Running Head: PORTRAYAL OF WOMEN IN THE MEDIA

The Portrayal of Women in the Media: A Review of Literature

Vania Garcia
University of Texas at El Paso

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Abstract
Women are seen throughout any type of media. The way in which they are being used
and portrayed is interesting for many different reasons. First of all, women in politics arent
seen as important, and they arent taken as seriously as men. Also, media focuses too much on
sex, and on womens sexuality, and one is able to contemplate this in so many different types of
media, such as magazines and television, and as time goes on, it keeps growing. Another thing
that is interesting is that the way in which men and women are portrayed in media is very
different. While men are seen as strong, handsome, and good. Women on the other side, are
seen as stupid and materialistic for the most part. Lastly, several people were asked how they
should change the way in which women are portrayed in the media, and most of them agreed
that they should stop using them as sexual objects, and that they shouldnt judge them so
harshly. Not only that, but also that they should be seen the same as men. Overall, the way in
which women are portrayed in the media is more negative, and manty agreed that this should
change.

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The Portrayal of Women in the Media: A Review of Literature

On a daily basis, most of the people from all over the world are able to see or hear any
type of media, whether it is a magazine, the news, a journal, and so on. On all of this different
types of media, one is always able to contemplate a woman. Something thats interesting is that
these women are portrayed in many different ways. Some may be shown as hard workers, and
some may be good hearted. On the other hand, they may also be portrayed as dumb, weak and
uncaring. In some media, one can even see women as strippers or prostitutes, and some may
even be portrayed as bad people. The truth is that these women are being underestimated, and
they are portrayed as inferior to men. Something that catches the attention to many is that they
are seen as a sex figure rather than as a important or talented. Not only that, but the attention
given to a female is significantly less than what is given to a man. With no doubt, the way in
which women are being portrayed in the media is not positive, and one will see it more clearly
with the review of the following questions:
1. How are women portrayed in politics?
2. Does the media focus too much on sex, and even more on womens sexuality?
3. What are some of the differences in the portrayal of men and women in the media?
4. How do you think we should change the portrayal of women in the media?
With these literature review questions, one will be able to understand the way in which women
are being portrayed throughout media, whether it is through television, the radio, or a magazine.
One will see more clearly the perception of a women in politics, how women are viewed as sex
images, and the difference between men and women.
How are women portrayed in politics?
From the beginning of politics in the history of the United States, one has seen that
women have been portrayed differently than men. First of all, women did not have the right to
vote. It was not until 1756, that Lydia Chapin Taft was granted this right, becoming the first

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woman to vote in America (International Womens Democracy Center). Although Lydia was
able to vote back in the 18th century, it would still take many more years for all the women in the
U.S. to obtain this right to vote. The reason why females were not allowed to vote was because,
the framers of the Constitution-and many who followed them for more than the next 100 yearsbelieved that women were childlike and incapable of independent thought. They believed that
women were childlike and incapable of independent thought (Teaching Tolerance: Why Women
Couldnt Vote). Apparently, women were not as capable as men when making important
decisions. But it does not just end here.
Not only were women not allowed to vote, but they were also not allowed to be part of
the office. From the time when government was established, only men were allowed to run the
country. This includes being the President, being in the Senate, being in the House of
Representatives, or so on. Then, in 1916, Jeanette Rankin of Montana became the first woman
elected to the U.S. House of Representatives (International Womens Democracy Center). This
person was the first woman to actually be in politics, and to run the government along with other
men. But she accomplished more than just that. She actually opened the door for many more
women to be in politics. The following graph was created by Rutgers: Center for American
Women and Politics, and it shows how many women are involved in politics (Rutgers: Center for
American Women and Politics, 2015).

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Throughout the years, one has seen many women being a member of the House of
Representative and being in the Senate. People has seen them as candidates for presidency. The
truth is, that they are viewed and treated differently than men. A good example of this would be
Hillary Clinton. She ran for president of the U.S. back in 2008. She was then given the position
of the Secretary of State. Now, she is running again for the 2016 presidential elections, and one
can see that she is portrayed way differently than the other men. (Biography: Hillary Clinton).
The questions that he has been asked during the campaigns are sexist and are nonrelated to her
job as a candidate. The questions that they ask her during the campaigns are different and more
based on their personal traits. As explained in the article, Women in Politics: Coverage Focuses
More on Personal Traits, Less on Issues, Study Finds, they explain the difference between
questions regarding to women and men. It states, When only male candidates were running,
stories focused on character traits 6 percent of the time and political issues 55.5 percent of the
time. When only female candidates were running, the stories focused on character traits 9.4

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percent of the time and issues 51.5 percent of the time. And when a mix of a male and female
candidates were running, the articles focused on traits 10.8 percent of the time and the issues
53.1 percent of the time (Nina Bahadur, Huffpost Women). The questions that women
candidates are asked are way different than those asked to men. They get asked more about
their personal life and issues, instead of getting asked issues that are related to politics. Another
example would be when Hilary Clinton went to a townterview. One of the moderators asked
Clinton which clothes designers she prefers. Then she asked, Would you ever ask a man that
question? (Hillary Clinton, New York: News & Politics). The moderator then answered that he
wouldnt ask a man that. (New York: News & Politics-Hillary Clinton Is Asked What Designers
She Wears Moments After Making Point about Sexism). What this shows is that the questions
that women get asked are not as serious and important as for men. In a way, they are being
treated as inferior than men, simply by what theyre being asked. One can clearly see that the
way women are portrayed in politics is really different than the way men are portrayed. People
dont look at them in the same way, and that has affected the appearance of women in politics.
Does the Media focus too much on sex, and even more on womens sexuality?
Women are shown in many media, but something that has caught many peoples
attention is that they used and seen only as a sexual image. In movies, commercials, and posters,
one is able to see this. In the article, Sex and Relationships in the Media, it states that, the
pressure put on women through ads, television, film and new media to be sexually attractive-and
sexually active-is profound. While this is nothing new, research has found that womens
representation in popular media has steadily become more and more sexualized over the last
forty years (MediaSmarts:Sex and Relationships in the Media). This article explains that
women are being shown as sexual objects. Not only that, but also that it is increasing.

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A really good example of a media in which women only used for sex is in a magazine
called Playboy. This magazine was created by Hugh Hefner in 1953. In this magazine, women
are shown naked, and having sexual relationships with others. Right after it was funded, it soon
became a very popular, and the company became multimillionaire (Biography.com Editors, Hugh
Hefner Biography). This magazine has become really famous, and well known all around the
world. But just as this magazine, there are many more medias in which one can see a women
being portrayed as a sex image.
Magazines are not the only media that focuses on womens sexuality. Another media in
which one is able to see this is online. Nowadays, one is able to access pretty much
everything using the internet. There are many websites which their primary interest is to show
women having sex, or anything related to that. Most of the people from all around the world
have access to any of this, Due to this, these websites are growing, and so is the focus on
womens sexuality.
Another media in which women are seen as sexual objects is in billboards. There is a
billboard created by USI Wireless high-speed Internet service that reads, Fast, Cheap and
Satisfaction Guaranteed, and it was put up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on the year of 2010.
When the audience sees this, they think good about this internet service, and there is nothing
wrong with it. But there is also an image of a young lady, portraying her as fast, cheap. The
purpose of this billboard is to persuade people to get service form their company, and also, to
show that their internet is easy and cheap, just like women. This billboard is portraying
women as being sluts, or even prostitutes. It is a clear example on how women are used and
seen as sexual object. It also shows how easy any media is able to focus on the sexuality of
women.

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As time goes on, the media focuses more and more on sex, and on womens sexuality.
One is able to see this when looking at any type of media, such as a movie, a magazine, or a
billboard. Even after conducting research, people have found that the numbers of women being
portrayed in a sexual way has increased throughout time. The media does focus too much on
sex and on womens sexuality.
What are some of the differences in the portrayal of men and women in the media?
Previously, while reviewing women in politics, the topic of men vs. women was
discussed. Women are underestimated, and they arent taken as seriously. One can clearly see
that women face a different situation, and more problems than men. In the article titled, Are
Women in the Media Only Portrayed As Sex Icons? Statistics Show a Massive Gender, It states
that, A recent report by the Womens Media Center has provided dismaying statistical data on
the status of women in U.S. media. The report draws attention to the striking
underrepresentation of women who determine the content of new, literature, and television and
film entertainment, as the role of women has had major societal effects, including gender
inequity (Sifat Azad, Identities.mic). . Now, one will be able to understand the difference
between how men and women are portrayed, not only in politics, but in any media
When watching a movie, one is able to see that most of the time, women are seen as the
weak ones or the stupid ones. A good example of this would be Legally Blonde. The main
character of this movie, Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon), is a blonde rich woman who goes to
law school just to get her boyfriend back. Throughout the movie, she is seen as weak,
materialistic, and stupid. There are also many females in this movie who are portrayed as mean,
scandalous, and sluts. On the other hand, the males that come out in this movie are shown, for
the most part, as smart and handsome (Luketic, Legally Blond). In this movie, one can clearly

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see that women as seen as less than man. The men get all the cool parts, while the women have
the dumb and annoying parts.
Unlike men, women are portrayed in a really negative way. When asked about this topic,
Yolanda stated that, most of the time they show women as prostitutes and as being stupid.
Also, they are shown as being maids, and without any opportunities to better themselves. On
the other hand, man are shown as good looking, hard workers, and successful (Yolanda Lopez,
Homemaker). It is clear to many people that the way in which women and men are portrayed
in media is very different. Many will agree that women are shown and viewed in a really
negative way.
One can clearly see that women are being portrayed as less than men by the way they
come on any media. Not only that, but there are many occasions in which they show men more
than they show women. For example, there are many more sports movie about men than there
are about women. There is not a lot of attention brought to women as to men. This does not
only happen in movies, but also in real life. The coverage of men and women is greatly
different, and one is able to see this in the following graph:

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This graph shows that there is more coverage toward men than women. This is a clear example
on how in media, women are not seen as important as men. One could even say that the media
does not care of whats going on with women.
How do you think we should change the portrayal of women in the media?
It is really unlikely to see a woman as an important, serious, and talented person when
looking at media. In most of the cases, the women that are considered important are those
with beautiful and fit bodies. They are portrayed based on their appearance rather than who they
really are, and what they have to offer. When asked about the portrayal of women in the media,
a college student stated that, I think we shouldnt judge women so harshly. They judge them on
what they wear, who they date, their actions way more than men. I just feel like they pick on
women more (Breanna Torres, student at the University of Texas at El Paso). No matter what
everything that a woman does or says will be wrong under the eyes of the people who look at
media. As Breanna states, it is important to stop judging women.
Another college student was asked this same question. She stated that, we (women)
shouldnt be viewed as sexual object to men especially on television. Young and old adults are
pressuring women as a sexual object rather than a human being (Rebecca Hurtado, student at
the University of Texas at El Paso). Whenever one looks at a media, there is always an image
that depicts women as being sexual. In fact, many will only see women as a sexual object. They
dont take into consideration the fact that women are actually hard working individuals. They
only look at the outside, at the body.
Media does not only portray women based on their physical appearance and attributes,
but also on their mental and horrible personalities. A college student mentioned that, In movies
and other types of media, women are seen as superficial and materialistic. They are also seen as

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weak and stupid. I dont think that these is the case for every women. In fact, only a tiny
percentage of all the females would fit under these categories. Also, I believe that they only see
women as being sexual and sluts, and it shouldnt be like that (Stephanie Rubio, student at
University of Texas at El Paso) For example, in Legally Blonde, the protagonists is seen as
stupid and a rich, superficial Barbie (Robert Luketic, Legally Blonde). The way in which
woman are being portrayed is unfair. People only like to show the bad and weak side of them. It
is unfair that they are not showing the whole image. If this was to happen, the people would
actually be able to see that women are strong and good.
The issue of body image and sexual object was mentioned a lot when people were asked
this question. In fact, most of these people blame men for underestimating women. Something
interesting is that not everyone feels the same way about this. When asked this question, an
older adult stated, I feel like women are viewed as a sexual object mostly by the way in which
they present themselves, the way they are dressed. I believe that if they dressed more
appropriately, and with respect, this would change (Yolanda Lopez, homemaker). This is
interesting because the blame is not going out to men. It is actually going to women themselves.
The way in which they are portrayed may vary depending on how they decide to show
themselves.
Conclusion/Synthesis
This Literature review has analyzed many different types of media in order to understand
women in politics, how they are viewed as sexual objects, and some differences between men
and women. Not only that, put people were also asked for their opinion on things changes that
should be made on the way in which women are being portrayed in the media. This could
include any media such as a poster, a book, the radio, or the television. The truth is that women

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are seen as less than men, in many aspects. Not only that, but the focus given toward women is
most of the time not appropriate and nice. One is able to see a women many types of media, and
these are just some of the ways in which they are being portrayed.

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References
Luketic, R. (Director). (2001). Legally blonde [Motion picture on DVD]. Santa Monica, CA:
MGM Home Entertainment.
Fast, cheap and satisfaction guaranteed billboard - Google Search. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23,
2016, from https://www.google.com/search?q=fast, cheap and satisfaction guaranteed
billboard
Women in Politics: A Timeline. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2016, from
http://www.iwdc.org/resources/timeline.htm
Expanding Voting Rights: Why Women Couldn't Vote. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2016, from
http://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/general/women_couldnt_vote[1].pdf
Hillary Clinton Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2016, from
http://www.biography.com/people/hillary-clinton-9251306
Bahadur, N. (n.d.). Women In Politics: Coverage Focuses More On Personality Traits, Less On
Issues, Study Finds. Retrieved March 17, 2016, from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/08/women-in-politics-mediacoverage_n_3561723.html
Amira, D. (n.d.). Hillary Clinton Is Asked What Designers She Wears Moments After Making
Point About Sexism. Retrieved March 17, 2016, from
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2010/12/#
Women in politics - Google Search. (n.d.). Retrieved March 17, 2016, from
https://www.google.com/search?q=women in politics
Are Women in the Media Only Portrayed As Sex Icons? Statistics Show a Massive Gender

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Imbalance Across Industries. (2012). Retrieved March 17, 2016, from
http://mic.com/articles/4439/are-women-in-the-media-only-portrayed-as-sex-iconsstatistics-show-a-massive-gender-imbalance-across-industries#.9jzC0uwYq
Are Women in the Media Only Portrayed As Sex Icons? Statistics Show a Massive Gender
Imbalance Across Industries. (2012). Retrieved March 17, 2016, from
http://mic.com/articles/4439/are-women-in-the-media-only-portrayed-as-sex-iconsstatistics-show-a-massive-gender-imbalance-across-industries#.9jzC0uwYq

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