Gender Inequality in the Media The media has a fierce impact on today’s society throughout all generations. Different information and/or characters in the media can sway public opinion on a certain matter, in this case gender inequality. This can range from female role models to lesser pay for women simply due to their gender. Either way, women are being discriminated against. It is estimated that a women’s pay in the UK will not be the same as a male’s until 2068. However, girls worldwide are denied an education and have no chance to get a well-paying job. Sexual objectification promotes gender inequality as women are depicted as mere objects that men can use as they wish. This is classed as gender inequality as it infers that men have some control over women. 38% of female video game characters are found to be wearing revealing clothing and 23% show cleavage. Once again this is an inference that men have control over women as they are showing their body to please men. Women in fiction products such as TV shows and films are rarely portrayed as strong, powerful and independent. Where young boys have multiple heroes and role models to look up to such as super man and successful businessmen found in multiple TV shows such as How I met your mother, young girls don’t have that inspiration. In many fiction products women are illustrated as Bimbo’s, promoting the image of stupidity amongst women. In the rare films including independent businesswomen such as The Proposal, women appear cold-hearted and detached as if to say powerful women are heartless yet men can be powerful but still warm? Young girls need motivation to succeed and the media is one of the places they can look for inspiration. There have been many women throughout British history that we can look up to however the media in general refuses to acknowledge them as much as men. Not only if this unfair to the idols but also refines young girls knowledge of them. You can’t look up to someone if you don’t know about them. For example Boudicca, a strong rebellious woman who led an army against the Romans but not many young girls would know this. A solution to this would be to encourage independency, strength and possibly feminism in the media. Perhaps someone needs to create a comedy following a group of independent women. This would broaden girls’ dreams and offer new opportunities for their future. At St. Edmund’s we were curious to see if others felt similarly about his issue so we took to the corridors and asked a range of students and staff their opinion. ** Follow the link below for our Video-Report ** I believe that gender inequality will forevermore exist so long as the media conveys it. The media needs to promote independence for women as this will encourage each generation to reach for it so that hopefully one day women can feel equal to men and be treated equally. By Talitha