Third world feminism/pop culture and media

Third World Feminism/Pop Culture and Media

In the media’s representation of feminist peoples’ attitudes and general perception about women is at stake. The media representation is significant in determining how people will accept the feminist policies and ideas. The media gets used as a platform for the campaigns and promotion of feminist ideas and policies. Since the media has the largest audience it can be accessed with majority of people hence it has a greater chance of affecting people’s attitude and perception about women (Pender 270). Many activists and groups advocating for feminism ideologies use the media in establishing and defending the political, social and economic rights for women in the society.
Despite this, there is also a backlash against feminism brought out by the media. The media over the past has made declarations that feminism is dead and yet it is an on-going process all over the world. The media also have narratives that treat feminism as a movement of the past but it is still an evolving force and efforts. This makes women and other involved groups reluctant in pursuing women’s rights and equality in the society. The media also exploits women in various ways. Objectification of women by the media is the major form of back lash of feminism. By displaying pornographic videos it depicts women as objects of sexual desires to men. In the music videos, the roles taken by the women downgrade the position and roles of the women in the society. Apart from media various beliefs and cultures contribute to feminist back lash. Culture has made the general society to have the perception that women are inferior to men.
(Catfap. wordpress. com)
The image obtained above is a feminist culture jamming poster obtained from catfap. wordpress. com. The image is inspired by the proposition of natural beauty for women over standards set by society. The image makes a mockery of the advertisement by cosmetic company Maybelline who use the catch phrase o ‘ maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline’. From their catch phrase picture, the company appears to tell its consumers who are largely women that natural beauty might not be enough and it their beauty can get enhanced by purchasing the company’s commodities. This female culture jamming poster seems to oppose the notion of lipstick feminism.
The image goes against the grain by castigating popular advertisements by brands that seem to focus on perceived beauty over natural beauty among women. The image provides a contrast between the natural and photo shopped images of popular celebrities, which sets unattainable beauty standards for women (Catfap. wordpress. com). The images of the faces of the celebrities used in the poster ascribe to the before and after looks of popular idolized celebrities who get considered as true beauties by the media. This feminist jamming poster ascribes to the fact that even these celebrities who get considered as ‘ true’ beauties have their faces photo shopped before they get released by the media to the masses. The image seeks to point down that women are naturally beautiful and they should take themselves for who they already are.
This female jamming poster offers the conundrum faced by feminists over the supposed identity for women. Various feminist differ on the supposed identity that women should take. There are those who propose a natural look for women that do not pressure women to go under great lengths in beautifying themselves. Some propose a masculine addition to the overall female look while others propagate for a more sexual appeal to their looks (Gorton 217). Either way, the idea is for women to achieve equality in political, social, and economic circles as their male counterparts.
Works Cited
catfap. wordpress. com. culture jamming poster. 30 March 2014. 30 March 2014 .
Gorton, Kristyn. “(Un)fashionable Feminists: The Media and Ally McBeal.” Third wave feminism (2007): 224-236.
Pender, Patricia. “‘ Kicking Ass Is Comfort Food’: Buffy as Third Wave.” Third Wave feminism (2007): 224-236.