Miss Representation

Speaker: 
Film
 
05 Mar 2012
 
6:00 PM
 
South Ballroom, Memorial Union

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Miss Representation exposes how mainstream media contribute to the under-representation of women in positions of power and influence in America. The film challenges the media's limited and often disparaging portrayals of women and girls, which make it difficult for women to achieve leadership positions and for the average woman to feel powerful herself. It features stories from teenage girls and interviews with politicians, journalists, entertainers, activists and academics, like Condoleezza Rice, Katie Couric, Margaret Cho and Gloria Steinem. Jennifer Siebel Newsom wrote, directed, and produced this 2011 Sundance documentary. A discussion will immediately follow the 80-minute film led by Joel Geske, Associate Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication.

In a society where media is the most persuasive force shaping cultural norms, the collective message that our young women and men overwhelmingly receive is that a woman's value and power lie in her youth, beauty, and sexuality, and not in her capacity as a leader. While women have made great strides in leadership over the past few decades, the United States is still 90th in the world for women in national legislatures, women hold only 3% of clout positions in mainstream media, and 65% of women and girls have disordered eating behaviors. Miss Representation accumulates startling facts and statistics that will leave the audience shaken and armed with a new perspective. Jennifer Siebel Newsom is the founder and CEO of Girls Club Entertainment and serves as a member of the Healthy MEdia: Commission for Positive Images of Women and Girls. She graduated with honors both from Stanford University and Stanford's Graduate School of Business.