Miss Representation

Miss Representation was such an incredible film, exposing how women are portrayed in media. Women are taught at a very young age that your value is based off of your appearance. I knew multiple girls in high school who really struggled with eating disorders, all rooting back to their insecurities about not being skinny enough. The media has created this illusion that in order to be acknowledged by men, you must be skinny. In the majority of movies, you have a boy lusting after the "popular pretty girl" in school. We know nothing about any of her other talents but that she is the typical idea of pretty. Then of course when a girl is showcased as smart or "in power" they do not get any male attention or men think they are "bitches" because of their power. Woman are presented at such an early age that your physical appearance is worth way more than any knowledge, that sadly they start to believe it. All these images of what beauty is in magazines, commercials, and social media is not even real. Even the most successful and beautiful woman in Hollywood are photoshopped. This idea of beauty that the media is showing doesn't even exist, but every young girl strives  to achieve that idea of beauty. Sadly, this perception of beauty is a million dollar industry. The more diet tea commercials or social media sponsorships, the more money they make.

One of my favorite parts of the film was when young students told their stories. I really enjoyed how the film incorporated the male ideal media presents and how it affects young boys growing up. Hearing our future generations voices talk about these issues is really important and a great way to start change. As the film suggests, we must boycott media companies that promote these wrong perceptions of both men and woman.