Notes

As Beyonce said, "My mother taught me the importance of not just being seen but of seeing myself." She goes on to say how important it is to her that her daughters see themselves in books, films or runways. How important it is to her that they see themselves as CEOs, as bosses, and that they can speak their minds and have no ceiling. My name is Victoria Lopez, and I'll be talking about how images in media has properly represented, empowered, and united women, overall created a positive and confident self image for girls.

The most important reason why the media has resulted in a positive self image is that women of different backgrounds are now being represented and seen more than they were before. If one were to go back 30 years, they'd be shocked with the lack of inclusivity in the media, especially when it came to women. They were predominantly white, thin, and had no aspirations rather than remain obedient to their husbands. Things have clearly changed. Producer, Shonda Rhimes, known for creating tv shows that center around a strong female lead, explains how she found it necessary to have such diverse casts as she knew how important it was, especially for young girls to be able to find somebody they could with. Representation in the media is important as it leads to girls accepting and being proud of the person they are.

My second reason is that the media has in a way created a form solidarity between girls. An example of this solidarity would be the 2017 Women's March. This protest after the presidential inauguration united women all over the world, despite their differences all collectively agreed that their rights should not be infringed upon, nor should they be treated like mere objects. Celebrities like Beyonce and Ariana Grande using their platforms to promote female empowerment is another form of solidarity. Together they have encouraged girls that rather than tear each other down, they should instead put their energy in motivating and supporting each other. By constantly incorporating the concept of feminism in their work both have taught women that they are forces to be reckoned with and should feel good about their own individual successes.

Lastly, through the influence of media young girls are now feeling encouraged to work hard and partake in challenging opportunities, as they are no longer feeling subjugated by their male peers, and are now realizing they can be just as successful if not more than men. In comparison to before Women have now been seen taking over "complex" jobs once prominently dominated by men.
Once again, Beyonce's entire discography conveys this whole mentality as she expresses the fact that women can be successful without a man, and that they should b unapologetic even if it threatens a mans ego.

Although L claims that the media plays a significant role in the development of eating disorders and low self esteem, that is far from the truth. Research has shown that in reality genetics and early childhood trauma has attributed to distorted body image issues. If a parent is constantly belittling their child for issues such as obesity by manipulating behavior with food or simply projecting their own personal insecurities onto their child, a low self image is developed from a very early age. Obviously this can lead to one not only developing an eating disorder but depression. Therefore it is not logical to put the blame on _ for a young girl's poor self image caused by trauma.

with the mentality that women can be just as successful as men, female empowerment, and inclusivity in the media, young girls are now feeling more empowered and confident resulting in an overall positive self image. Critics should not negatively target the media for supposedly creating eating disorders and decreased self esteem in girls. The truth is that the media has opened so many doors and has made it easier for girls to connect and relate with each other. How can one say the media has negatively impacted girls when it has done nothing but encourage them to be confident, determined, and prosperous.