Media's Effect on Children

Jennifer Siebel Newsom began her presentation last Wednesday evening with the story about the birth of her children, Montana and hunter, and the stark contrast of reactions from both family and friends regarding the birth of each child. When her daughter Montana was born, she received pink clothes and compliments on her beauty, while when her son Hunter was born, he received blue clothes and compliments on how successful he was going to be. It's in this very moment, that children are first exposed to the gender roles and identity they will be molded into by not only friends and family, but cultural factors such as media and advertising. From an early age, children are gently nudged in the "correct" direction by external forces, in the form of blue clothes and trucks or pink clothes and dolls. It's in these first years that children begin to understand what's acceptable, what's not acceptable, and how to behave according to their gender.

As they continue to develop throughout life, children are bombarded by a media environment full of advertisements selling them products to enhance how they look, in order to fit "appropriate" dimensions as deemed by the authorities in charge. Women see digitally enhanced female figures with these "perfect" physical attributes, and are reaching for this unattainable goal of perfection. How is anyone expected to be physically and emotionally healthy when they're constantly trying to accomplish something that's impossible? Aside from the advertisements, messages from the television, movies, and other entertainment medias disseminate this gross representation of women as objects, demonizing any woman in power who speaks out, is absolute in her words, and contributes a substantial intellect. To the entertainment media, that kind of woman is the opposite of what women are supposed to be. How are we supposed to teach our children about developing a healthy sense of gender identity if we're locked in the current system at home and with advertising and entertainment media promoting this negative, objectification of women in roles of power and authority?

Jennifer Siebel Newsom said that first, we, as the United States, need to be clear on who we are. The United States has a moral imperative to be a media role model, and break away from the celebration of a singular female and male body type, and discontinue perpetuating this unattainable concept of perfection to our women, and end the promotion of "emotional constipation" to our men. Entertainment media can be a part of the solution by recognizing women in roles of power as women of substance, instead of criticizing their style. Our advertising leaders can follow the trend of the United Kingdom, as the country now monitors misleading advertising. And we can make a change in our individual households by educating our children about the importance of individuality and self-worth.