Women in the Media

Women are talked about so much in the media and although not all of it is bad, there is a large portion that is unneccessary jibber-jabber for the sole purpose of having a story or just degrading for women in general. Most of the stories that I have found talk about how women look and being super skinny, but one shows the positive aspect of publicity. In my opinion, there should be WAY more about the positive things that women, mainly celebrities, are doing in their lives rather than all the gossip which can be detrimental to the self esteem of the young ladies in our society, especially when the articles emphasize TINY sizes being the most beautiful.

The Truth

This website gives several different facts about how the media influences women's view of their body and the truth about models' size.

http://www.ndpteachers.org/strausbaughl/media_influence.htm

Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan has been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, her rep tells PEOPLE. "Yes, she's been attending some meetings, and it's going to be a slow process," says her publicist, Leslie Sloane. "This is a positive. Let's hope that the press doesn't turn it into a negative." Sloane says she's asking the media not to intrude on the meetings or follow Lohan, 20, to and from the gatherings. "Maybe if (the press) backs off on her she'll be in a good space," Sloane added. "Let's see if we don't have to hear about it every day, and they're following her and trying to find her. Because that will just really not be good." Earlier this week, the New York Post's Page Six column reported that Lohan was spotted at an AA meeting in Los Angeles. On Friday, E!'s Ryan Seacrest asked Lohan's mother, Dina, if Lohan was in AA. Dina replied, "That is true. ... It's a positive thing."



This article couldn't have said it better. It discusses the fact that even though Lindsay Lohan is getting help for an alcohol problem, her publicist is worried that the media will turn it into something negative which is what they're best at.

http://people.aol.com/people/article/0,26334,1565040,00.html

Direct TV commercial

A Direct TV commercial that I have seen numerous times is something that I'm not particularly fond of because of the way it portrays Jessica Simpson. Ok, maybe she did accept the role, but still. In the commercial Jessica is talking about Direct TV and after mentioning what comes along with it she says, "I totally don't know what that means but I want it." I hate that TV feels like they have to make a gorgeous blonde look like an idiot. She's getting good money for it, so that's great for her, but I think she should step up and demand roles that potray her as the woman that she truly is!

Direct TV Commercial

Madonna adopts

Finally, something good is being broadcast about a woman in a magazine! A section in Star magazine entitled "Who's News" talks about Madonna wanting to adopt a baby girl from Malaw. I think it's great when magazines can actually step up and give celebrities positive publicity for the things that they are doing in their lives especially when it doesn't have to do with looks.

Star Magazine. December 4, 2006. pg 25.

Why THEY are Supermodels

An article in the most recent Star magazine is titled "Here's why THEY'RE super models and WE'RE not!" and has 5 pictures of models wearing next to nothing. The first picture's caption starts out by saying, "If we had a body like this..." and once again, it is just emphasizing that being that skinny is wonderful, and honestly, I bet those women starve themselves to look like that. It's unhealthy and not what we should be teaching the young ladies of America!

Star Magazine. December 4, 2006. pg 2-3.

From Anorexia to Death

Before her death last week from anorexia, Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston was robbed of both her beauty and her strength by the disease, friends say. Earlier this year, when she arrived at the Mexico City airport after a job in Japan, she was too emaciated and weak to carry her luggage, fellow Brazilian model Aliana Idibar, 21, tells PEOPLE in its new issue. "I helped her," Idibar says. "I was holding myself not to cry." Once luminous, Reston had become a virtual skeleton. "The skin was gray. The eyes were sad and without light," recalls Estela Saenz, owner of a Mexican modeling agency, who last saw Reston at that time. Still, the ambitious model continued to work, posing for a fashion Web site as late as Oct. 18. The next day she canceled a bridal magazine booking to enter a São Paulo hospital, carrying only 88 lbs. on her 5'7" frame. Friends were grieved, but not entirely surprised, to learn that on Nov. 14 Reston, 21, had died from multiple organ failure caused by anorexia. Reston's passing adds fuel to the outrage over too-thin models. "I understand that in the industry there is pressure to be skinny," says Gisele Bündchen, the Brazilian supermodel, who never met Reston. "But (this) is what happens when people take things to extremes." In truth, Reston's illness was one more hardship in a life riven with them. Five years ago robbers stole everything from her impoverished family's rural home outside São Paulo. "From that moment, Ana Carolina had to work to help pay our bills," says her grieving mother, Miriam, 58, whose husband suffers from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Signed with Ford Brazil in her early teens, Reston never grew "tall enough for the (runway)," says Lica Kohlrausch, director of Brazil's L'Equipe agency, which took her on last year. She tried to compensate by losing weight, says Miriam. "She said, 'Mum, I will get thinner. I can work more if I'm skinny.' " Her health declined, but Carol, as she was known, brushed off the concern of family and friends, many of whom donated blood during her hospitalization. There would be no saving her. Says Miriam Reston: "I want this to be an alert to other mothers."

This heartbreaking story basically just tells what the modeling career can do to a woman. She said it herself, "I can work more if I'm skinny." This is so sad that someone could think this and actually believe that being 5'7 and 88 pounds is attractive. And it's not necessarily her own self putting this in her head. It's the world and the media that put pressure on models and actresses to become thin. It was her thinking that she could get more money by working more, and that she would work more if she was skinnier. I just hope that eventually the media will begin to show more "normal" sized people and get it out of women's heads that it is not necessary to be that skinny to lead a perfectly fine life and be considered beautiful to the world.

http://people.aol.com/people/article/0,26334,1562645,00.html

Nicole Richie Gets Back on Track

Nicole Richie has sacked her stylist, friend Rachel Zoe, after two years in the job.
Zoe, who has also worked for Mischa barton and Lindsay Lohan, has been accused of promoting a skinny, unhealthy image of stars. Richie, who has been trying to gain weight and promote a more healthy image, "wanted to surround herself with positive people and influences" and didn't trust Rachel anymore, according to an inside source.
Nicole has now hired Christina Ehrlich, who dresses Jessica Biel and Penelope Cruz.

This article is another one that made me happy because it shows that the stars are stepping up and realizing that this extra skinny stuff isn't gonna be in style forever. It's good for Nicole because after seeing the picture of her unnaturally skinny body on a magazine cover not too long ago, she needs to be gaining some weight.

http://www.sofeminine.co.uk/w/star/n181593/news/Nicole-Richie-sacks-stylist.html

Jessica Simpson Sex Tape

Jessica Simpson has been left reeling by rumors a sex tape starring her is about to be leaked onto the internet.
The alleged X-rated home movie is said to show the 'Dukes of Hazzard' actress and her ex-husband Nick Lachey engaged in a number of sex acts.
A source told Britain's Daily Sport newspaper: "Jessica is horrified her name and sex tape are being mentioned in the same sentence. She's always been a girl of high morals and principles."
According to reports the tape does exist and has fallen into the hands of the individuals responsible for leaking the Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee sex video.
It has been claimed that they are threatening to leak the tape if Jessica does not pay an undisclosed sum of money to keep it out of the public domain.
The 25-year-old star has always prided herself on making men wait for sex.
She once said: "I play hard to get. If you turn sex down for a couple of days it makes it better."
Jessica's ex-husband Nick is now dating MTV presenter Vanessa Minnillo, while she has been seen dining with on/off lover John Mayer again.



This article, whether it's true or not, is just absolutely ridiculous. Why are people wasting their time trying to tell the world that Jessica Simpson has a sex tape out there? Maybe it's because whoever has it could get a pretty penny out of Jessica in order to not show it. But still....give me a break! It just amazes me that someone who, in my opinion, is a woman of decency is being portrayed like this. I don't care if she streaked from New York to LA. Why does the world need to know about it?

http://people.monstersandcritics.com/article_1226569.php/Jessica_Simpsons_sex_tape_fears

Models Getting Thicker?

In a story entitled "Top Model Bigger Than Ever?" it talks about how the show America's Next Top Model is going to be including women who are not the perfect size 0 that most all models are these days. More natural-looking women are going to be emphasized in the next season.

Just as we have discussed in class, models are too skinny. I think that what this show is doing is an excellent start to show women of all ages that being model-thin is not what is normal. If more media could showcase women who aren't stick thin, then I believe that this world would be filled with more happy women. It's discouraging to see so many thin, beautiful women in the media and have to have that to look up to. Women need realistic goals and not have to think that unless they are THAT thin that they aren't beautiful.



http://www.tmz.com/2006/11/10/top-model-bigger-than-ever/