Before reading the article, “Gender and Sexuality” by Lehman and Luhr, I never really noticed the way women were portrayed in films. They played roles of inferiority and submissiveness, which was the objective of directors behind the camera. The objective was for females to be unheard. Not only that, but lighting also played a part in making female actresses appear radiant and flawless in films. I found it very interesting in the article, “Gender and Sexuality” that women who went against the “good girl” image in films were seen as a threat because they broke down their constraints and entered a male dominated world. As I was reading, I thought about the way women in shows such as “The Next Top Model” and “How to Look Good Naked” would be portrayed. Would women on those shows be considered objects of the male gaze?
In “The Next Top Model,” women are constantly put on display, proving that they are the next “big thing” in the modeling agency. These women go through photo shoots after photo shoots and tests in between to prove they are the best candidate. In movies of the past and some movies currently, women were not seen at the forefront; they were noticed for their looks and body parts, not their intellectual abilities or views. Although “The Next Top Model” has women constantly being thrown into the cameras, which would have been considered unusual in the past, they are still in a way under the influence of the male gaze; they are objectified. Does the show "The Next Top Model" support the view of women of the past in films?
How about the show, “How to Look Good Naked?” In the past, this show probably would have caused controversy because women of all different shapes and sizes are seen on the show, trying to enhance their self-esteem in order to feel good about themselves and their beauty regardless of their size. I believe this show definitely deviates from film’s depiction of women. Women in “How to Look Good Naked” are stripped down to their underclothes and asked to find something about themselves that they like. This act kind of supports the objectification viewpoint towards women; however, women have a voice and are in control of their bodies and image. These women are seen in all different shapes and sizes and that is beautiful. Women are no longer seen looking in the distance and being submissive, but they are seen taking action and being independent.
I was surprised when the movie, “The Women” came out on DVD. This movie focused on a group of women dealing with some issues such as marital and parenting. This movie did not have any male characters in the leading roles, which is definitely a big jump from traditional movies. One of the women in this movie was naïve in the beginning, but she gained confidence to face reality, and she came out in the end strong. The depiction of women in this movie would not have been acceptable in the past; for women would have been seen as a threat to male dominance. Media has come a long way, but changes still need to be made.
Question: How do you view women in TV shows today? Are they seen as objects in the same sense that they were seen in movies of the past?
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Stephanie, you make very good points in your post. I agree with all of your statements. I used to believe that the show "The Next Top Model" was giving women a chance to speak out. My opinion of the show changed when one of the winners was considered to be a "plus size" model meanwhile her dress size is a 6. I'm a 6 and I weigh 115 pounds which means the girls on the show must weigh under 100. That is when I realized the show objectifies women by exposing their barely covered bodies. The women are speaking out, but through their bodies. I've only seen the show "How to Look Good Naked" a few times. That show's object is to get women to feel beautiful with the bodies they have no matter what size they are; which is great! The only problem I have with the show is that I believe the women should be "feeling good about themselves" because they want to and not want to impress a man.
ReplyDeleteI think it depends on the movie or tv show that determines whether or not women are seen as objects. I have seen shows today that do not objectify women, but for the most part, they usually do.
I think America's Next Top Model has broken some boundaries in the modeling world, but certainly not all of them. I'll admit that I'm an avid viewer of the show. I completley agree with Gina about the plus-size thing, but I don't think that's just the show; I think it's the modeling world in general. The show would be unrealistic if they portrayed it a different way ... good or bad, you know? I don't really feel that the show objectifies women more than our society does on a reuglar basis though (not that this is a good thing). But they've done a lot of things on ANTM to promote the health and body image of women ... I can say this because I'm watching a marathon right now and they've just spoken with a nutritionist :) By no means is the show perfect, but in some ways, I do feel like it's progressive ... or as progressive as you can get in the modeling world.
ReplyDeleteSadly enough, I feel as though women as probably going to continue to be objectified in movies and TV shows for years to come. I definitely feel as though it has calmed down, however. Some viewers may have problems with this, clearly, but think abut the actresses doing it ... they know the roles they're getting into, and how it's going to make them look, so maybe they're looking at it from a different angle than other people. I think a lot of things that are considered "objectifying women" by some people can be viewed in many different lights.
I think your analysis between women in present day TV shows and past movies was very insightful. Although, the TV show "How to Look Good Naked" is meant to empower women. I watched a clip from "How to Look Good Naked" and the women on the show are concerned with their appearances. The women are unsatisfied with their bodies because they are viewing themselves through the “male gaze”. Society/male gaze determines what makes a woman beautiful and some women believe these lies.
ReplyDeleteI think that in television today, women are presented in both positive and negative ways. For example, the HBO series "Sex and the City," portrays single, independent, and successful career women. However, some of women do not find true happiness or completness until they find a husband. America's Next Top Model, on the other hand, I believe, continues to support the media's idea of perfect beauty: skinny, pale, tall, etc. These women are put on display merely for their physical appearence, not for their personality. Their imperfections are scrutinized on a daily basis. Overall, I do think that T.V. is getting better at presenting women in a wider range of roles, but there are still traces of gender inequality and the objectification of women in a good number of shows.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Chrissy. I really don't watch tv much but I do think that, from what I see and hear other people say about it, it is making small steps in the right direction in terms of portrayal of women. There are shows out there that set their female characters outside the stereotypes but there are some that restrict their female characters to the stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteLately, I'll admit to getting into the show Real Housewives on Bravo. I watched the first New York season and now am watching the second New York season pretty religiously. What does this series say about women - specifically women with comfortable lifestyles? They're labelled as housewives, but do they fit the stereotypical "housewife criteria"? I feel like some of the Real Housewives are using their means to help out and be more than rich housewives - doing more than taking advantage of the fact that they never have to work a day in their lives. But most of them seem to just be along for the ride, enjoying their Hampton summers and high society parties and shopping without thinking about how much they spend. And what does the title of the show suggest, do you think?