I’m a huge fan of oversized clothing. It’s comfy, I never have to worry about anything fitting “just right,” and it’s not too revealing. If given the choice between wearing a swimsuit in public, or clothes clearly too big for me, I’d choose the second option instantly, and the way women are being portrayed in the media by their clothing is the main reason for my decision.
We see the objectification of women in movies, television shows, on the news channels, at events and all around social media. Thanks to the cell phones glued to our hands, we’re even more exposed to it than ever.
Back in 2014, at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, celebrities like Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus, and Beyonce wore revealing outfits that sparked conversation about self-expression versus the social limits of revealing attire. This was 10 years ago, and the issue of sexualizing women based on clothes, hair, makeup, and more is still under heavy discussion.
The idea of personal freedom in fashion opens a new door of conversations based around what societal norms are and how they can be changed. Self-expression, empowerment and the media’s role in shaping our ideas about women’s fashion in particular.
From my perspective as a woman working in media, one of the most obvious biases regarding fashion are news anchors. With their shiny lip gloss, perfect hair and makeup, they paint an image of what women who work in the media are supposed to look like. In all reality, by the end of the day these women probably look like a completely different person than the one they present to the screen.
Kaitlin Meiregerd, a sophomore at Wayne State College, is an agriculture communications and leadership major. As a communications major and someone with a personal social media presence, she’s aware of the way women can be misrepresented and presented in the media.
“I think there’s definitely a stigma when it comes to what female reporters should look like in the media industry, specifically the news outlet,” Meiergerd said. “We see a lot of women that look very similar and fit certain beauty standards. I think we’ve stepped away from that in recent years, and the newsroom has become more diverse in physical appearance, so that’s really encouraging to see.”
If the goal is to make news anchors look younger, the industry is succeeding. But at the same time, it’s very objectifying to the women working in this industry.
Jami Floyd, a newswoman for Fox, testifies to this information about molding women into an image.
“There is a whole department devoted to makeup and hair at Fox. It didn’t matter which show you were on, the look was consistent,” Floyd said. “Their people seemed to put a lot of makeup on, and certainly a lot of eyelashes. The women wear skirts and heels.”
If normal isn’t what news anchors are going for, what is normal? Because the image they’re painting for girls and young women is what women are “supposed” to look like. I don’t want to live in a world where the norm for women is to look like perfect plastic Barbie dolls.
I’ll stick to my oversized clothes for now.
