MissRepresentation: Response 1

According to the documentary what is the impact of the media on men/women?

The documentary MissRepresentation is centered mainly around the way in which the media impacts female audiences, hence the name MissRepresentation, yet it also touches on the way men view women as a result of the media.

Media has created unrealistic expectations and depictions of how men and women should act, and unrealistic expectations of how they should look— the expectations displayed in the media then reflect onto social and societal expectations, creating a toxic culture.

Examples of these impacts include the widespread anxiety that comes from people who lack confidence as the media constantly reminds them that they are not “beautiful,” or “fit,” more specifically women.  In their constant quest to be like the ultra skinny women depicted in media 65% of women and girls have developed eating disorders, and on average women spend $15,000 on beauty products.

Men are seen in the media as constantly strong and manly, often “ripped” and incredibly tone, and never expressive of their emotions.  When normal men see these depictions of men they are told that they must keep in their emotions and not express emotions, hence the term, “real men don’t cry.”  The result of these pent up emotions can often be violence as the only way men feel they can express emotion.

This violence often targets women, who the media presents as sexual objects rather than humans, leading women to believe they are nothing more than their outward appearances.


The media’s impact on us as humans is incredibly toxic.