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Essay / An illustration of the reality of women in the film Miss Representation
Miss Representation focuses on how women are undermined through the use of conflict theory and gender socialization. Conflict theory is known that the ruling class sets the rules of culture in society. The ruling class in this film is men. Throughout history, men have been dominant and are known to make the decisions when it comes to change. Men demonstrate conflict theory by defining women as mere attractive sexual objects. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay For example, when Kate Couric was doing an interview, the cameras focused on her legs because she was wearing a skirt exposing her bare legs. Not only did male presenters make sexual comments about her legs, but the media also harped on how a woman should have Kate Couric's legs. Under conflict theory, men use their knowledge as a means of power over women, because apparently, men have more experience and knowledge in the “field” than women. As more and more men realize this is the case, where men can dominate women through knowledge, these acts have become habitual for both men and women. As men acquire this powerful dimension, the culture develops and women succumb to it. As conflict theory influences culture, male power is strengthened. Men hold the privilege of honor and power throughout society. The films also demonstrate how women are merely sexual commodities for their films by exposing their bodies and focusing on nudity or sexual appeal. Men also define how women should act. For example, when Hilary Clinton ran for president, she displayed certain masculine qualities in order to defend herself and yet she was degraded in the media by calling her a "slut." But when a candidate cried on television, they were seen as gentle and sincere. Television becomes the redomestication of how society as a whole perceives things. Gender socialization also contributes to women's roles in society as a whole. Gender roles have been defined to the extent that women should be a caring mother and caregiver who cleans the house and waits for her husband to come home from work, while men should always be at work and dealing with the stresses of the world outside. There was a revolution during World War II, when men were at war, women were working in factories making weapons during the war, and it was considered a man's job. Institutionalization also plays a significant role in how women are represented across the world. The media is the largest institution that contributes to the interpretation of how women should look, act and be. As a society, we consume 10 hours and 45 minutes of media every day. The media gives a limiting structure to women. The media demonstrates that women must have unattainable beauty. Even if a woman achieves this beauty, digital media changes much of that woman's reality. As media consumption continually increases, this is becoming more and more evident across the world. Furthermore, women's behavior is learned through the media,.