Most of us can agree that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities. Many may even believe that we have accomplished equal treatment among the sexes. The reality is that women in this country continue to be sexualized, underpaid, and under represented in leadership positions. The images and messages that the media continue to portray about women form our outlook about the value of women and how to treat women. Here are some facts about women in the U.S. This documentary explores how the media’s misrepresentation of women has led to the underrepresentation of women in positions of power and influence.
- In the United States, women make roughly 77 cents to the dollar.
- Women earned less than men in 99% of all occupations for which data is available.
- 17.6 % of women in the United States have survived a completed or attempted rape. Of these, 21.6% were younger than age 12 when they were first raped, and 32.4% were between the ages of 12 and 17.
- Between 1 in 5 college women experience completed or attempted rape during their college years (Fisher 2000).
- In television for kids, male characters appear at about twice the rate of female characters. Animated programs in particular are more likely to portray male characters. Females are almost four times as likely to be presented in sexy attire and twice as likely to be shown with a diminutive waist. "Gender Stereotypes: An Analysis of Popular Films and TV," 2008
- 80% of 10-year-old American girls say they have been on a diet. The number one magic wish for young girls age 11-17 is to be thinner. (justthink.org)
- By age 13, approximately 53% of American girls are “unhappy with their bodies”. This number increases to 78% once girls reach 17 years of age. (National Institute on Media and the Family)
- As advertising pushes its objects, it turns women’s bodies into objects, often dismembering them with excessive focus on just one part of the body to sell a product. Killing us Softly, Kilbourne
- Little girls and teenagers are increasingly sexualized in advertisements. A growing number of ads are reminiscent of child pornography. Killing us Softly, Kilbourne
- Women hold 91, or 17%, of the 535 seats in the 112th US Congress — 17 of the 100 seats in the Senate and 74 of the 435 seats in the House of Representatives.
- Women are about 37% of prime-time TV characters (they are 51% of the U.S. population). Women 45 and older are only 15% of prime-time TV characters (American Association of Retired Persons, 1996)
- Although women control 60 percent of the wealth, and influence 85 percent of buying decisions, they have only 11 percent of the roles on TV and film. (Women in Film)
The documentary Miss Representation premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, and aired on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network in October.
It will re-air November 12, 2011 at 11 AM ET.
It will re-air November 12, 2011 at 11 AM ET.
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