Africa, suffered from great injustice towards women. It wasn’t until a mass geneocide that left the population mostly women for the country to progress in women’s rights. With most of the men out of society, women had to step up and take control in their own hands. Now the country has equal pay for men and women, and women tend to hold the most power and status within their country.
But, why did the country have to go through a genecide to realize women can perform as well, than men? This situation portrays the neglect women face in everyday lives, as they can’t obtain the same opportunities as men in everyday life; they can when situationally women have to step up.
Relating back to Miss Representation, I believe this bias is a result of the media. Without media, young girls could see themselves in great positions for their future, yet with media’s impact, their views of themselves deplete with age… just as my views have as I grew into a woman.
Again, great job addressing such a big issue! It was interesting to hear about Rwanda, and it’s dreadful to hear that it took such a horrific events to give women equal rights. We have a lot of steps to take as nation, and it’s more important than ever to talk about gender equality.
This issue is absolutely real, and I support your passion on the topic, but I am not entirely convinced that the issue is present in this magnitude. I would consider it an exaggeration (especially as of late) to say that a very slim amount of women are portrayed as educated (given that 56% of college students are females) and that “most” are portrayed purely in the light of sex. Furthermore, I would caution that an extra level of sensitivity in writing be included when discussing events such as the Rwandan genocide. There is much left to be desired in this country as far as gender equity, to directly compare it to the injustices in Rwanda or the resulting genocide seems extreme to me. Overall though, I respect your passion for the subject and encourage you to continue to pursue this issue in further blogs, perhaps through specific lenses such as economic, social, or political equality.
Equality between men and women will never be achieved. At least not in my opinion. There will always be differences due to our history as humans, but I think that we are making progress. Talking about the issue is a start. The media should expose us to these issues not help reinforce them.