Weekend Engagement 151: Women Portrayal.

Photo by Guilherme Almeida :

So I'm writing on
Your opinion
Select one of the following topics and write a post of at least 300 words outlining your opinion: Thoughts, concerns, fears, positives or negatives and so on. Use images you took yourself if possible.

The female image portrayed by the media (magazines/social/commercials)

Actually this discussion is one I've dropped or stopped talking about for years now. Because when I bring it up no one seems to listen. But here it is again on this week's weekend engagement and I have no other option but to talk about it.

As you all know, for decades, this has been a discussion of engagement. People have in many forms or ways discussed how women are portrayed in the media. And by the media, I mean the advertisements, films, television shows, publications, and social media platforms, music videos and this all has a big impact on how people view women in our society.

Maybe there has been positive change which I'm yet to see or believe. But some people believe that the way in which women are portrayed in the media has evolved over time. But if I am to go by what I'm still seeing, I think much more needs to be done to guarantee that women are portrayed truthfully, positively, and without stereotypes.

Because I believe that our women are frequently portrayed in the media with much an emphasis on their physical appearance or bodies, with particular attention paid to body types, sizes, and beauty ideals other than who they really are, achievements the women have made in various sectors of our economy and life.
I mean sometimes the way women are depicted by the media has made some women who don't meet these "ideals of beauty" to be frequently depicted unfavorably, which has led to damaging of their sense of self and confidence.

Okay maybe I'm mincing words so I'll try to be clear here.

Our women are frequently objectified in or by the media and presented to us as sex objects for male consumption. The present perpetuation of gender inequality is facilitated by this objectification, which constantly promotes the idea that women are or should be primarily valued for their own physical looks. I like to term it as " the big body assets".

But I believe there is more to the physical appearance of a woman. A woman should be remembered for her contributions to society other than mere outward looks. They should be recognized in the government, the financial sectors, and the mainstream media. I mean, Isn't it obvious that there are women who are doing great things on scene and even behind the scenes. So portraying them more as who they really are will go a long way to inspire the younger generation to do better no matter the gender.The promotion of body positivity and self-acceptance among women should be paramount too.

Now you'll agree with me that the way women are portrayed in the media can significantly affect how young girls develop. Because these young girls may have a negative body image, low self-esteem, and a distorted opinion of themselves as a result of the stereotypes and unattainable beauty standards they are constantly being exposed to in the media. They might also deal with eating problems, depression, and anxiety.

Whereas our young girls can have a more sophisticated awareness from the media and learn to reject damaging stereotypes and beauty standards if only the media can encourage more positivity goals regarding the woman.

That said, no one can help the women more than themselves. Because I think the women that should be role models to these younger ones are not helping matters too. Like our famous celebrities who showcase much of their outward looks just to gain more popularity but only if they can work with the media more to encourage favorable media images. And help nurture the young ones in what's right about being a woman.

These women of power and influence may tell the media business how they want to be truthfully portrayed. They can also go at length to embrace more media outlets that support positive portrayals of women and reject those that uphold damaging stereotypes. Also by sharing their own experiences and stories on social media to motivate others, women can encourage body positivity and self-acceptance.

I'm not a woman but my one cent on this issue is constantly inspired by the idea that "Together we can create a world we desire".