Grammar project

A P R I L

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I S S U E

film and media magazine

DANIELA BARRANTES ORTIZ

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FILM AND MEDIA MAGAZINE

Depictions and stereotypes in media and how they affect women

This is nothing new, it has been around and used for ages, but we can see not only how it has changed but also progressed with society as new things like technology are introduced. A clear example of this is how nowadays, physical newspapers are bought less and less by newer generations and now they would rather read their news on social media. While this concept is and can be a great tool for interconnecting the world, it has also been used in history to oppress and stigmatize different things, with evil propaganda, images, movies all created by

The media we consume has a strong influence and

privileged people to further gain more of that

effect in our lives, whether it is directly or indirectly,

power. In this article you will read about how being

positive or negative, it’s there. The term media

surrounded by it since we were young can have an

makes reference to all the ways which we can

effect on us, how it can reinforce different

communicate in society, everything from

stereotypes and negatively affect whom they are

newspapers, internet, radio, televisions and

trying to represent.

magazines, all different platforms that share a common goal, to give out information and content.

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FILM AND MEDIA MAGAZINE

It can be underestimated how much influence media has or could have on the mind of a young person. According to an article published for the Annual Review of Psychology, the authors, Carla Martin and Diane Ruble discuss how the information that surrounds us since we are born begin to create perceptions on how we see other people and ourselves. In addition, it talks about how no newborn is born with a chauvinist or racist mindset, rather it is created by different influences around them, one of them being the media. The amount of impact it has just shows the importance of having good representation not only in front of the screen but also behind the scenes

A study done by the Geena Davis Institute showed the following results: 66% of women turned off films or the TV if they felt misrepresented or negatively stereotyped.

If there was a female voice attached to the production of a media format, it was seen a 7,5% increase in the roles they get on screen.

Men have three times as much speaking time compared to women and there are usually twice as much male characters.

This shows the true necessity for representation, for the benefit of the film industry, women, men, society and the elimination of negative connotations against women.

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FILM AND MEDIA MAGAZINE

THE STEREOTYPES The next part of the article, we will be talking about

Two examples of this are the “cool girl” and the

the existing stereotypes in films, TV shows and social

“spicy Latina”, both being very common in movies.

media. A stereotype can be defined as a widely

The former showing that women who are showing

fixed and oversimplified idea of a particular group

interest in typically “masculine” things but also being

of people or thing. Women, like any other person,

beautiful and attractive making them “not like most

are multifaceted beings capable of doing and

girls”, the latter takes a whole ethnicity and makes it

having a wide range of interests and likes. Trying to

into a form of entertainment, Latinas who are loud,

oversimplify women to a certain attitude, job or way

angry, speak with broken English, dependent on their

of looking completely erases that complexity that

husbands, etc. This is harmful for the people who it’s

they have. The problem with this is that while many

stereotyping as well as the person seeing them in

stereotypes come from misogynistic mindsets, like

their media, since it can create a sense of reality for

saying a woman belongs in the kitchen (women can

them, and start to believe that that is true and

work in the kitchen but saying that they should do it

accurate.

just because they are women is where the problem lies), a lot of these are rooted in fantasies created by men.

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FILM AND MEDIA MAGAZINE

While there were some effects mentioned briefly like, inequality on screen in films and advertisements or starting to believe stereotypes are accurate depictions of how really women behave on a day-today basis. Here are some of the direct ones: Objectification of women. Most of the characters shown on screen are not even given a personality and just seen as less than, showing only fulfillment of sexual desires, quick entertainment, or just for their physical beauty.

These attitudes can be seen outside of the screen with some subtle comments said by the men that surround us.

Questioning their identity. When a person’s only knowledge of a certain ethnicity or race comes from movies and shows, and they go out to the world and meet somebody foreign to them, they will have an existing prejudice and idea about them, without even getting to know them. Once they see that they don’t match up with what is seen on TV they will start to question their identity.

To sum up, while the media is a great tool for communicating with the whole world in a quick, easy way. There are still numerous changes to be made so that it can become even more enjoyable for all.

Progress is happening, more people are speaking up and more and more, these depictions can be seen less, but there is still a long way to go. This is not something that only women should talk about or that it only concerns them, men also get affected by this.

By putting women into boxes and giving them roles, it can also put men in boxes and give them pressure.

We can and should be conscious of the many flaws with the media industry that exist and actively try to change in ways that we can.