Girls and Women in the Media: The Messages and the Myths
Part 1: Overview
The purpose of these lessons is to examine how girls and women are portrayed in the media, understand the subtle messages that media sends, and filter those messages through the truth of God's word. As a result, you can take these truths and share them with the young girls, teens, and women. I am not an expert in this area and much of the information is gleaned from various sources. As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me.
To start with, I will show you examples of various media "messages" and give you some guiding questions to consider as you examine them. We will lay a foundation of biblical principle that you can use throughout these sessions, and finally you will learn some practical steps you can take today.
To start with, I will show you examples of various media "messages" and give you some guiding questions to consider as you examine them. We will lay a foundation of biblical principle that you can use throughout these sessions, and finally you will learn some practical steps you can take today.
Example 1:Go to www.bratz.com. What are they advertising? What age group is it geared towards? What type of clothing and accessories are emphasized? What hints and ideas do they offer? |
Example 2:How old do you think she is? How is she dressed? How is she posed? What
parts of the body are being emphasized? [This is Cindy Crawford's daughter -- Kaia Gerber -- modeling for Versace. She is 10 years old in these pictures.] Update: This photo was taken in January 2012. In February 2012, Cindy Crawford decided to pause her daughter's modeling career until she turns 17. Read more at this link. |
Example 3:How old is this girl? What is she wearing (or not wearing)? How is she posed? What else do you notice?
[This is Kaia Gerber -- modeling swimwear at 5 years old.] |
Example 4What words are emphasized in the caption? Who is in the background? What is happening?
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Example 5What do you see? What is being advertised? How would you react if this were an animal leg showing?
[In case you weren't sure -- the advertisement is for footwear.] |
Example 6What are they advertising? What is the double meaning behind the caption? How are they "selling" their product?
[It says "We're about to reveal something you'll really drool over?" |
Example 7What is being advertised? How are they promoting the product?
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Example 8Describe the picture on the left. Who is this woman? Compare it with the woman on the
right -- how are their clothes similar? [The picture on the left is of a "street worker" (prostitute). The photo on the right is a an advertisement for clothing.] |
Example 9This caption says "Makeup at any age." How old is the girl? How is she dressed? What are they promoting?
[The model in this ad is 10 years old.] |
Example 10How old are the models? How are they dressed? How are they posed? Take note of the accessories.
[This is Beyonce's "Bootylicious" clothing line.] |
There are several "myths" that media and society perpetuate through music, TV, movies, advertisements, and ads.
The most prominent are the myths of:
1)perfect proportions
2)reveal to appeal
3)younger is better
4)invisible "he"
5)violence is okay
In the coming weeks/sections, we will look at each of the messages carefully and view them through God's eyes, using His Word to fight against them. But for right now, let's start with some basic biblical principles...
*This will be in a Bible study format. After each verse are some questions. Feel free to share your thoughts in the boxes underneath the passage and submit them if you want. Include an email address if you would like me to contact you.*
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Deuteronomy 6:5-9
Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. When and where are we instructed to teach our children? The Jewish people would literally tie boxes with small scrolls to their hands, foreheads, and doorframes. How can we make God's commands as "symbols on our hand" and "foreheads"? How do we "write them on our doorframes"? |
We cannot be naive...the devil is actively seeking to destroy us. A coach will spend hours studying film to understand their rivals' strengths, weaknesses, and game strategies. We need to do the same for our young girls and women. Yes, we need to protect and shelter them from negative influences, but also need to discuss what is out there because they will encounter it eventually and they need to have coping skills! We can’t wrap them in bubble wrap and lock them in their bedroom…even Rapunzel had a prince sneak into her tower!
It is important not to be embarrassed to discuss sexual issues/topics with your children, even from very young ages. This is not just true for girls, we also need to be willing to connect with our boys, sons, nephews, and husbands about these issues. Fathers can talk with their daughters, also! (More on this in Part 5! Children (yes, children) are experiencing puberty earlier. They are not equipped socially, mentally, emotionally to handle the changes. We need to help them navigate the confusing and conflicting emotions and thoughts by directing them to God's Word.
The risks are great. If we do not actively, continually, passionately address these issues with the girls in our sphere of influence, Satan will try to "devour" them with depression, eating disorders, sexual sins, and other lies. The consequences are staggering.
Look back at Deuternomy 6:7. What if we "translated" this verse to 21st century terminology? Maybe it would read like this:
" Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you surf the internet and when you watch TV, when you are reading magazines and when you are walking through the mall." ~BKL 2012 version :-)
It isn't enough just to denounce the media's messages, though. We also need to guard our thoughts, turn them towards Christ and let Him be in charge!
So let me ask you...who is in your "sphere of influence"? Are you a mother,sister, grandmother, aunt, teacher, youth leader, coach, neighbor? Everyone has someone they can affect!
Before I finish this section with some practical tips, let's look at one more passage of Scripture.
Ephesisans 4:17-21
Ephesians 5:3-16
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. 20That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the trut that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed because these are improper for the Lord’s people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a] 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that isilluminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper,rise from the dead,and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
Two groups of people are contrasted in these passages: unbelievers and believers. Reread the passages and look at the characteristics of each group. Make a list of how "media" manifests the same characteristics as the unbelievers mentioned in the passage. Also list the characteristics that young girls and women (as believers) should exhibit. Don't peek...do this on your own before scrolling down!
It is important not to be embarrassed to discuss sexual issues/topics with your children, even from very young ages. This is not just true for girls, we also need to be willing to connect with our boys, sons, nephews, and husbands about these issues. Fathers can talk with their daughters, also! (More on this in Part 5! Children (yes, children) are experiencing puberty earlier. They are not equipped socially, mentally, emotionally to handle the changes. We need to help them navigate the confusing and conflicting emotions and thoughts by directing them to God's Word.
The risks are great. If we do not actively, continually, passionately address these issues with the girls in our sphere of influence, Satan will try to "devour" them with depression, eating disorders, sexual sins, and other lies. The consequences are staggering.
Look back at Deuternomy 6:7. What if we "translated" this verse to 21st century terminology? Maybe it would read like this:
" Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you surf the internet and when you watch TV, when you are reading magazines and when you are walking through the mall." ~BKL 2012 version :-)
It isn't enough just to denounce the media's messages, though. We also need to guard our thoughts, turn them towards Christ and let Him be in charge!
So let me ask you...who is in your "sphere of influence"? Are you a mother,sister, grandmother, aunt, teacher, youth leader, coach, neighbor? Everyone has someone they can affect!
Before I finish this section with some practical tips, let's look at one more passage of Scripture.
Ephesisans 4:17-21
Ephesians 5:3-16
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. 20That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the trut that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed because these are improper for the Lord’s people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.[a] 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. 7 Therefore do not be partners with them. 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that isilluminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said: “Wake up, sleeper,rise from the dead,and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
Two groups of people are contrasted in these passages: unbelievers and believers. Reread the passages and look at the characteristics of each group. Make a list of how "media" manifests the same characteristics as the unbelievers mentioned in the passage. Also list the characteristics that young girls and women (as believers) should exhibit. Don't peek...do this on your own before scrolling down!