Miss Representation Media Log (#10)

The commercial shown above is not the best representation of the way women are treated in the media, but it is a fair example. As seen in many advertisements for alcohol, men are the ones drinking. In this case, two men are shown as the main characters and make a bet for a boat by means of a dance-off. The women that are seen in the commercial only serve as "decoration" and have no lines. This commercial alone is not what's so demeaning; it's the overall way women are treated in the media that is so harmful. In almost every commercial for an alcoholic product, the drink is depicted as being a "man's thing." Commercials often show someone drinking a certain drink and then experiencing a classy, high-end lifestyle. In almost all of these commercials and advertisements, women are shown simply as accessories to a luxurious lifestyle. This is a very common theme in the media.

What makes the portrayal of women in the media so harmful to women (especially young women) is how people react to it. For one thing, men are constantly exposed to this type of media and are basically being told that to be real men, they have to treat women like they're objects or accessories. But it's effect on women is more harmful because many young girls start believing that their physical appearance and service to a man are their only values to society. They often try to conform to this ridiculous idea and end up becoming depressed because it's such an impossible standard. But the more it goes on, the worse it gets. This is because of what's known as the "feedback loop." Girls see this portrayal of women in media and try to conform to it. Then, it becomes almost the norm, and this portrayal of women is used by companies in their advertisements. This is how the cycle continues. Since it is a given that companies are not going to simply improve their advertisements, society has to find ways to lessen the impact of these types of messages in order to make progress toward a better portrayal of women in media. If we change in a positive way, the media will too.