Media

Media’s impact on a girl or young woman’s identity is a rather devious one.  Slowly over time Media tells them who they need to act like, dress like, admire as well as how they are supposed to act on dates with men, act in the work place and limits the jobs they are willing to take.  If they do not conform to these “standards” they are considered rebels to the cause. 

I agree with what I just said to a point.  Media does paint the standard for girls and young women from the time they are able to start to understand the world around them.  Little girls are supposed to have dolls when they grow up.  If they play with the erector sets that boys play with, they are different.  This, in turn, makes them think that professions that are similar to the erector set are for men and not women.  But at the same time, it is no longer portraying women as helpless, in need of a man, to do anything.  Now, Media, is symbolizing women, especially women in business, as strong, assertive, and ambitious.  The business woman is the up and coming player in the business world that men have you to understand.

Media as a whole, is still “mediating” young women to be the, for lack of a better work, secondary being in both the work place and the house.  Most of the magazines, TV shows, and even movies have the women taking a back seat to men.  This is most evident to me in action movies where time and time again the hero is a strong male.  If a woman is the hero, 9 times out of 10, she has to have had some type of super strength or ability given to her so that she can be that hero.  The movie that I think of most for this situation is Resident Evil.  The hero character, Alice, was born a normal woman with no extra powers until she is infected with the “T Virus.”  This “T-Virus” gives Alice super strength, speed, agility, and senses.  For her to be the hero without these powers is just inconceivable.  

So, for the “mediating” the Media does to a girl and/or young woman’s identity, I believe that it really depends on how that person absorbs the information that has been handed to them by said Media.  Some will embrace it wholeheartedly while others will rebel.  The choice is ultimately up to them.

Daniel