Charity, Jenn, Carmen and I are snowed in up in Baltimore, so in order to enjoy the storm and share it with our friends we decided to create news broadcasts of the storm's progress. Here is one of the funnier reports... all the others can be found on youtube by clicking on this video.
And here, the most epic blooper of the day:
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
Bodies Without Faces (Women’s Fight for Equality in Media)
This semester I am in a Women and Theatre class and our final project for the year is to be an activist. We had to choose a topic related to Women in the media and raise consciousness about it. I’m here to start discussion on the way women are portrayed in music videos. Please feel free leave comments whether they are negative or positive. I want to hear your thoughts and I want to get people thinking about this. Thanks!
I would like to argue that the sexual way women are portrayed in music videos is just a form of prostitution and should be stopped. Yes, this may sound extreme, but I don’t think people realize what a strong statement these images are sending out to the world. We become numb to it, even if we know it’s not right, but becoming numb isn’t making it go away. Can we do something to make it stop?
Think about the music videos you’ve seen, especially with male artists, and what images of women you see. Women are flaunted, not given any sort of character, used as sex symbols, and in some they are taken advantage of but seemingly enjoy it. What example does this set for society?
Women are represented without character or personality, as if they are just objects for men to enjoy. They are bodies without faces. In most music videos, a woman is only shown in part, rarely is her whole body in view, especially her face. Who are they? What do they enjoy? Who are their friends? Do they really enjoy being victimized? Are they representative of real life women? Is this what they are really like when off the set?
Girls, can you relate to women you see on TV or in movies or music videos? Do you want to be treated like that? Guys, do you actually view women this way and if so, does it make you feel more macho to look down on women and see them as only a source of pleasure?
Think about what you are supporting when you buy that magazine, watch that movie or music video, and think about what your money is really going towards.
Interesting Facts: 1 in 5 college females will be the victim of rape or attempted rape and a sexual assault occurs every 2.5 minutes in America. How sad is that? What is truly scary is that in 2000 a riot occurred in NYC, and the images of the men mobbing around the women in the crowd looked parallel to the images shown in music videos. In the music videos, the women encouraged it and enjoyed it, as if all they were created for was sex. In real life, they were scared, hurt and victimized. The men may have thought real life women enjoy it because they see it played out in music videos all the time.
What are music videos teaching us? In psychology I’ve learned about observational learning and how we imitate that which we see. It only makes sense then that when men repeatedly see how women are portrayed on tv, that they would think that is how women actually want to be treated and also that that is how they are supposed to act towards women, as if they enjoy it.
Why is the media stuck in archaic times and still mandating what women should be like?
Take a look at this short documentary on youtube: Dream Worlds 3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6LHg_OFFRY&feature=PlayList&p=A399EA02C4F7C366&index=0
It’s a compelling look at what music videos are REALLY saying, and the impact they have on real life situations. Warning, it is very graphic, but the message it is sending is crucial and disturbing to hear.
Also, for younger kids, take a look at this site deconstructing Disney movies and the way women are portrayed to children. www.myspace.com/babesintoyland09
Girls: Just because women on TV and movies act this way does not mean you have to. Be strong and be yourself, and don’t let men disrespect you because they think they have that power over you.
Take action! Don’t just agree and do nothing, talk about it with others and try and spread knowledge. Change can’t happen without people getting up and doing something. I urge you all to think about these things carefully and I would love to hear your thoughts.
I would like to argue that the sexual way women are portrayed in music videos is just a form of prostitution and should be stopped. Yes, this may sound extreme, but I don’t think people realize what a strong statement these images are sending out to the world. We become numb to it, even if we know it’s not right, but becoming numb isn’t making it go away. Can we do something to make it stop?
Think about the music videos you’ve seen, especially with male artists, and what images of women you see. Women are flaunted, not given any sort of character, used as sex symbols, and in some they are taken advantage of but seemingly enjoy it. What example does this set for society?
Women are represented without character or personality, as if they are just objects for men to enjoy. They are bodies without faces. In most music videos, a woman is only shown in part, rarely is her whole body in view, especially her face. Who are they? What do they enjoy? Who are their friends? Do they really enjoy being victimized? Are they representative of real life women? Is this what they are really like when off the set?
Girls, can you relate to women you see on TV or in movies or music videos? Do you want to be treated like that? Guys, do you actually view women this way and if so, does it make you feel more macho to look down on women and see them as only a source of pleasure?
Think about what you are supporting when you buy that magazine, watch that movie or music video, and think about what your money is really going towards.
Interesting Facts: 1 in 5 college females will be the victim of rape or attempted rape and a sexual assault occurs every 2.5 minutes in America. How sad is that? What is truly scary is that in 2000 a riot occurred in NYC, and the images of the men mobbing around the women in the crowd looked parallel to the images shown in music videos. In the music videos, the women encouraged it and enjoyed it, as if all they were created for was sex. In real life, they were scared, hurt and victimized. The men may have thought real life women enjoy it because they see it played out in music videos all the time.
What are music videos teaching us? In psychology I’ve learned about observational learning and how we imitate that which we see. It only makes sense then that when men repeatedly see how women are portrayed on tv, that they would think that is how women actually want to be treated and also that that is how they are supposed to act towards women, as if they enjoy it.
Why is the media stuck in archaic times and still mandating what women should be like?
Take a look at this short documentary on youtube: Dream Worlds 3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6LHg_OFFRY&feature=PlayList&p=A399EA02C4F7C366&index=0
It’s a compelling look at what music videos are REALLY saying, and the impact they have on real life situations. Warning, it is very graphic, but the message it is sending is crucial and disturbing to hear.
Also, for younger kids, take a look at this site deconstructing Disney movies and the way women are portrayed to children. www.myspace.com/babesintoyland09
Girls: Just because women on TV and movies act this way does not mean you have to. Be strong and be yourself, and don’t let men disrespect you because they think they have that power over you.
Take action! Don’t just agree and do nothing, talk about it with others and try and spread knowledge. Change can’t happen without people getting up and doing something. I urge you all to think about these things carefully and I would love to hear your thoughts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)