Breakthrough for Women in Media: A Timeline

Several producers and directors of movies, shows, or music videos who have diverse female characters portraying racial stereotypes argue that this is an accurate reflection of society. They insist that WOC are perceived by society with these stereotypes, so storylines should embrace them. Several directors also argue that “stereotypes had to come from somewhere.” However, the media and entertainment industry need to realize the expanse of their reach and the influence they have on people. Movies and TV shows can be instrumental in forming impressionable viewers’ perceptions of certain racial groups because they contribute to the ongoing microaggressions and racial violence that WOC face in the real world. When WOC children and teenagers grow up watching people with the same skin color as them represented poorly in the media, feelings of inferiority can transfer over into their own lives. For white viewers, these stereotypes on screen may lead them to think that discriminatory or offensive behavior towards POC is acceptable, when in reality, the opposite is true.

WOC will always be in a constant uphill struggle for liberation from the stereotypes that they are fixated to in the media industry. White men dominate the media and entertainment industries with little knowledge of these diverse cultural backgrounds and continue to paint them as objects. The influence of the media and the entertainment industry in shaping people's opinions and perceptions cannot be undermined. Casting minority actors in meaningful lead roles away from their stereotypes can help in changing societal perceptions in a positive way and play a huge role in the acceptance of WOC in society. Compromise isn’t a choice when it comes to racial stereotypes, faulty representation, or caricatures of racial groups. Respect for diverse cultures and the accurate portrayal of WOC in the media and entertainment industries can go a long way in promoting inclusivity in communities. Hollywood has left a lot of transformative and life-shaping experiences of WOC unexplored. Including these experiences in diverse roles for WOC will help in dismantling these toxic racial stereotypes.

SOCIAL MEDIA AS A PLATFORM FOR BODY POSITIVITY

Body Positivity Through Social Media

Written by Veda Chari & Selina Yang

In every corner of media, fashion glamorizes dangerously-thin models, and advertisements for clothes feed off creating insecurities for everyday people. While the media like movies or television shows are known for their negative influence on the beauty standard, social media has a unique position: it allows individual users more power to control their experience. Instead of following the stereotypes around women’s clothing and body image, some content creators have stood up against unhealthy beauty standards, utilizing their platforms to break norms of beauty. By proactively working to stop body shaming, their efforts turn social media from a weapon to a tool for positive change.

For every skinny, white model promoted by brands, there are lesser known creators working to share both their talented designs and inclusivity in the fashion industry. In average department stores, plussized people struggle to find a wider range of brands that are both accommodating and fashionable. By creating more representation and normalizing clothing of all sizes, more and more brands will be pressured for inclusivity that encourages confidence and self love. Emphasizing their “XS-5X” size range and free custom sizing, the Bay Area-based brand WASIL is more inclusive, using popular styles over a larger size range. WIth plus size people commonly being told to stick to wearing black or hide their bodies in order to look slimmer, WASIL’s Renaissance-inspired corsets and puff sleeves defy what society tells plus-sized women to do. The soft prairie aesthetic and image of a fashion

designer are conventionally dominated by thin, white women, but California-based Tayma Martins flips both stereotypes on their heads with her collection modeled by women of color and plus-size women. With unapologetic confidence, these creators go against the stereotype that someone who is not skinny cannot be beautiful or fashionable.

Even though the fame of these brands do not compare to mainstream lines yet, social media gives individuals the power to choose who to follow, choosing what values one wants to support. Starting off as small businesses, inclusive brands are paving the way for young and upcoming artists and designers who also strive to make fashion inclusive.

Paying attention to these body positive brands is absolutely necessary, but to make bigger societal change, consumers must push for larger brands to adopt a more inclusive range of sizes in order to change societal norms around body image. A recent study stated that 80% of U.S. women don’t like their appearance, and 70% of women wish to be thinner even though they are of normal weight. Societal pressures have altered our reality of what is healthy and what isn’t. Recently, brands such as Gucci, Girlfriend Collective, and Nike have focused more on plus size styles, and making sure their clothing is available in a wide selection of sizes. However, there is still a far way to go until our society is truly a body positive environment.

Societal norms regarding body image have been ingrained in our society for hundreds of years through the entertainment and fashion industry. From corsets to body-hugging dresses, women have been trained to chase a slim figure to achieve a certain beauty standard. These beauty ideals saturate our social media feeds from all sides, with designers, fashion companies, fashion accounts, and even the average consumer trying to live up to impossible beauty standards. To break these norms and transform society to be more body positive, all users, big and small, need to think about the message their posts are sending. By seeing multiple sizes and shapes on their social media feed, the viewer will start to change their views on what beauty means, and stop associating one body type with “beautiful. ”

By using social media to provide spaces that celebrate women of all sizes and normalizing all sizes, corporations will come to realize that the former ideal body type is no longer as profitable. Today, many major companies have started hiring a wider range of body sizes, but fatphobia is still just as pervasive Social media is in the hands of the users is one of the biggest tools today, but it needs to be used correctly because negative perceptions of plus-sized people impact millions each day through very real situations. For example, plus-sized individuals are less likely to be diagnosed and receive proper care from a doctorSocial media can be used as a medium of change to positively impact plus-sized women, as it reaches a wide audience in a short amount of time. By turning social media into a safe space for vulnerable people and a way to empower women instead of body-shame them, we can take steps towards true body positivity.