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HopeHoops

(47,675 posts)

13. Even "strong female characters" are usually sexualized.

Thu Jun 7, 2012, 07:06 PM

Jun 2012

Three examples in movies that immediately come to mind are Laura Croft, Electra, and Ultra Violet. They were excellent movies with a lot of great action and strong female characters, but physically they were the female equivalent of Ahnold - not realistic expectations. It isn't just movies and TV. Go through ANY supermarket checkout - today: "stars without their makeup", "better sex in 5 seconds", "lose 20 lbs in a month", "give him the sex he really wants", &quot some male star) caught in bed with half-naked woman", and other such things - and that's while waiting in line to pay for three items. Change the names, change the Photoshop/airbrush job, change the headline slightly, it's been like that for as long as I can remember.

I've got a wife and three daughters (youngest 17) and fortunately they are all pretty much immune to that crap, but then again we don't watch TV and they understand that makeup, CGI, and airbrushing are the standards in the media.

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TV Makes Girls Feel Like Crap About Themselves, But Does Wonders for White Boys [View all] Luminous Animal Jun 2012 OP

maybe people who watch a lot of tv are not that in tune to reality? hmmm nt msongs Jun 2012 #1

Lots of children watch a lot of TV. Luminous Animal Jun 2012 #2

Fortunately my kids once they got past 5th exboyfil Jun 2012 #3

Even "strong female characters" are usually sexualized. HopeHoops Jun 2012 #13

Has anyone looked into the effects of reading all those celebrity mags and reality shows and the upaloopa Jun 2012 #4

This thread promises to be a fountain of knowledgeable responses and reasoned argument! alcibiades_mystery Jun 2012 #5

Their comment on the roles of girls/women on TV doesn't jive with what I've seen 4th law of robotics Jun 2012 #6

I must agree moparlunatic Jun 2012 #7

In other words, the center of attention & the biggest risk taker Bucky Jun 2012 #14

Homer Simpson reinforces male self esteem? 4th law of robotics Jun 2012 #21

The flip side of your post noamnety Jun 2012 #26

i don't see many shows teaching that message anymore. HiPointDem Jun 2012 #30

I haven't noticed that 4th law of robotics Jun 2012 #41

The DADS are portrayed as morons. Not the single men. elehhhhna Jun 2012 #32

Single men are not exempted from this effect 4th law of robotics Jun 2012 #35

I dont know exactly Dokkie Jun 2012 #9

We're teevee-free and its simple really. Just don't have any teevee. riderinthestorm Jun 2012 #43

It doesn't say anything about acting idiotic. It says simplisitic. Two entirely different things. Luminous Animal Jun 2012 #12

How can someone whose default setting is "IQ = 40" be anything but simplistic? 4th law of robotics Jun 2012 #22

And simplistic does not mean simple-minded. Luminous Animal Jun 2012 #24

So people who are walking stereotypes 4th law of robotics Jun 2012 #42

Some day people of color will run the TV shows and then white people will see how it feels limpyhobbler Jun 2012 #8

I was going to take offense, but then you told me not to, so I didn't. nt ZombieHorde Jun 2012 #11

I'm so sick of those shows with male guests who try to get them to Skidmore Jun 2012 #10

And yet, teen boys are 4x more likely to kill themselves. lumberjack_jeff Jun 2012 #15

Girls are 3 times more likely to attempt suicide but use methods like cutting Luminous Animal Jun 2012 #18

Seems like no matter what the stats are it's always women that have it worse, huh 4th law of robotics Jun 2012 #23

Not once did I say women have it worse. Silly me, for seeking accuracy... Luminous Animal Jun 2012 #28

Accuracy: if you were to pick a random teenager who committed suicide 4th law of robotics Jun 2012 #39

What a ridiculous thing to say. NickB79 Jun 2012 #40

First it really shouldn't be a question of who has it worse jp11 Jun 2012 #29

If we're looking to fix a problem we should first identify who it is hitting 4th law of robotics Jun 2012 #38

stop. our kids are jacked up and yes, the media is part of the problem./ elehhhhna Jun 2012 #34

Could you elaborate on that? 4th law of robotics Jun 2012 #37

which tells me that boys are more likely to be serious about it. HiPointDem Jun 2012 #33

Most of the men on TV were nothing like me jp11 Jun 2012 #16

Thanks for the link. I forgot to add it to the OP. Luminous Animal Jun 2012 #17

I wish I could rec this twice. BlueIris Jun 2012 #19

The follow up study should look at what was watched. Igel Jun 2012 #20

"focused on the success they have because of how they look, not what they do Zorra Jun 2012 #25

Who decided that having high self esteem is a good thing? AngryAmish Jun 2012 #27

I agree, high self esteem laundry_queen Jun 2012 #44

There are way more than just black and white people in this country... progress2k12nbynd Jun 2012 #31

Television, the drug of the nation Egalitarian Thug Jun 2012 #36

kick Blue_Tires Jun 2012 #45

Here you go deaniac21 Jun 2012 #46