Just returned from a screening of the indie documentary MissRepresentation and Oh boy, what wonderful discussions and conversations followed as the audience mingled after the film.
Think how women are portrayed in the media these days.
Tired of the heavily made-up stereotypes displaying their DD bust lines on emaciated bodies? Tired of the bimbo catfights? Sick of seeing women putting all their energies into competing for the man who will make their dreams come true? Up to here with violence against women?
How did it get this way?
What you can do to change it?
Find a screening of the fantastic documentary MissRepresentation.
It connects these dots and more:
- How women fired after World War II to open jobs for returning soldiers were lured back into the home with a major PR campaign.
- How buying and tending gleaming appliances became the be-all and end-all for middle class women.
- How the women’s movement caught fire then gradually lost strength until now feminism is no longer about equal opportunity for women but has become a dirty word that right-wing pundits have made synonymous with baby-killer.
- How luring men aged 18-34 to the TV set is a primary advertiser goal, hence the use of women’s bodies to keep their eyeballs glued to the set.
- How the networks think one women’s channel was plenty, while 22 sports channels isn’t enough.
- Understand that the United States ranks 90th among nations in percentage of women in government.
- See the percentage of women in board positions in major media conglomerates and TV studios.
- See the studies that for the last 30 years have linked media violence against women with the rise of violence in our nation.
- Why this situation is not just bad for women and girls but cruelly endangers boys and men as well.
- And so much more!
Women control 86% of the purchasing decisions in this country.
This film sets out many action steps all women can take to change this situation. We have the power, women. Let’s use it!