I’m no expert on body image or the way women are presented in media, so I’m still not sure I feel qualified to share my thoughts on the issue. Regardless, I feel the need to point out another major problem that has yet to be addressed. Almost every blog post and class discussion debated the topics of how women are portrayed in the media, how women view themselves and the way men view women through media. But I think we’re missing the point.
We can’t sit back and ask, “Why do women continue to be portrayed in this way?” without looking at where it all started and the major reason it continues. People criticize the media for sexualizing women and treating them as sexual objects; some may refuse to buy magazines or watch TV shows where women are viewed in this way. Men are often attacked for contributing their time and money to outlets facilitating the sexual image of women. We accuse them of being misogynist assholes like it’s our duty as American citizens. Companies spend millions on campaigns like Dove’s “Real Beauty” and Victoria’s Secret’s “Love Your Body” in order to promote the positive body image of females everywhere. They aim to change the negative way in which some women view themselves, possibly a side effect of the judgmental nature of media.
After all this negativity from men and the media, there’s still one person, or rather a group of people, we failed to mention. One group we simply skipped over like they weren’t an important piece of this body image puzzle. So, I must ask you, have you seen the way women view other women? I already know the answer, and it’s far from positive.
I’ll give you a current example. Bennett discusses Kate Upton’s recent zero gravity photo-shoot for the first back cover of Sports Illustrated.
“My point is that someone…spent ALOT of money and effort to photograph this woman that is presumed by some portion of the male population to be ‘fat,’” he writes. “Perhaps its a baby step (or perhaps I'm going to incessantly roasted for saying this) towards more acceptable standards for women.”
I have to disagree with this point for two reasons. First, just because some people deem Upton curvier than most women they’re used to seeing, doesn't make her unattractive to the majority of readers. She was still a huge hit when she graced the 2013 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, and she’s certainly popular enough among readers of the magazine for them to feature her on the back cover. Second, this isn’t a step forward for the standards of women in the media. Then again, it isn’t a step backward, either. No matter how many people refuse to purchase magazines like Sports Illustrated featuring images of scantily clad women or how many positive body image campaigns big companies endorse, nothing will change if women don’t stop judging other women. For as much as we criticize men and the media for treating women as objects, women are just as guilty, if not more.
Fox Sports and the New York Daily News covered Upton’s swimsuit photo shoot, but you can scroll past the articles. They’re nowhere as interesting as the comments, and by interesting, I mean terrible. The comments section of both sites allows users to create a username, add a picture and information, or remain anonymous. Although comments are refreshed relatively often, here are my findings. Are you ready?
Not one comment by a male on either site was negatively critiquing Upton’s looks, weight or reason for modeling. All of the negative comments were from females.
Just let that sink in. Take a look at what a few women had to say.
As a society, how can we expect anything to change if members of half of the population openly criticize each other? How can women object to men and the media objectifying women when they’re setting female celebrities, models, and even Olympic athletes on a pedestal to be judged on their appearance? All American women need to take a step back and reflect on their goals and the changes that still need to be made. They should ask themselves if they’re promoting change by their actions or stifling it by their words.
It won’t be easy. After all, not only has media dictated what size women should be in order to succeed, but it has also taught women how to judge and critique others in a sort of twisted competition. But remember, there’s no prize waiting for you at the end.
Social media, like the comments section, is a dangerous place. Users have the ability to critique every aspect of a person, often anonymously. True, women are often the victims on these platforms, being placed in an arena to be judged, but women are also common offenders. Social media has ultimately become the internet side-eye.
I’m not saying men and the media don’t objectify women, because they do. But we need to recognize the real problem before we assign scapegoats and wonder why nothing is changing. Women need to stand up and help other women, whether it’s in real life or online. That’s the only way our society may one day portray women in a different light. Simply put, women should support other women so that they are not only viewed by their positive traits, but because it’s the right thing to do. Otherwise, you’re missing the point.
"May every word that is ever spoken my our mouths or typed by our fingers be words that lift up, and never words that tear down." -Brave Girls Club
