Most of us are used to being disappointed by the way women are represented in the media. Every so often something comes along that’s so bad it’s worth complaining, but mostly we just let it go by.
It’s time to change.
Media matters: when violence against women is trivialised, women are discouraged from reporting it, and offenders feel freer to continue. When children are force-fed gendered stereotypes in every advert they see, teachers and parents face an uphill struggle to challenge them. And when images are deliberately manipulated to sell products or magazines, it’s no wonder women feel under pressure to achieve unattainable ideals of beauty.
If we all work together, we can set a higher standard and make media outlets and advertisers alike sit up and listen.
WE will mobilise our members and supporters to challenge reporting, advertising and other media output that demeans women and perpetuates gender stereotypes, such as:
- Reporting of sexual violence that minimises its importance, blames victims, or is printed alongside adverts with sexual imagery.
- Articles that describe or comment on a woman’s clothing, relationship status or number of children where this would not have been included in an article about a man.
- Media portrayals that stereotype gendered parenting roles, including those which demean fathers as bumbling or incompetent carers and homemakers.