Media influences everyone these days especially little girls. The pressure to look thin and beautiful is more drastic than ever. My 14 year old sister is a freshman in high school and here she is getting ready for her first homecoming dance. Notice there is nothing, but make up, nail polish, hair products and straighteners, and a magazine picture of girls putting on make up. This shows the gender socialization in young girls in very much influenced by the media and how the "ideal pretty girl" should look. The fact that she is a freshman in high school and still so young makes her feel that much more vulnerable to play the part of that ideal girl or else she won't fit in. It's sad to see how young girls need to fit the mold of what they see through the media as if what's inside doesn't matter at all.
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This photograph depicts the typical daily routine of a teenager. The subject is preparing for her prom. Dressing her self up with glitter and bright colors to fit into a world whose standards are set by the media. The media is depicted twice throughout this picture. The first, is through the smaller picture, setting on top of the bathroom sink of the two young girls. They are dressing up with makeup and clothing to appear older. These "role models" show girls how to look sexy and attractive at a very young age. The primary subject of this photo focuses on her self-image as she drowns her checks with rouge and prepares to fry her hair with the flat iron. Her dress is as the "role models," seven years her senior. It has a low v-neck line with spaghetti straps. That dress looks like the typical twenty-one and over clubbing outfit. The second way the media is illustrated in this photograph is through the mirror image. The angle at which the picture was taken in addition to the mirror image, implies looking down on the subject. The angle is not a straight shot; instead it is angled from the side with the primary subjected being looked down upon. This shows how the world will view her and judge her by her outward appearance. The world's approval of this individual is based on the media's definition of beauty. The media’s opinion of beauty is portrayed in the portrait of the “role models” and through the primary subject. It seems as though the subject is not only preparing for the prom to have fun, but she is also preparing herself for the world's judgments. This photograph proves how the media so persistently influences the naive minds of teenagers.
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