The Connection Between Documentary and Media’s Objectification, Essay Example

According to the documentary, despite women forming the highest percentage in the overall population, 51 percent, they are still the least represented groups in the various influential leadership positions. The documentary portrays the manner in which women are objectified and their power and values seen in terms of their beauty, youth and sexuality. This perception has blindfolded many people hence they cannot view women in terms of their leadership capabilities. Thus, many social settings evaluate women’s value and capabilities in terms of the gender norms and beliefs that that only limits their values to beauty and sexuality.

The media’s objectification of women in the above mentioned perceptions have greatly influenced public opinion about them. People have developed a mindset of looking at women in terms of their beauty rather than their ability to take up leadership positions and make influential decisions that will help in shaping up the country’s economy and political scene.

Most people are exposed to media at a very tender age, most probably infancy; thus this mindset and perception about women is developed in them from childhood. Young female children therefore will always grow up thinking and believing that they are not meant for the great leadership positions and that their place is only found in things to do with beauty, sexuality and their youthfulness among other things. With this in mind, many women have chosen to pursue other lines of professions believing that they cannot make it in the leadership perspectives.

Apart from the women’s personal opinions changing regarding their capabilities, the public too is largely getting the effect of media’s objectification of women. Many members of the public dormain believe that women cannot effectively handle the big leadership positions. The funniest part is that even fellow women believe in this, and have a feeling that one of their own cannot fully undertake the leadership obligations that may be bestowed upon them.

Looking at the above vis a vis the number of women in the influential leadership positions, there is a trend that depicts a connection. The gender norms that people have developed over time has greatly influenced the ability of women to pursue the high and influential leadership positions. The media objectification of women largely emphasizes on the culture of gender stereotypes. Despite the various achievements that women have made in the past, America still ranks 90 among countries where women are least represented in the influential leadership positions. This trend reflects a culture where the social norms have suppressed the ability of women to perform various tasks.

The common social norms that women are the weaker sex have greatly influenced their ability to rise to leadership. These norms have led to development of a mindset that only men can effectively perform in leadership positions. As a result, women trying to rise politically are never given recognition. Perceptions of people, ranging from the youth to the elderly persons has changed due to the media’s objectification of women. The connection herein is therefore that women cannot rise to influential leadership positions because of the current gender norms that limit their values to sexuality, beauty and youthfulness. Beyond these, women cannot get any positive perception.

According to the documentary, women have made various remarkable achievements in the American political and economical scene, but none of these is always noticed. Changing this perceptions and norms will stop objectification of women hence giving them equal chances to bring economic and political changes to the country.