A Study of Media's Influence over Women Identity Essay Example
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The Turning of a New Leaf: A Study on Media’s Influence Over the Female Identity
Minh Nguyen
Prof. Morrison
Comm 160
December 8, 2010
Introduction
The media has had a vast effect on the female-perception of identity over the past 50 years. Drawn to this topic by personal experience, we have each found that the media's influence over gender roles and the female identity is evident in our every day lives. Whether in television, advertising, the music industry, press, or pornography, our goal is to bring light to the different avenues used to influence the American-perception of the female identity in regards to beauty, role, and expectation.
Thesis Statement The media’s influence over the “American female identity” is made evident in the areas of:
Television - Television has been a staple-point of American society since the first TV's hit the market. In the early days of TV we saw women portrayed as the house wives, with shows such as, Leave it to Beaver, and Brady Bunch. Nowadays we have shows like Cougar Town, 16 and Pregnant, and Jersey Shore that show women in a much different light.
Advertising - In the early 1900's the concept of bad breath was developed as a way to sell mouthwash. Our goal as a group will be to show what advertisements communicate in order to tell Women what they should look like, and/or how they should act. We will look into magazine, television, and Internet advertisements.
Music - From Janis Joplin to Katy Perry, women in music have had a strong influence over the female identity. As a group, our goal is to trace the subtle projections of gender roles in music, and the influence it’s had over generations.
Pornography - Pornography in western society has changed over the years in that women are portrayed in different ways than they were 60 years ago. Compared to the 1950’s, where pornography still involved some amount of clothing, women of today’s adult films wear
The Turning of a New Leaf: A Study on Media’s Influence Over the Female Identity
Minh Nguyen
Prof. Morrison
Comm 160
December 8, 2010
Introduction
The media has had a vast effect on the female-perception of identity over the past 50 years. Drawn to this topic by personal experience, we have each found that the media's influence over gender roles and the female identity is evident in our every day lives. Whether in television, advertising, the music industry, press, or pornography, our goal is to bring light to the different avenues used to influence the American-perception of the female identity in regards to beauty, role, and expectation.
Thesis Statement The media’s influence over the “American female identity” is made evident in the areas of:
Television - Television has been a staple-point of American society since the first TV's hit the market. In the early days of TV we saw women portrayed as the house wives, with shows such as, Leave it to Beaver, and Brady Bunch. Nowadays we have shows like Cougar Town, 16 and Pregnant, and Jersey Shore that show women in a much different light.
Advertising - In the early 1900's the concept of bad breath was developed as a way to sell mouthwash. Our goal as a group will be to show what advertisements communicate in order to tell Women what they should look like, and/or how they should act. We will look into magazine, television, and Internet advertisements.
Music - From Janis Joplin to Katy Perry, women in music have had a strong influence over the female identity. As a group, our goal is to trace the subtle projections of gender roles in music, and the influence it’s had over generations.
Pornography - Pornography in western society has changed over the years in that women are portrayed in different ways than they were 60 years ago. Compared to the 1950’s, where pornography still involved some amount of clothing, women of today’s adult films wear