Summer task 3- Representation

Discuss the role media plays in shaping our views and opinions on any one group in our society. Is this representation positive or negative?

The media has an apparent influence on the opinions of those in our society.  These opinions and views can be formed easily through the manipulation and presentation of media; then targeted towards a specific group in society, for example, women and the representation of gender.

Women can be seen to be both marginalised and stereotyped across a variety of media platforms, including magazines/newspapers, advertising and TV/film. Many platforms are used to represent women like this so these stereotypes can reach mass audiences and therefore have more influence in people’s views and opinions. One example of this can be seen on page three of the Sun newspaper, where images of topless women had been published. To have these images published in a newspaper is extremely disrespectful and degrading for women, suggesting the only thing desirable about them is their body, overlooking intelligence and talent. With these images being seen in a well known newspaper like ‘The Sun’, it may encourage people to hold disrespectful or misogynistic views over women. This implies that the media’s influence is having negative impacts on the attitudes to groups in society. Despite this, recent improvements were made in the media, after much effort it was decided to discontinue page three in 2015, showing an increase in the respect of women.

Furthermore, there are many examples of these attitudes shown in advertising, which does not only re-enforce the female stereotypes, but crafts the views on what an idealistic body should be.  On the one hand, you may argue that the female stereotypes have no significant or harmful impact on the gender. It is common in television adverts for there to be an association between gender and the roles that they must carry out. For women, this would include domestic jobs such as cooking and cleaning, which is hence reflected in our society.  Alternatively, we have the far more impactful and dangerous portrayal of women, by the media, in which women feel the desire to conform to.  This is the idealistic yet unrealistic female body which can be seen across both adverts and magazines, many of which have been edited. An example of this was a billboard created by ‘Protein World’ calling out to women, with an image of a ‘perfect’ body and the caption ‘Are you beach body ready?’ Companies such as this can shape opinions on the female body with ease, however unrealistic it may be to achieve. Undoubtedly, it is not only females who are targeted by the stereotypical and body perfect adverts; many portray males as strong, brave and dominant with the ideal physique, these traits can also be seen in male characters in TV shows/films. The media’s impact proves both negative and dangerous because both sexes begin to question if their bodies are desirable, or if they conform to their gender traits, resulting in a massive impact in our society.  Similarly to page three, efforts were made to ban this ‘beach body’ advert, with a petition signed by 70,000, this was achieved.

Overall, the media’s influence on the opinions of women and gender representation has extremely negative impacts on our society.  The media are preserving female stereotypes that are no longer relevant in today’s society. Equality has progressed meaning that women have become more than just pretty, domestic housewives. However, despite societies efforts the media persist to plaster magazines with demoralising images, which increases negativity in how society and females themselves view their social position. It is inevitable that without media’s influence women would progress further at becoming equal and more respected in our society. However, a slight progression in attitudes has been demonstrated over recent years, banning certain media content is now deemed an unacceptable way to present women.