"'Go big or go home. Because it's true. What do you have to lose?'- Eliza Dushku, Wrong Turn, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dollhouse"
Geena Davis mad about new study of women in media
Mon, 02/11/2008 - 17:21
I just love this article. I hate everything else about USC but this...
Studies Urge Fair Portrayal of Females
02/05/08
Women get short shrift on large and small screens, according to USC professor Stacy Smith's research for the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media.
By Jackson Demos
Photo/Dan AvilaA groundbreaking international conference on gender in media was held at USC Jan. 28-31, hosted by the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media.
Research unveiled at the conference by USC Annenberg School for Communication professor Stacy Smith showed a vast underrepresentation of female characters in popular TV and media. When females are shown, several studies determined, they are often portrayed in a highly sexual or provocative manner.
Smith served as principal researcher for four studies that analyzed popular films and television. Among many findings, the data showed that only 28 percent of speaking characters in G-rated films are female, and when females play a lead role in these films, their appearance is often a strong focus.
Additionally, in the top 400 movies from 1990-2006, females were more than five times as likely as males to be shown in sexually revealing clothing. In television shows created for children, male characters occur about twice as often as females.
ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"I think it's fair to say the picture is not fair for young viewers,ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ Smith said. ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"There are more males than females, but when females are shown, they are much more likely to be shown in a hypersexualized way.ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ÂÂÂ
Academy Award-winning actress Geena Davis said her institute partnered with USC Annenberg because she wanted to bring serious research to movie studios when talking about the underrepresentation of women in movies and television shows. Now that the research backs her fears about gender inequality in Hollywood, she hopes changes can be made.
ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"We're not just talking about making more movies with a female lead,ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ Davis said. ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"I'm talking about secondary and tertiary characters. Let's have them be half female and give kids the sense that it's OK for girls to take up space in the world, and for the boys to see it's OK for girls to take up space in the world ; My theory is our kids can eventually grow up having more respect for each other.ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ÂÂÂ
On Jan. 30, the conference brought together an unprecedented meeting of more than 200 executives and producers of entertainment aimed at children in a luncheon discussion at the InterContinental Hotel in Century City. Keynote speakers were institute founder Davis, Sony Entertainment co-chair Amy Pascal, philanthropist and USC trustee Wallis Annenberg, ABC Entertainment president Stephen McPherson, Brown Johnson of Nickelodeon Preschool and independent writer/producer Tom Lynch.
At an open forum the next day, panelists examined the link between media and public health issues such as low self-esteem and body image, the effects of American media in other countries (such as hypersexual American content in an African context), the business of marketing products to young people and how writers and producers can create complex female characters for the children's market.
Among the day's participants were Davis, Heather Kenyon of the Cartoon Network, Doreen Spicer of the movie Jump In, Kaaren Lee Brown of DIC Entertainment, David Kleeman of the American Center for Children and Media, Craig Miller, head of the Writers' Guild of America's animation caucus, Cort Lane of Mattel and Variety television critic Brian Lowry. Linda Simensky, senior director of children's programming for PBS, was the forum's keynote speaker.
The conference also featured two days of international researcher workshops funded by the Ford Foundation and the USC Annenberg School for Communication.
While most of the data points to disparity between female and male roles, research suggested that the healthiest balance of male and female representation is found in shows rated TV-G. A study found that ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"these programs present a more balanced treatment of characters by gender and in roles of familial responsibility (e.g., parent, romantic relationship).ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ÂÂÂ
ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"Clearly, parity has been achieved in this particular rating,ââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ Smith said.
The studies include these recommendations for entertainment executives and creators: Include more females as main characters, secondary characters, in crowds and as narrators; provide female characters with aspirations beyond romance and develop the inner character of female characters.
Tue, 02/12/2008 - 10:27
#2
geena davis institute website...
http://www.thegeenadavisinstitute.org/
why aren't we hearing more about this?
oh wait, nevermind.
Tue, 02/12/2008 - 11:02
#3
You know, it really made me think back to cartoons when I was a kid. Most cartoons and other kid programming that had female characters WERE very centered on the female's looks.
However, there are some notable exeptions to that rule. Maybe because I was a kid twenty years ago, but I remember having heroes like:
Heidi (my namesake) (of the mountains, you know)
Pippi Longstocking
Lisa Simpson
Babs Bunny from Tiny Toon Adventures
and there are some that I am not SURE how much their 'looks' mattered. I mean, they 'looked' 'good' (as in Good vs. Evil), but they were not beauty queens and how 'pretty' they were didn't matter:
Strawberry Shortcake
Rainbow Bright
NOW:
Leela (Futurama)
Mulan
All three powerpuff girls
Mandy from "Billy and Mandy"
All females from The Incredibles
Lisa Simpson (do "kids" still watch The Simpsons?)
Dora The Explorer
But I can't think of any live-action characters from today who are female who are NOT centered around how 'hot' they are. But also, I haven't been watching much live-action programming for girls ages 2-12.
I also found this little article online about kid programming from ten years ago:
http://www.readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson207/cartoon-stereotype...
Here's a quick article about the first female-lead character on Sesame Street and how it was stero-typey (from 2006):
http://mommyphd.blogspot.com/2006/08/female-characters-in-childrens.html
And, while looking this all up, I found a really neat site about feminists looking at popular movies and film and TV:
Tue, 02/12/2008 - 15:29
#4
Tue, 02/12/2008 - 15:36
#5
Tue, 02/12/2008 - 16:02
#6
Tue, 02/12/2008 - 18:29
#7
Tue, 02/12/2008 - 18:55
#8
Wed, 02/13/2008 - 15:53
#9
I was already familiar with the work Geena Davis has been doing, and I do think it was necessary labor. The problem with saying "Duh" about stuff like representations of women and girls in the media is that if you do not scientifically prove something is a fact, people will often dismiss it as an opinion or a bias. A distortion of reality inspired by "man-hating feminism".
Even when you do prove something is a fact, it's hard enough to make anyone care or do anything about it. Leaving it unproven just guarantees that the sorry state of affairs will continue.
My last date ended with an unfinished breakfast in a Cracker Barrel, because the man across the table could not acknowledge even the minimum facts that are empirically provable about life on earth for female humans.
The fact that he actually thought that we were exchanging opinions created a situation where he felt hard-done-by and insulted because I wasn't "listening to his side".
In reality, he really didn't have a side. There are some things that are not matters of opinion. The hyper-sexualization of women and girls in the media, the under-representation of women and girls in children's media, are not opinions. And the "sides" of certain issues are not about whether the problem exists--they're about what, if anything, should be done about it.
--Arinn
Wed, 02/13/2008 - 17:39
#10
Dude, just thought of my major hero growing up: I had Punky Brewster.
Between her and Pippi, we had some cool stuff.
Later i had Blossom (kind of too into clothes) and Evie from Oughtta This World.
Anyone remember that show Small Wonder? The lead girl was a perfect daughter and did everything her parents tols her to do and she wore frilly dresses everyday. AND she was a freakin' robot.
I can't decide if it was a snarky comment on Stepfordizing children, OR just really demented.
Wed, 02/13/2008 - 17:56
#11
The problem with saying "Duh" about stuff like representations of women and girls in the media is that if you do not scientifically prove something is a fact, people will often dismiss it as an opinion or a bias.
Scientifically proven fact means little to many people - look at how many people viciously attack evolution and want Intelligent Design taught in public schools.
Dude, just thought of my major hero growing up: I had Punky Brewster.
As I'm sure I've mentioned before, my big hero and role model growing up was Chrissie Hynde. "E. 55th and Euclid Ave. was real... precious." I actually took a job as a supervisor at a group home on Prospect Ave., a few blocks from E. 55th and Euclid. Yow. It was a horrible area.
Jessica
Thu, 02/14/2008 - 15:29
#12
Scientifically proven fact means little to many people - look at how many people viciously attack evolution and want Intelligent Design taught in public schools.
If they didn't find science threatening, they wouldn't need to attack evolution or force public schools to indoctrinate children into their religion. 
I agree with you that the long-term strategy that Carlin was talking about in the You Tube clip is working, though. Americans are getting stupider.
Tue, 02/19/2008 - 12:47
#13
Tue, 02/19/2008 - 13:47
#14
Wed, 02/20/2008 - 05:14
#15
Wed, 03/05/2008 - 08:26
#16
I've really appreciated this conversation on our work at the GDIGM! I can't resist a comment on your favorite female characters from your childhood. We're running the "I Want to See Jane" Campaign for women of all ages from around the world to talk about characters they were most affected by as children. I'd love it if you would add videos there! Here's the link for more information: http://www.thegeenadavisinstitute.org/sj.php
______________________________
Melody Morrell
Program Associate
The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media
Wed, 03/05/2008 - 11:29
#17
Thu, 03/06/2008 - 18:40
#18
Fri, 03/07/2008 - 13:31
#19
Tue, 05/20/2008 - 16:47
#20
Here's a new article about gender representations in media that addresses some of these same issues on truthout.org
With a funny story about an illustrator asked to show "women" in his cartoons...
Pardon me if I say "Duh" to this and ask why they had to do a study to know this.