Jennifer L. Pozner is Founder and Executive Director of Women In Media & News, a media analysis, education and advocacy group, and the author of Reality Bites Back: The Troubling Truth About Guilty Pleasure TV. We are honored to have her as a guest blogger today.
As a result, women are misrepresented and marginalized as op-ed writers, front-page news sources, lead anchors, and broadcast journalism commentators… that is, when they aren’t missing entirely (as decades of research document). Scripted entertainment isn’t much better. As filmmaker Nia Vardalos wrote at WIMN’s Voices, Hollywood studios ignore data that show that audiences actually do want to support films with strong female leads, calling the success of Sex and the City and Mamma Mia “a fluke.” When Nia tried to follow up her hit My Big Fat Greek Wedding with a new script, studio execs pressured her to change female leads to male characters—exactly the opposite of the kind of climate Rosario Dawson is rightly calling for.
And as I discuss in Miss Representation and write in Reality Bites Back: The Troubling Truth About Guilty Pleasure TV, reality TV pretends to be about “real people” acting on “real emotions,” but is beyond inauthentic. Viewers think they’re listening to the voices and witnessing the experiences of “real women,” but what we’re really consuming are regressive, 1950 stereotypes that product-placement advertisers and networks script through editing and production tricks. A decade of these hyperedited, manipulative reality shows have used real girls’ and women’s voices as props to portray us all as stupid, bitchy, pathetic golddiggers desperate for men—and to portray women of color in particular as ignorant, hypersexual, “ghetto” “hos.” (If this were truly “reality” TV, we’d see far more smart, self-assured, passionate young women like “Miss Representation’s” Devanshi Patel starring in their own shows, and far fewer young women like Snooki from “Jersey Shore.”)
This would all be really depressing if there wasn’t something you could do about it. Luckily, there are many ways to change the media for the better. So, after you watch Miss Representation and leave the theater or turn off OWN, you shouldn’t simply get angry— you should get active.
First, you can find and support positive, challenging, critical journalism and entertainment that represents women in all their diversity. There is a vibrant independent media community in America where women and people of color are reflected as experts, and speak in their own voices — just like Rosario Dawson encouraged. Put down People and Us Weekly, and pickup non-commercial magazines like Ms., ColorLines, World Pulse and Bitch: Feminist Response to Pop Culture. To counteract to the damaging news media content discussed in the film, don’t rely only on mainstream newspapers and TV for your news – also seek out non-commercial alternative journalism sources you such as GRITtv with Laura Flanders, Free Speech TV and WINGS radio. Read online media and blogs such as Women’s Enews, WIMN’s Voices, Feministing, Racialicious, Feminist.com and Duly Noted, to name just a few, and watch video remixes at Pop Culture Pirate and Feminist Frequency.
Next, you can get involved with a dynamic, emerging media justice movement in America that needs your energy, support and participation to transform the media for the better. In 2001, I founded Women In Media & News, the first national women’s media analysis, education and advocacy group working to increase women’s presence and power in the public debate. A lot has changed in the decade since I founded WIMN, giving you even more opportunities than ever before to make a difference. Programs like Seattle’s Reel Grrls and New York’s People’s Production House teach journalism, radio and filmmaking to girls, people of color, and low-income people, to help silenced communities tell their stories… just like Rosario Dawson encouraged. The Media Literacy Project in New Mexico can help you get media literacy education in K-12 schools, and has online toolkits adults and kids alike can use to become active, critical media consumers. And the Center for Media Justice in Oakland and the Media Justice League in San Antonio are fighting to hold media companies accountable to your needs, advocating for fair media policies such as net neutrality, so that the internet and other information communication technologies are equally accessible to all, and remain a forum where each of us can write, podcast, videoblog, and communicate our realities on our own terms.
From all the organizations and indy media outlets above, to the national Media Action Grassroots Network, women and people of color have spent decades working to combat media bias and to create better, broader, more diverse media. Now that “Miss Representation” has shined a mainstream spotlight on this crucial advocacy, it’s time for you to join the movement. Welcome!
Bio: Jennifer L. Pozner is a journalist, media critic and public speaker. She is the founder and Executive Director of Women In Media & News, and author of Reality Bites Back: The Troubling Truth About Guilty Pleasure TV. She has conducted multimedia lectures and workshops on gender, race, class and sexuality in the media for more than 100 high schools, non-profits, and conferences across the U.S. and Canada (if you’d like her to a media literacy event in your town, be in touch!)
You are a continual and amazing source of inspiration for all of us. Being a woman and a writer/performer is rough and it’s so great to know there are women like you fighting for us. (and all women)
This show was right on time for me as I’m co-authoring a book with a chapter dedicated to self-worth and value. There was a great deal of valuable information especially the statistics. That were shocking. It’s those statistics that I’d like to obtain. Where can I find those overwhelming statistics on woman? I appreciate a reply.
Tiana Sanchez, Certified Coach
Are there any lectures/workshops in Sarasota, FL 34238? I would like to attend.
Jane
I live in St. Petersburg and would to attend as well. I wonder if school would let us watch the doc and then have a conversation. We really need to get many people aware before we can turn in into something politically meaningful.
Let me know, if you put something together, I live in Orlando, but would like to join your event if possible.
I am so excited to get active and get involved. I’m wondering if there are any Canadian outlets for us!?
I agree! We Canadians need to make sure the same message is heard North of the border!
I have seen you in the movie RENT and it’s cool that you are promoting women’s empowerment issues. I have been trying to tell people, for some time now, about this post-feminist backlash that is going on today. But I am not an “attractive” women (not according to american social standards)- so I rarely can get anyone to listen to me for long. I have tried anger, pleading, appealing to logic, and using my own life as an example of “self” empowerment. It’s more than one carbon-copy cut-out image of what women are. I have found- if a woman comes across, physically, as “less than feminine” than she is a man-hater, feminist, or “DYKE”! I am sick of the ignorance. How long do I live my life having to “bob and weave”- so to speak- my way through society; coming under constant critique, attack, and vitriol ignorance. Women are still judged by the way they look and are afforded value for what they look like ( and sometimes ‘value’ is subject to interpretation). I have come to a place in my life where I’d rather just drop out of society. I feel I am too ‘evolved’ an individual to buy into all this crap! It has impacted my quality of life, in such a way as I have kind of given-up on people. Most of them are so “transparent”- predictable and insincere. It’s gotten just too old! Thanks for doing your part. I’ve done my part by living authentically- my way and counter to mainstream, so as you can imagine, my life has been very challenging. All we can do is live our lives authentically- without fear or apologies.
Hello Sister!
One of the things I’ve learned is that it IS important to live authentically yet not to be attached to how or whether we are received. Everyone is where they are on their journey and personal evolution. They experience the world through their “stuff”, their pain which shapes their perception and colors their vision. We cannot control how or if we are received. We can only live from our truest Self as an example of what is possible and let others take from it what they will.
People critique and attack out of fear, ignorance and conditioning. We must continue to use our gifts, talents and our voices in the world. If you “drop out” you relinquish your birth right, your power as a human being. You are beautiful, magnificent and loved because you exist. So be your best you and live your Truth not for acceptance or to be listened to but to fulfil your purpose and be fully expressed.
We can never give up on the human spirit, on the belief that peace can be, love can heal and equal rights is possible. As long as one light exists all things are possible. Be the light.
Become who you are meant to be, live out loud (This is less a lecture and more a reminder to myself:)) There is a shift occurring in human consciousness. Every moment we contribute to it. The world did not arrive hear over night and will not crawl into the light by morning. However, we can live authentically and actively strive to come from our best and highest selves… from love and compassion and power and beauty and fire and strength, courage and brilliance-be dynamic and amazing in our perfect imperfection…live intentionally.
It is our input, our moving into positions of power and influence and accepting our own power on every front that will create change. Accepting our places as leaders and creators and shapers of the world…This is crucial in our daily lives simply with the energy we choose to emit as well as on “larger” stages. We plant seeds with our “being”. So Sister, do not “drop out”. Participate fully. Your light and energy reaches to the furthest corners of this infinite multiverse. There are cracks and crannies it fills that you will likely never see with your naked eyes. But I am here to tell you it covers me. I feel you. I hear you. You matter.
Truth
What a beautiful response! I truly believe that we can cause a “tipping point” to occur simply by living authentically. We may not all want positions of leadership and that’s ok; you can lead simply by the example of your life. To Crystal, I hear that you want full acceptance of your authentic self and I would say if you are encountering non-acceptance then it is a reflection of something you believe about you and/or the world around you. It may be as simple as “people will never be able to accept me as I am.” Let it go! Love you for you authentically and see how magically your life will begin to transform.
This documentary left me feeling angry, sad and yet inspired to be part of the change. Thank you!
I watched the documentary …and loved it! However, I feel that it is important to consider the minority women have an extra challenge to being seen in a favorable light in the media. So I would have liked race/gender/ politics to have been discussed in the same context as the lack of positive representation and criticism. I run an organization called the African Leadership Project for Civic Engagement & Economics. We have an initiative appropriately titled “Miss Africana” because we wanted to inspire and empower African women and girls by rejecting the negative stereotypes of African women through civic engagement and leadership. Not many African women control media companies …however those that feature us in pages cover our fashion, sickness, poverty, and lack of education, which is a inaccurate picture of who African woman are in their totality. When some of the most brightest women who have contributed to industiries are African women. President Ellen- Johnson Sirleaf who is the 1st African women President in a African nation. So I would like your next step in this initiative/ movement to cover women from foreign countries Africa, Asia, India…who are kicking down barriers ( with their stiletto heel of course) to just represent diversity in our quest as women to showcase positive representation of who we are. I would like to be apart of this. I can get many African woman to march in this movement.
Do you have a website?
I agree entirely with all of the comments made the letter- writers, why do I still look for work? Because I actually enjoy what I do- sometimes!
I’m not sure why but this weblog is loading very slow for me. Is anyone else having this issue or is it a issue on my end? I’ll check back later and see if the problem still exists.
There is a dicotomy between what is portrayed and actresses working in the various media industry. Women find it challenging when they have to choose between working and paying the bills and taking roles that feed into stereotypical views of women, It is a challenging issue that needs to be addressed.
I really enjoyed the documentary and it provided some insight into what I deal with on a daily basis in my occupation. I know it’s scope had to be limited, but I wish it had discussed the lack of female officers in the general officer ranks across the military services too. I often wonder when you have males like the major Combatant Commanders and the Joint Chiefs of Staff – without a female in sight at the upper echelons – is there really a chance I can achieve the peak of my leadership potential some day?
Miss Representation » Blog Archive » Welcome to the Media Justice Movement, Miss Representation » Blog Archive » Welcome to the Media Justice Movement .
[...] Welcome to the Media Justice Movement Posted in Feminism, Hollywood, Media [...]
Miss Representation » Blog Archive » Welcome to the Media Justice Movement, Miss Representation » Blog Archive » Welcome to the Media Justice Movement .
Very moving Documentary which has led to the creation of the first Transmedia Woman’s Council. Please join the discussion and help me program WCNTV with with the type
I was so glad to see a film addressing the very subject I have attempted to discuss with others in the past which, for the most part, had fallen on deaf ears. The way things are and not seeing resolve has contributed to sadness and depression. While watching the film, I once again felt such anger and frustration for what has existed for adult women and the affects it has for younger generations of females.
I am older and have seen the attempts to improve things in the past basically die out as the “force” that you have documented has grown more powerful. It feels as if the “power” needs to be taken out of the hands of where it stands now in order to create change and how is that done? I have felt similar to what Jane (Fonda) stated – that young males need to be addressed early on, to think and feel differently than has been the case for years, not just for females, but for themselves. But, how is it addressed or resolved, the issue that exists in adult males, who are already so programmed by such hype for decades or for the women who have to suffer for it? There needs to be a complete alteration of how females are portrayed and such changes made in the media in order to stop all the constant, over-sexualization of everything, besides heading a new direction for females of the future to enter into. I want to see change in my lifetime and would like to do whatever is in my power to assist in this change. It is long overdue.
Let’s keep the conversation going in Tampa Bay, Florida, and to reiterate the quote “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” The documentary is an eye opener and I also would like the statistics about women mentioned in the film. Thank you to OWN for airing it!
I watched this most enlightening film with my daughter, who is a film studies major and a screenwriter. This wonderful documentary reinforced what this mother has attempted to teach. Thank you for enlightening our youth.
I am often inspired because of great programming like this. My shame is that I have not translated my inspiration into action. I pledge to do something positive everyday to uplift, inspire, and mentor another woman. I am surrounded by strong women and will share their experiences with others. Thank you ladies for holding me up!
[...] Women’s media ownership is a vital question and challenge for us all. The remarkable success of Oprah Winfrey is well known. Even Oprah once started small. A part of her achievement is that she always held a large vision. All these organizations and outlets I discuss here are women owned. New Moon is a publication for and by young girls. Beyondmedia Education in Chicago teaches teenage girls production skills to make their own films. Women’s Review of Books is another great example. The list goes on and I haven’t gotten into great blogs that come by the thousands. Jennifer Pozner, director of Women In Media and News, mentions numerous other venues and action tools in her blog “Welcome to the Media Justice Movement.” [...]
I don’t watch very many programs anymore. I don’t feel that there is much out there for my kids to watch that makes them better or enriches their life as youth or will give them life lessons that they can grow up with. I’ve always felt it is important for us to write our own stories…our truth, our emotions our lives. We are the only people who can represent ourselves in true light and only we can tell our own stories. You don’t have to be famous, a blogger, a journalist or a writer…just tell your story.
I am a teacher in New Zealand and I teach Media Studies and English at an all girls school. It is increasingly fascinating and disturbing the amount of girls who have issues with their bodies, are fixated on males and who don’t value education because “boys like it when girls are stupid”. I came across this film and have been inspired and so have my students. Some girls came to class the other day saying that they would like to begin a feminist group at school! If anyone is also a teacher of media studies and have any good resources to share about the representation of women please share with me and I will also pass on any gems I come across