Media is a Parasite

From: Avery

My photograph embodies the influence of media on the gender socialization of young females, particularly adolescent and pre-pubescent girls.  Various forms of media are depicted in this picture including magazines, film, and the beauty industry.  The magazines are aimed towards teenage audiences which provide information regarding beauty, fashion, health, as well as romance tips.  However, most of this information is based upon standards that society dictates.  Therefore, it demands young girls to conform to certain fashions and appearances that are desirable in the eyes of culture.  Girls are persuaded to be soft, flirty, and flawless in order to feel attractive to others.  Another factor that magazines portray is body image.  Teen periodicals including Seventeen have a tendency of promoting “happiness with your body” projects which inform readers to love their body for the way it is.  The truth is, these publications also instruct girls how to be “skinny”, which is what the media perceives as attractive.  This results in bodily conflicts such as Anorexia, Bulimia, and other forms of self-harm.  Low self-esteem is another factor that can result from these pressures to be thin.  The hypocrisy of the media is clearly present here.  Drama films, including Mean Girls, have influence over the behavior of adolescent girls.  Partying, arrogance, slander, and other corruptive mannerisms are glamorized through films such as this.  Despite the “happy ending” and “lessons learned”, Mean Girls gives mixed messages to the audience about socially acceptable behavior.  This provides young girls false scripts and interpretations of what culture expects of them.  The addition of cosmetics in this photograph represents the strive for beauty and need to be sexually desirable.  Vanity is another aspect that is symbolized here.  The fashion industry consumes the money of young women and girls to continuously fit their needs and desires to feel attractive.  Culture flaunts make-up as a feminine attribute which is a necessity to improve one’s appearance.  I included condoms in this image to epitomize sexuality.  The pressures to be pleasing in a sexual manner are high in culture.  Young girls are being constantly informed that in order to be “grown up” and matured they must “put out”, or become involved in sexual situations.  Alongside this, they must objectify themselves to men in order to be perceived as desirable.  Lastly, the bed-sheets in the background are included to portray a childhood-like innocence.  The simplicity of being a young girl is used to contrast from the corruptibility of the other factors comprised in this photograph.  Media itself is a negative factor towards the gender socialization of children.  It dictates how young girls view the meaning of being female and prevents them from discovering their own unique place in society.