Awards season is upon us again, and as we celebrate the
previous year in film, music and television, the red carpet attire invades the
front page. As I attempt to read the newspaper online or look on my newsfeed, I
am bombarded with images asking me to vote for which actress looks better. As a
woman, I have grown accustomed to receiving messages regarding my body, clothes
and overall appearance. However, it never ceases to amaze me how much these
messages increase during this time of year. News outlets that discuss the War
on Terror and the situation in Syria quickly rescind these stories to focus on
which actress wore whose designs the previous evening. Throughout the multitude
of comments I have seen regarding the gown the actress wore, I find myself
overwhelmed with information regarding the actresses’ appearance in the dress. Journalists
question these women regarding the amount of time spent getting ready, the diet
trends being utilized and if the actress is wearing spanx or other shaping
material under their clothes. Perhaps, even more appalling, is the comparison
of “who wore it better.” Through this, journalists question which actresses
look better is a specific color or dress style. Although female attire can
typically be far more varied and adorned then males, men are almost never
compared based upon their appearance. In fact, men who are asked similar
questions to their female counterparts are often appalled and taken aback by
the questions they are receiving. A recent interview conducted with Kevin
Spacey found the actor speechless as he was asked questions such as “what time
did you get up this morning to get ready?”
Feminist
researchers and theorists have been discussing the importance of societal
pressure on the female body since its inception. Recently, women have begun to
stand up against these perceptions of the body. Famous female voices have begun
to speak toward having healthier views of the body. Through this, women across
the world are beginning to hear new views and perceptions of what women should
be. Despite all of this, our media is still displaying women as objects rather
than people. As women, we become models for clothing lines, a hanger in which
to display artifacts being sold. Today, a size ten, the average size of women
in the United States, is considered plus sized for models. Through these media
messages, our view of women is altered. By acknowledging this information, we
can hopefully begin to alter the media’s portrayal of women toward the
positive.
Written by Emily L. Barnum, M.A.
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