Portrayals of Women in Media

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMwhhAmRvJI

This video touched on a very good point, “to be beautiful is to be powerful.” But they never explain in what way. I am faced and condemned with this quote all the time. It’s funny when I relate this comment to myself because I get such different people who actually voice this to me…let me explain:

I hear this comment from a variety of different people. The most being males. When I talk about what I want to do career wise I always hear, “you’re gonna do just fine.” Really, why do you think? I immediately respond with. “Well, because, you know,” they stamper. “No, I don’t, explain,” I say with a stern face, they usually have a concerned face at this point wondering if they should explain further. “You know, you seem independent and are pretty so you’ll go places.”

Just as I thought, I don’t need another person telling me that I’m gonna make it in this world just based on looks. I don’t want to be a person that just relies on that, not to mention that is the worst explanation to give on the only reason why I will be successful. That means nothing to me, but to them they see it as a gate key or something; as if I have the upper hand over everyone. It makes me furious because there is so much more to me than what you see, but that is only what people see. Every day it’s as if I have to prove myself to everyone. I get stereotyped every day as being white, stupid, a snob, and incapable of having any goals and dreams; all because of my outer appearance.

Getting back to the subject, men always see prettiness as the ultimate positive and power and I wonder if this is only because they see themselves giving a pretty girl anything they want so they know other men would too. But also, I don’t think they realize how being pretty can affect you in the corporate world. My biggest fear is being faced with a male that asks for sexual favors to get ahead. I would NEVER EVER even consider it and am ultimately disgusted that women do this today. It makes it so much harder for honest, self-respecting individuals to ever get ahead fairly in this world.

Surprisingly, I have also received the “to be beautiful is to be powerful” comment from a woman. Less surprising is she was from an era where it was near impossible for a woman to have a high-ranking job and especially hard for a pretty women to make it in the world. I felt offended when she too mentioned that I would do just fine in the corporate world because, and I quote, “you look the way you do.” But I had to remind myself where she was coming from and realize that sadly this type of thinking is still saturated in the corporate world. It makes me wonder what differences I will face as compared to that woman in her day. I realize that I am fortunate to not be what media considers hideous, as I have seen TV specials showing how prettier people do get ahead more than those who are not. But it still makes me sad that the world is like this, especially a professional world. And it makes me sad to know that some people are mean to be because they know this fact, as if I had anything to do with it. Will this position of power behind beauty change? Not likely, not likely at all.