Women and the Media

I'm sure you've seen her. Passive, docile, dependent, incompetent, irrational, fearful and completely unable to lead an independent life. The media seems determined to set up an image of women which comprises merely of their appearance, clothes, sexual desirability and smell. Is this really what women are or should aim to be?

In its crudest form, sexism affirms that women are either wives, mothers, housewives or sex objects. Do you get up in the morning and put on your Max Factor face — no? Then perhaps Revlon, Helena Rubenstien or Cyclax. Women seen to appear in mainly ads for personal hygeine products and products found in the kitchen and bathroom. They are usually shown inside the house or at the supermarket. Some of the New Zealand ads I have viewed with concern range from the blatantly sexist ads such as Mr Muscle, Softly — for Woollens. Brut and Danguard— deadly weapon against dandruff to the more subtle ones such as Homestead Chicken and Sunlight dishwashing liquid.

What about most TV programmes? Here she is again. Super cool, super bitch. . . super stereotype!! She invariably gets herself into trouble and male counterparts (or should it be superiors?) invariably come to the rescue, emerging as the hero.

Separate pages for women in newspapers is a blatant assumption that different sexes read different sections. Fashion, cooking, gossip and child-care features seem to be a measure of what the Press considers suitable topics for women. There may be reports on feminist politics and occasionally a feature about how women's position in society is supposedly changing. Ironic.

Sexism is obvious in the way stories are reported. Rising food prices are seen to be a burden on housewives, while rising beer prices are a blow to men. One could assume from these sort of articles that it is only women who eat and men who consume alcohol. Men are described by the Press by their occupations, women by their appearance.

Until individual men and women realistically face and understand the pressures and problems that the stereotyping of women's roles creates, we will all continue to be disadvantaged. Most media advertising manages to convey the message that if you don't conform to their opinions/advice you will be regarded in some way as a 'bad woman', be undesirable or be a social outcast. The advantages of using a certain product are greatly emphasised and are bound to involve becoming glamorous, beautiful, desirable, socially accepted or greatly admired by others.

I have yet to see the media portray women as strong-willed, mature, active, competent, reliable, independent, responsible, ingenious, brave and purposeful.

A national organisation in the USA ran an ad with a picture of a toddler. The ad read "This normal healthy baby has a handicap; she was born female."

Don't be proud to be a stereotype.

Joanne Tuffield