The Media Is The Message: Sexism

          We are surrounded, inundated, and influenced by the media’s many forms.  Newspapers, magazines and television are supported by advertising dollars and Netflix and in-theatre cinemas now host ads.  The internet offers music videos and YouTube at our fingertips 24/7, and can be accessed by very young children.  Music is available in several forms like downloading through iTunes and burning discs from the internet. The sky’s the limit.  The media is the messenger. What is the message?  Sexism.
          Dozens of sit-coms on the ‘tube’ imply sexist gender ranking.  TV has made some progress toward themes of equality since the staid patriarchal household of ‘Father Knows Best’, however even animations like the Simpsons engender male domination.  Popular music genres like ‘rap’ or ‘hip-hop’ frequently contain sexist and misogynist theme's.   
          As noted and discussed in class, sexist advertising exploits women and women’s bodies.  It impacts the minds of very young people and it is ubiquitous.  Children watch, their brains absorb, and that's what they will remember. Young girls who are fed this culture strive to emulate the skinny, scantily-clad, men-pleasing, models they see, and young boys are affected as well.  Ten year-olds begin to worry about their weight before puberty; statistics reveal an increase in anorexia nervosa among pre-teens.

Positive female role models are desperately needed.  High profile women professionals like television journalists, news anchors, actors, and political leaders are in a position to be role models. The relatively few women who could be paradigms are generally not taken seriously by their male colleagues.  It is important for us, as a society, to strive toward honoring positive female images for our youth to follow.