QUIZ 4

Abante, Babae: The Role and Position of Media on Women-Pressing Issues

“Media play a powerful role in establishing and perpetuating social norms.” —Jackson Katz,
an American author

The press and the news media, which is often regarded as the fourth estate of every
democratic government, has instilled considerable influence in various societies in the world. It
helps in creating public awareness and shaping public opinion vis-a-vis the issues that most
impact people in their daily lives. Hence, in this essay, I will describe the indispensable role of
media in tackling some of the most pressing issues of the women and girls of today through
examining relevant literatures and studies.

I. Catcalling

Angermann (2022) defined catcalling as the unwarranted sexual attention from strangers to
women where it involves uncomfortable, intimidating, creepy, and downright frightening
comments. This unforgiving practice has become rampant thus modern media has a sacred
duty to prevent it. In fact, according to Fisher et al. (2019), online media may have a key role in
the prevention of online violence and harassment, such as catcalling Moreover, social media
provides the platform and avenue for victims to express their experiences and contact their
loved ones (Nguyen, n.d.).

Here, we can see how powerful media is in terms of preventing catcalling. Of course, it must
always provide haven to victims. I have also realized that despite its potency, it should still be
utilized within moral and legal means. Using social media, for instance, to invalidate the
struggles of the victims will only worsen their situation, especially their mental health.

II. Sexual objectification on social media

According to Stock (2015), sexual objectification, in the broadest terms, involves (at least)
treating people as things. In the world of social media, this has also become prevalent. In the
study of Zainal (2022), the respondents, who are victims of sexual objectification, explained that
there were some fake accounts, such as on Instagram and Twitter, asking them to dress
appropriately, and some commented through sexual remarks.

In this example, I have pondered the thought of how social media regulates such kinds of
rude and unacceptable behavior. Do they have any effective mechanisms to curb these? Are
their moderation teams doing an excellent job in combatting sexual objectification on their
respective platforms?

III. Sexual objectification on media

Like on social media, women are also being sexually objectified on traditional media. In fact,
45.5% of young adult female characters on prime-time television have been portrayed sexually,
while 50% of female cast members have been victims of sexual objectification on reality
programs (Ward, 2016, as cited in Arbeit, 2018).

For the victims, it must be very demoralizing that they have experienced these horrible
things. Of course, they do not deserve these at all. What they deserve is a safe space for them
where they can work and fulfill their dreams without the threat of sexual objectification.

IV. Relationships bound on flings and infidelities

Romantic relationships are often portrayed on various forms of traditional media, such as on
television programs. However, Gibson (2022) noted that viewers of television series exhibiting
unrealistic love stories would end up less committed to their partners and the latter’s alternative
version would be more attractive. Further, Thompson (2015) emphasized the role of social
media in shaping the public option of celebrity couples and the people’s responses when
something notable happened to those couples.

Here, we can see the considerable impact of any forms of media on its users when it comes
to this kind of topic. Therefore, we must always be wary of our words and actions towards our
romantic partners and loved ones because not everything we see in the world of media is true.

V. Domestic violence

Domestic violence is a crucial topic that everyone must be serious about. It involves the use
of physical, verbal, and psychological violence towards a person. Domestic violence is quite
often depicted in corporate media products, including news broadcasts, television shows, and
films and unfortunately, the press tends to imply that women are somehow culpable when they
are being beaten, even murdered, by their partners (Chesney-Lind & Chagnon, 2017).

Consequently, I think that news outlets, for instance, must always be responsible on how
they portray women in such cases. They should empower them instead in terms of providing
them with awareness on how to access help from various kinds of people.

VI. Sexual harassment and rape

 Sexual harassment and rape have been perceived to be one of the most pressing and
sensitive issues that women and girls face today, especially that different forms of media are
evolving which sometimes enable such horrible acts. In fact, Walrath (2017) acknowledged that
rape culture has been in TV commercials, even in the so-called “progressive” 21 st century and
these commercials are often using rape as a hook to buy their products, and at the same time,
turning sexual assault, harassment, and rape into something “cool” or “fun.”

Here, we can see how sexual harassment and rape have been normalized on traditional
media. Of course, it is indeed alarming how some companies profit from exploiting women’s
bodies. This must be stopped at all costs and governments must do something to genuinely
resolve it.
References:

Angermann, M. (2022, March 17). What is Catcalling and What You Can Do About It. Utopia.
https://utopia.org/guide/what-is-catcalling-and-what-you-can-do-about-it/

Arbeit, M. (2018, May 3). 5 Ways Sexual Objectification in Mainstream Media can Impact
Adolescent Viewers. MimiArbeit.com. https://www.mimiarbeit.com/2018/05/03/sexual-
objectification-in-media/

Chesney-Lind, M. & Chagnon, N. (2017, April 26). Media Representations of Domestic

Violence. Oxford Research Encyclopedias.
https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190264079.013.103

Fisher, S., Lindner, D., & Ferguson, C.J. (2019). The Effects of Exposure to Catcalling on
Women’s State Self-Objectification and Body Image, Current Psychology, 38(6), 1-8.
DOI:10.1007/s12144-017-9697-2

Gibson, D. (2022, July 17). Can You Believe It? How TV Portrays Love. For Your Marriage.
https://www.foryourmarriage.org/blogs/can-you-believe-it-how-tv-portrays-love/

Nguyen, Q. (n.d.). What is Catcalling? Why online catcalling is getting worse? 3 mins knowledge
for parents. Cyber Purify. https://cyberpurify.com/knowledge/what-is-catcalling/

Stock, K. (2015). Sexual Objectification, Oxford Academic, 75(2), 191-195.

https://doi.org/10.1093/analys/anv014

Thompson, J. (2015, August 26). The Media’s Portrayal of Marriage. Odyssey.

https://www.theodysseyonline.com/the-medias-portrayal-of-marraige

Walrath, G. (2017, April 19). The Presence of Rape Culture in Media: Pop Songs, TV
Commercials, and Movies. Cuny Academic Commons.
https://lysistrata.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2017/04/19/the-presence-of-rape-culture-in-
media-pop-songs-tv-commercials-and-movies/

Zainal, R. (2022). Sexualization, Harassment, and Objectification of Women on Social Media

Towards Gender Inequality. Research Gate.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358187181_SEXUALIZATION_HARASSMENT
_AND_OBJECTIFICATION_OF_WOMEN_ON_SOCIAL_MEDIA_TOWARDS_GENDER
_INEQUALITY