In the chapter "Women Confronting and Creating Culture", the authors discuss the underrepresentation of woman in the media and how the few women who are shown are portrayed. I agree and think that it is definitely hard to find women in media. There are way too few women in movies, television, music and literature. And the ones who are depicted in media make up a very small percentage of women. These women also often comply to strict gender norms that set have set up; these gender norms occur even in commercials. An interesting thing that the reading brought up was that commercials are gendered to fit certain types of shows and movies that come on television. For example, commercials during ESPN shows will show advertisements for beer or tools. On the other hand, commercials during soap operas show advertisements for cleaning tools or beauty supplies. It is amazing how gendered the media can be and how subtlety it is thrust upon us. We often think that gender norms are created through our parents or peers, but the media can have just as big as an influence. I think another problem with media is how they underrepresent women of color and women who do not conform to conventional beauty standards (unless they decide to make a stereotype or caricature out of her). Often there is little to no diversity and if there is, the women have European features(Light skin, straight hair, etc) and are very thin among other things. Media is the main outlet for Eurocentric beauty standards and it teaches girls to strive to be something that hey aren't.
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