Finally, a documentary I've been waiting for. Gender stereotypes in media has gotten worse over the years. I think that somehow, a small and steady number of people are creating programs that go against it, but it's not enough. Sadly, it's not just the younger ones that we have to worry about, in terms of how these things in media can affect them. It's us, as well. And the people around us. The media for some reason has been all image, image, image. I grew up having issues with people trying to get the idea that how I look so so important. That being thin matters. Trust me, I've gone against it in some quirky ways. And it never gets old. Years and years later, I am still fighting the same people about it. Being pretty isn't everything. And abuse and violence, as attention-grabbing as they can be, they're not gonna get you far either. I think that it's wonderful that they had teens and pre-teens speak in this documentary as well. Let the older ones hear what they think about this mess and what they want done about it. The media should focus less on these shallow and inconsequential things, and focus more on things that do matter. Things that will encourage solutions to matters of importance. Like generating jobs, or alternative ways of getting education and proper health care to hard to reach areas. Something like that.
Going against these "image stereotype" issues allowed me to accomplish things that they still ignore to this day. I got into sports, won a medal, finished school early, etcetera etcetera. Guess what I hear after all that? "Shed some weight so you'll be pretty, like ____." This, my friends, is what the media has done to them. (Of course I'd blame them too for being so impressionable at such an unimpressionable age, but you do get the point.)
"The media can be and instrument of change. It can awaken people and change minds." --Katie Couric
To know more about the documentary, visit missrepresentation.org or their facebook page.
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