Female Action Film/TV shows

An article by the New Zealand Herald was published about how 'Kick-ass' women in media were blamed for violent offending. It states that 'Portrayals of 'kick-ass' women in the media are being blamed for an increase in the number of women involved in violent offending. Two NZ researchers believe the glorification of females in roles showing women exhibiting physically aggressive and violent behaviour are having a negative impact on young women here.' If well known strong actresses for example Cameron Diaz to take on an action role in a movie, a lot of people would watch it because she has done many movies like that before. Teenagers are easily influenced by their role models, so if Cameron Diaz is always beating people up in her movies, then teens are going to want to do it as well.

Action films where the female is the main star are becoming more common. If teens are watching girl fighting on a regular basis, they are going think it is normal and act in the same way. This could be a contributing factor to the increase in female violent crimes. In 2010, 162 more females were apprehended than in 2009. These teenage girls are not just giving themselves bad names but also teenage girls in general. Other generations will think that we are all extremely violent.

Females starring in action films, show women in a non-stereotypical because unlike most other movies, the female is sticking up for them selves, but they are doing it in a bad way.

A female action movie like Chrlies Angles could have a negative influence on teenagers because they use lying, manipulation, and physical fighting to 'save the day'.

This could give teens the idea that its right to lie to people to get what you want and to use physical abuse, to get a result. Charlies Angles not only saves the day, but sometimes they pay people back for hurting them, which isn't necessary. This is sending the wrong message to teenagers.

Another TV show that deals badly with violence is 'Revenge'. It is about a girl who grew up in the Hamptons, and the rich powerful people who lived there destroyed her family and killed her father. She returns when shes older to take revenge and get them all back for what they did to her. This teaches bad morals, that it is ok to not forgive people and old grudges.

Some TV shows and movies have content which isn't suitable for teens because it gives them negative ideas, and encourages them to fight.

Disabled people in the media

Handicapped and disabled people aren't very often seen in the media. Slowly more people with disabilities are making it into the media. People are starting to grasp that disabled people do have a voice as well, and are just as capable as anyone else. People used to think being disable wasn't normal, but now people are becoming more aware and excepting that they are just as equal as everyone else. Disabled charaters on TV are being introducing and are becoming main characters not just back up. For example Artie off of Glee. He's is in a wheel chair but he still dances and performs on the stage with other cast members.

And also Becky off of 'Glee' who really has down syndrome and isn't just playing someone with it.

Disabled actoresses were also in 'Mean Girls' They were said to be the 'try hard' clique of the school. Although this isn't very good representation of disabled people, they are still on there which is better than not. Having people with diabilities on current teen focused TV programmes makes teens aware that they can do the same as everyone else and that everyone is equal.

Teen Magazines

Their are quiet a few magazines that are targeted at younger teenage girls.

The stereotypes of girls in magazines is always usually the same, perfect skin, white straight teeth, smiling, blonde/brunette, tanned, blue eyed, always having fun in the sun, skinny, perfect bodies. When teenage girls see this they want to be just like them. but what they don't realise is that nobody is that perfect, they have all been airbrushed and photoshopped. Because seeing pretty models like this all the time on covers of magazines, we except that this is what we should idealy look like to be attractive.

 

Magazines are full of 'fake' models. Its not only girls that think they should look like that, guys see the same girls in magazines. They see airbrushed faces and bodies, and they fall into the trap.  It gives guys false hope and an unrealistic take on what real girls look like. This puts pressure on girls to look a certain way, and if they don't it can really affect their confidence and it could result in anorexia and depression. At least 10% of girls and women in America have an eating disorder. This can be prevented if real untouched girls were put into magazines.

Mean Girls

In the movie, 'Mean Girls' the first thing that you notice about their school is that they have very strong cliques and when the new girl Kady (Lindsay Lohan) is being shown around this is one of the first things that is pointed out to her. Everybody belongs to their own clique and when watching it, the message coming across is that if you don't belong in a clique, then you are an outcast.

People in their school have to adapt themselves and there personalities to fit each group in order to be accepted. They don't get to be them selves. The problem with films like this is that they are aimed at young teenage girls, and if they see there idols like Amanda Seyfried (who plays Karen) doing things like partying and being mean to everyone that isn't in their clique, then they're going to think its exceptable for them to do as well.

Movies like these with the mean popular girl are very common and are watched by many teen age girls. If they see bullying like this, teens are going to think it's ok to treat people badly, or they may think that that is how you are supposed to treat others, causing them to act in the same way they see on the movie. 42% of teenage girls have been involved with bullying, whether its being the bully or the vitcim. This percentage has increased since movies involving heavy cliques, have been made.

The over drawn shallow, characters in the movie like Regina, are always seen at parties, hanging out with guys, applying make-up and back stabing other girls in her clique. Everyone else is scared of her so never argue with her. At one part of the movie Regina is especially mean to a girl in her group, Gretchin. But Gretchin would rather be unhappy in the 'plastics' group than not in it at all.

Teenage girls are often associated with being 'bitchy' and backstabing towards each other. This movie does teens no justice. We see Regina Gorge, the ring leader if you will, manipulating the rest of her group to make herself feel better. An example of this is when Regina starts to whine about how fat she is, then she glared at the other girls in the group who are intimidated by her, until they say 'Ohh no you're soooo skinny' She does this for reassurance that she is skinny.

It isn't just Regina who minipulates people for her own benefit, even the main character Kady who is portrayed as the innocent girl who's just trying to fit in, minipulates others. Before she joined the 'plastic's' group she had a crush on a boy Aaron Samuals (the most popular guy), when she found out Regina purposely kissed him because she knew Kady liked him, she snapped. She manipulated Regina by befriending her and getting her to eat protein bars that Kady told her will help her 'loose weight', when in fact they made her gain weight like crazy.

Teaching young girls that being horrible to your friends is ok, is not the message that should be being spread. These girls are going to grow up being very exlcusive to everyone but people in her clique group. This could lead to bullying or even depression if teens start to feel that down on their selves.

Background on Mean Girls

The movie, 'Mean Girls' was based on the book 'Queens Bee's and Wannabes' by Rosalind Wiseman. Rosalind wrote this book to inform parents about how their teenage daughters are expected to act in High school.  It is a self help book on how they survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence.

Easy A

In the movie Easy A, there are many stereotypes used to portray people, but they are usually extreme versions of those stereotypes. For example, the group of Christians are made out to be extremely judgemental, and only care about people that practise their faith. They are seen multiple times throughout the film sitting in in a circle away from everyone else, singing songs and holding hands. They also go against the grain with the way they dress. Christians are typically seen wearing high neck tops, long tops and more conservative clothing, but in this movie they wear, shorts skirts, high heels, low cut tops, and even less clothing than other people that go to their school. This contradicts the typical stereotype of the Christian group.

Another stereotype that has been played is the 'Popular Guy' that every girl dreams to be with. In Easy A his name is Todd. The popular boy in teenage movies, is usually the jock or captain of the football team. He is always a good looking guy which helps to grab the viewers attention, and is kind and caring. The 'Popular Guy' in Easy A is different in some ways to what is seen in other movies, Todd's 'identifier' they called it in the movie (what people know you for) is being 'Wood-Chuck Todd' the school mascot, not your typical jock. Todd turns out to be the good guy inthe story who helps the main character find her way again. He is caring, considerate and likes the main character for her personality.

Wood chuck Todd and main character Emma Stone

What is a stereotype

A stereotype is a characterisation or a simple mental picture of members of groups/cliques. For example, when you first meet a person you automatically decide what they are going to be be like based on the way they dress, talk, act, their interests and by their hobbies. Stereotyping is a process of putting people into specific groups subconsciously. This creates simplistic representations which people find believable.

The typical 'popular' cheerleader

The 'freaks'