Does the Media treat Women unequally and delight in "Bringing Down Women"?

Question

Normally I try to avoid the celebrity trainwreck, but on the news, it seems that almost every day, there is some sensationalist story about how yet another female actress or musician has gone off the rails.

It is certainly in the media remit to cover what is happening in the world, and for better or worse that now includes celebrity, yet it does seem to me that the manner in which the press targets women is far more hurtful and insipid than the way it deals with male celebrities.

Appearance (is she anorexic, is she showing cellulite, is she pregnant)
Relationship status (does she have a new boyfriend, what about the old one)
Drug addiction (is she using/clean/in rehab/at risk)

the list trails goes on.

Does the media target women in a more malicious and invasive way than it targets men?

Does it delight in "Bringing Down Women"?

Answer 1

I think that omnipresent media does treat women like objects, but it only does so because it sells. When the photographers were trying to capture Lady Diana's last breath, it was because they knew it would be worth a lot of money to have such pictures. If we as women are being "victimized" by the media, we have only ourselves to blame: we purchase the celebrity rags, we buy the "age-defying" products, we allow ourselves to be cut and pasted on plastic surgeons' tables. The issue is, then, what makes us do these things? Is it because men are the ones creating these impossible to achieve images? Or are these men selling these images because that's what we appear to want? It's a vicious circle. If we didn't buy into the whole cult of celebrity and beauty, there would no longer be a market, and the focus would shift. Those who own the media (and yes, it is men, largely) want to move product. They know what sells, and they know this because we determine that with our purchasing power. Women can choose not to buy into these unrealistic images by not buying those images in the first place.

Answer 2

For those who started off all this nonsense about rape being redefined as so many innocuous things or even as any form of heterosexual sex, in the same way as domestic violence is now 'defined' as so many innocuous things, and is only applicable when the complainant is a woman - the same rule applies. They have zero interest in people as human beings - only as a means to an end - yet these same people decry some mythical Patriarchy as perpetrating 'oppression' of women, saying that is is using people as a means to an end. Not only do these people have an absolute lack of interest and concern for the men adversely affected, they also have no concern for the women adversely affected, whether it be by not having a legitimate complaint acted on, or by being gulled into making a false complaint and thus running the chance of criminal prosecution. This is a very interesting game here :- Firstly, if all complaints are accepted and acted on, they win, by being able to point out that men, all along, were the rapists they claim them to be, and thus must be 'oppressors'. This also carries the bonus of disempowering men falsely convicted socially, legally, financially and in every way. (And some try to say that these people are not waging a war against us!). Secondly, if genuine complaints are turned away, they can shout from the rooftops that women are being abused and discriminated against by the Patriarchy, in the guise of police and the judiciary. Thirdly, if women are prosecuted for making false claims, they again win by being able to say that women are being abused for making rape complaints and are being oppressed all over again, with the net result being that The Patriarchy has won and it is now fair game for all women to be raped. This is what comes of sitting for too long in perfume-filled rooms and discussing the ins and outs of things - you either lose perspective OR you see a golden opportunity to make a killing any which way you cook the goose! It's a bit like your Kafka trap thing, and I am beginning to wonder if it is a genuine orchestrated campaign, encouraging women to make as many complaints as possible so as to falsely generate some conclusion in their favour.

Answer 3

Have you notice that the male screwups tend to be treated with more kindness by the media than the females? Robert Downey, Jr., Pete Doherty, and Christian Slater have all battled serious drug problems yet you don't see the media following them around all the time and writing sensationalistic stories about every time they mess up. I would say that the only major male entertainer who gets treated this badly is Michael Jackson and I suspect it has to do with questions about his sexuality more than anything else.

Answer 4

The media delights in bringing down anyone at the top of the ladder. But it seems lately that most of the women there are doing a good enough job of bringing themselves down.

Answer 5

I think women are treated as objects, instead of people. I mean hey, life happens -problems creep in & out of your life -aging -childbirth (if your so blessed) -relationships -& yet it's like these women are never supossed to change. -Years go by & comments are made about appearances( boy she's gained weight-or looks old- or looks tired & outdated) we all go through it! But in the media I guess your supossed to maintain that original youthful appeal. Hasn't any of these reporters /judges looked in the mirror lately? It happens to us all. Because of this our youth is then brought up to follow the same ridiculous cycle-over & over! Enough already!!

Answer 6

I do think that the media targets women but only because it boosts ratings. Marketing execs. know that women will buy the magazines that target female celebrities.
I don't think that there is any sexism there as the celebrity train wreck market is driven by the female consumer.
Men's magazines will generally only cover these celebrities when they are exposing their genitals in public.

Answer 7

More can happen to a women

Men do not get pregnant
or are anorexic because they want to be slim,

And women are more focused on by men who write the stories because they are women.

And there tend to be more girly sexy pop stars right now than
boy idols
rock stars are admired for their music not so much their looks

Answer 8

i think thats more of a relfection of our culture than the media. the media just does what will sell, and unfortuantely, bringing down entertaining women is what sells. It does so for a few different reasons.
I think that because we are told we can do anything we want as children in the west, and arent given any kind of realistic critisism because people are so scared of scarring our precious little egos, that we beleive it until we hit the real world and find that we have no talent. From there on, its easier to live vicariously through the entertainers that do make it through. breaking down the women sells, i think, because it 1)makes women who want to be like them feel better because it makes them look not quite perfect 2) because they entertain us, we feel that we are "owed" something from their private lives.

I dont think that there is a group of people sitting in a smoke filled shadowy room somewhere planning on how to best "bring down women" this week by making wild accusations that Angelina is getting fat so Brad is going to leave her. its as ridiculous as the idea of a "vast feminist conspiracy" to ruin the lives of men.

Answer 9

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