How does Media present women?
Over the history media presented women as mother, care givers and housewives also as thin, beautiful, sexy and independent. However, this is not the same image anymore. In many TV shows, they show women as sex objects. I always heard about the show sex and the city but I never watched it until I took sitcom class, which I had to watch one of the first episodes. In my opinion, the show presents women in different shapes or stereotypes, not the women who are faithful, pretty, and deferential and focus on home and family. However, in this show we are seeing new images of women who are independent, aggressive and overactive sexually
The show expressed adult comedy and sex in an open way. The women discuss their sexual desires, fantasies, and their love life. The women have open discussions about romance and sexuality especially since they are single women and they are in their mid-thirties living in the big city. This was a big for the American culture from the 1950’s and 1960’s to the 1990’s. These women want to free themselves from the control of men and want to support themselves and to be in charge of their lives. However, at the same time, they are lost for looking for true love and commitment to start a family with the right man. They are career-holding women, who are strong, successful, and outspoken. They are loyal to each other, but are still in need for family, which tends to be a women’s main role in society. The show tells us this is the life and sexual behavior of many urban, American, single, women. “From newspapers to video games and online communities, media shapes our understandings of gender. By presenting us with images of women, men, and relationships, media advance ideals of what is desirable in women and men.” (pg 258)
One of the things that are clear to me, media has changed the image of the female role traditionally and has become somewhat submissive. We see the role of women change slowly starting with the strong female mother who loves to tend to her house and we end up with the fragile single women who longs to be independent but at the same time wants a man in her life. Women have taken a big leap in American society.
3 comments:
Sireen said...
Hi Zulma
Now a day there are many television programs who present the different types of shows we did not see before, like women who act like tomboys. We latley have more action movies where female actresses preform as heroes and fighters like Xena. We also see more shows about homosexuals such as Will and Grace. I think the media is preparing us to accept the different types of people. Over the years, most TV shows show us men are the mescaline, strong, rough ones and women soft, sexy, and gentle ones.
May 29, 2008 6:00 PM
Sireen, I am so glad you brought up Sex in the City...(by the way I can’t wait to see the movie this weekend). Anyhow I love the way the show depicts women to be so independent. The show made its way into the hearts of many females from the way it displays female friendship, and the way that women can get unconditional love from one another. Even though the show is so funny, sexual, and edgy, it expresses the level of sexual confidence that independent women now have without suggesting that they are heartless or out of control.
Sireen,
Excellent! Perfect...you have caught on! And, you posted your comment to your blog...good job.
A while ago they tried to create a show with four men discussing their personal lives and basically, a male version of "Sex in the City". The show was cancelled recently. Why did you think it didn't work?
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