The media has used images of women in skimpy clothing to manipulate audiences into thinking that women are just attraction pieces without power or a brain. Advertisements on television use these demeaning images to make men attracted to the product because it will make women flock to him if he uses it; however, young girls and older women see these images as portrayals of how they are supposed to look in order to be beautiful.

 

“(The media makes women believe that they must) conform to high levels of sexuality and hotness,” said Donna King, professor of sociology at UNCW.

 

During the media conference for Miss Representation, Amy Feath, a counselor at the Coastal Horizons Rape Crisis Center, discussed how language plays a great role in sexual violence and its affect in media.

 

“We need to use accurate language. We dilute it and make ourselves comfortable with the situation,” Feath said. “If it’s rape, we should call it rape.”

 

“Coaches can act as a male father figure to young boys who don’t have one. What we advocate and say can help shape their lives,” said Tony Porter, a former coach and counselor of the Coastal Horizons Rape Crisis Center.

 

The language and images of media need to become more accurate in order for women to be seen as more than just eye candy.

 

“Miss Representation” is a documentary film by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, a film-maker; actress; and advocate for women, that premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. The film is meant to explore how the media misrepresents the images of women and leads to the lack of women being seen in positions of power.

 

“I did this for my daughter,” Newsom states in the film.

 

The film focuses on how young women are impacted by the everyday pressures of media, and one point in the film a young girl tells the story of her younger sister who self-inflicts because she is teased for not being overweight. Another girl relates to over eating because she is constantly called anorexic by her classmates. What are girls supposed to do when they are constantly being told that they are too big or too skinny? All of the conflicting messages are exaggerated even more by the depiction of women in media and cause women of all ages to constantly second guess their looks instead of use their brains.

 

“People overestimate the power of media,” said King. “Media plays a central role in telling us what problems to pay attention to.”

 

Another section of the film focuses on women in power; it shows the reactions of media on figures in power like Sara Palin and Hilary Clinton. Most of the scenes were of male media commentators discussing the Palin and Clinton’s looks and dress rather than their political agendas. One of the women spectators discussed how if the figure being discussed was a male, the commentators would never think to discuss their clothing; they would be more focused on what the male said.

 

“There is no appreciation for women intellectuals. It’s all about the body not about the brain,” said Ariella, a high school student in the film.

 

Men are not the only ones who offend women in power. Female media commentators also portray women as being only good for their looks. One commentator discusses a picture of Hilary Clinton because she was “so haggard and what looking like 92 years old.” How are women supposed to be recognized for more than just their looks if women violate the very same instances as men do?