Miss Representation Reflection

It's very easy to believe that we are not affected by the media, that we are above the tricks and subtle messages, that recognizing the inaccuracies and objectifications makes us immune to their effects. However, watching Miss Representation and reading the article on U.S. Catholic online made me stop and question whether the media alters my perception of what is acceptable. Both have made me realize that the media's portrayal of women as sexual objects has affected what I view as normal. I often do not recognize many of the subtle messages this sexualization sends. Seeing the many examples of objectification in Miss Representation made me understand how harmful and pervasive this portrayal of women is on young girls and on society as a whole.

In many ways, I feel I have been sheltered from the role gender plays in society. Attending an all-girls school where powerful women are valued and looked up to, where young women are taught that they have the power to do anything they want, has insulated me from the reality that many other girls face. I have come to realize that although other girls like me see their value in their intelligence and personality, the majority of girls feel their only value lies in their sexuality. The sad reality is that they see their looks and attractiveness to boys as their most important quality. I believe that if other girls were taught to see themselves as smart, powerful, hard-working, and important, they wouldn't be so susceptible to the media's influence.

While I have not experienced any significant amount of sexism in the workplace, I have witnessed subtle examples and I expect to experience the role of gender in the future. At my current job, males and females are treated equally, yet on occasion, certain tasks are assigned to specifically boys or specifically girls. For example, boys are asked to take out the trash and lift heavy boxes whereas girls are asked to organize shelves and color-coordinate files. While these differences seem harmless on the surface and generally do not upset anyone in my workplace, they do show the larger issues that society faces. Males are expected to be strong and capable of performing physically difficult tasks whereas women are expected to be good at organization and other "home management" type tasks. Yet expecting people to conform to these ideals prevents people from being true to themselves. The stereotyping affects both males and females, and while this is only a small example, it can still have negative effects on people.