And increasingly, desirable women are portrayed as thin, extremely thin. They have been culturally conditioned to hate their bodies which are, after all, themselves. And it is not just about weight. For girls of color, the single ideal of female beauty is even more limiting, including only a narrow range of skin color, hair texture, and facial features. Some of us are really just our ethnic group, but to be authentically who we are is not acceptable to the industry.
Media also send more subtle messages about girls' value and future potential.
The conference research showed that women in the media spend much of their time dating and talking about the opposite sex while men are more often seen working and concerned about their success. This sends the implicit message that relationships are more important for women than careers. The analysis also demonstrated that women continue to be underrepresented in most media, with some studies showing males outnumbering females by two or three to one. These numbers alone send a signal. There are fewer opportunities for positive, active female role models and the subtle message delivered is that this gender group is less important in the world.