Portrayal of Teenage Girls in the Media
In the United States of America, citizens possess the privilege to enjoy the freedom of speech and the freedom to express their views and feelings under the protection of the U.S. Constitution. However, there may be a point at which freedom of speech is abused or escalated to an unethical level that may be harmful to the well-being of society, particularly the youth of today and the future leaders of our world.
Over the years, the question “should parents be concerned about the portrayal of teenage girls in the media?” has become a significant controversial moral issue in society. The portrayal of teenage girls in the media is a controversial moral issue because of the cultural sensitivity and the perceived intrusiveness of the subject. This issue primarily concerns the excessiveness of sexual content and unbecoming images of young women exposed through the media. Needless to say, this question leaves many parents ill at ease. Images, perceived norms and new trends are consistently being set for how young girls and women must look, act, think, and feel in order to be successful and accepted in today’s society. There has been an ongoing debate concerning moral actions that need to be taken to regulate the appropriateness of age sensitive material being permeated throughout the media.
Media is everywhere; it is in classrooms, advertisements, movies, televisions, magazines, newspapers, the internet, the workplace, and in homes all over the country, and it continues to infuse the world and our lives. Media does not only sell tangible products, but also morals, values, concepts of life, and success, and to some extent normalcy (Killing Us Softly 3). Whether positive or negative, consciously or unconsciously, media affects each and every one of us every day. Young girls are being exposed to a supposed ‘ideal’ image of female beauty through the years of media exposure. For example, the notion that the most important thing to a young woman should be her physical
Over the years, the question “should parents be concerned about the portrayal of teenage girls in the media?” has become a significant controversial moral issue in society. The portrayal of teenage girls in the media is a controversial moral issue because of the cultural sensitivity and the perceived intrusiveness of the subject. This issue primarily concerns the excessiveness of sexual content and unbecoming images of young women exposed through the media. Needless to say, this question leaves many parents ill at ease. Images, perceived norms and new trends are consistently being set for how young girls and women must look, act, think, and feel in order to be successful and accepted in today’s society. There has been an ongoing debate concerning moral actions that need to be taken to regulate the appropriateness of age sensitive material being permeated throughout the media.
Media is everywhere; it is in classrooms, advertisements, movies, televisions, magazines, newspapers, the internet, the workplace, and in homes all over the country, and it continues to infuse the world and our lives. Media does not only sell tangible products, but also morals, values, concepts of life, and success, and to some extent normalcy (Killing Us Softly 3). Whether positive or negative, consciously or unconsciously, media affects each and every one of us every day. Young girls are being exposed to a supposed ‘ideal’ image of female beauty through the years of media exposure. For example, the notion that the most important thing to a young woman should be her physical
Cited: Durham, Gigi. The Lolita Effect. New York: Overlook P, The, 2008. Killing Us Softly 3: Advertising 's Image of Women. Dir. Sut Jhally. Perf. Jean Kilbourne. 2001. "TV Ratings." The TV Parental Guidelines. 2008. 1 Nov. 2008 . Wagner, Viqi. Eating Disorders. New York: Greenhaven P, Incorporated, 2007.