Body Image and our Youth: Girls as Young as 6 Think of Themselves as Sex Objects
A new US study asked girls from the ages of 6 to 9 to choose a doll that 1) looked like themselves, 2) that they wanted to loook like, 3) that would be most popular in school, or 4) that they wanted to play with. Across the board they chose a doll in tight and revealing clothes. Evidentially 68% of girls said the sexy doll represented how they themselves wanted to look, and 72% said the sexy doll would win a popularity contest up against non-sexy dolls. We should be concerned! The media increasingly sexualizing women is affecting girls at younger and younger ages. Lets stop watching tv shows, advertisements, and publications that promote unhealthy body images. (Read the article here: http://www.livescience.com/21609-self-sexualization-young-girls.html)
Hollaback at advertising!
An example of online activism working! Do you see offensive or belittling advertisements? Lets work together to stop it! http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2012/06/online_chain_reaction_gets_pri.html
Superficial Priorities by Gillian Morris
Earlier this year a political scientist named James Q. Wilson passed away. He was best known for his ‘broken window’ theory, which said that if a window in a house was broken and left unrepaired, soon all the windows in the house would be, and crime of all types would increase. If the window were fixed, crime would go elsewhere.
This idea was taken up most famously by Rudy Giuliani, who decided to change New York City’s reputation for crime by addressing the very smallest things: the broken windows, the people begging on the street. By almost any account, it seems to have worked: the crime rate in New York today is not even comparable to what it was in the 80s.
We at Hollaback are big believers in the broken window theory. We believe that street harassment is the very top level of a deep problem of unequal treatment between men and women. If we can address the way that women are treated in public, we think that the way men and women relate to each other in the home, school, and workplace will be improved.
This is why I’m so glad that we had the chance to screen Miss Representation, an American documentary that explores the way women are represented in the media, back in March. The documentary, like Hollaback, forces us to confront assumptions we usually don’t even realize we make. Why do we evaluate a woman’s leadership and personality qualities based on how she dresses? Why do we think women politicians ‘complain’ whereas men ‘state’? What are we assuming about a politician’s emotional state and worthiness to lead based on that choice of word?
The Miss Representation screening was attended by nearly 200 people: men and women, headscarved and tank-top-wearing, black and white. There’s clearly interest in, and momentum for, changing the status quo here. Yet change requires more than a gathering to watch a thought-provoking documentary.
So how to fix these broken windows? We’re now in the process of putting together a report on women’s representation in the media across the countries where Hollaback is active, which we hope will offer concrete examples of how media actors and regulatory agencies can foster a more balanced portrayal of women. Want to get involved?
If you’re interested in helping with our research project, please contact istanbul@ihollaback.org
Hollaback! International Expansion
Last week, the global Hollaback network expanded t0 8 new cities which makes our total Hollaback network more global than ever. We are fighting strong in 52 cities, in 17 different countries, speaking 9 different languages. Meet the Leaders from our new Branches
Story Sharing this Sunday 4-6 P.M.
Canımız Sokakta Legal Counsel Nihan Guneli said in a written press statement: “The important problem in issues of street harassment is that victims lack knowledge about their legal rights. This meeting is instrumental in beginning the larger process of sharing your stories, not only to get psychological help, but to also be informed about your rights in such situations.” Read more from Today’s Zaman
and join our event this Sunday from 4-6pm. (Story Sharing event to be in Turkish.)
We’re in the News!
Yabangee.com Expats for Expats Website Interviews Canimiz Sokakta Founder Kacie Lyn Kocher
In an interview by local website yabangee.com, Canimiz Sokakta director Kacie Lyn Kocher explains: “I think that a large part [of our success] has to do with Istanbul being such a tech-savvy place, much more so than I previously imagined. Everyone has a smart-phone; everyone’s on Facebook, and Twitter here is insane. So when you’re looking at problems like street harassment, a problem that’s so pervasive, and you’re addressing it with technology in the way that Canımız Sokakta does, everyone’s inspired to participate.” Read more: http://yabangee.com/?p=578
no commentsIstanbul’s Red Files: The Hidden Stories of Women #2 By Cansu Ugur
#2: We are not in the Matrix
Have you ever noticed that most of the cosmetics, chocolate or cake commercials use women that are too slim and too beautiful? Are you familiar with the image of a glamorous lady holding the shiny lipsticks and looking at the camera in a sexy way with her charming blue eyes? All chocolate and cake commercials use young girls and boys who eat the products as they are addicted to them or always eat those. However nobody can stay so slim as the models in commercials, especially after becoming addicted to those treats!
Although media tries to attract young people using the tools of a charming beauty and slimness, Media cannot actually deliver these qualities. They get some help from the virtual world to create those gorgeous ladies. Mostly they use Photoshop or some specialty programs which allow them to change background or color. After a series of modifications, they creates wonderful ladies or men who are super slim and attractive, as well as creating a crowd of mostly young people who try to be like what they see in the media..The Barbie ladies created this way become an ideal model for young generations, who try to be slimmer, more beautiful and more attractive but never get what they want. Anorexia and depression due to appearance or outfit are the most tragic results of this fact.
As a woman, I do not want the media to impose the idea that I have to be a Barbie toy which is super slim and beautiful. Everything the media creates is not real; it is a mixture of real and virtual world. By being aware, one can easily see the difference between the real and the virtual worlds. We are NOT in the matrix!
Best Regards,
Cansu Uğur
Canımız Kampüste in Hurriyet Kampüs!
Our Canımız Kampüste program made the front page of Hurriyet Kampüs. Read about what we’ve been up to during this fall semester!
TACİZ-KAPAK (1) (Cover)
TACIZ (Story)
Hollaback! Istanbul in International French Radio
Check out volunteers Rasime, Nihan, and Kacie talk about Canimiz Sokakta’s role in fighting street harassment in Istanbul. International French Radio covers us starting at minute 6:50: http://www.rfi.fr/emission/20111219-disparition-vaclav-havel
(NOTE: This is in French.)
no commentsHollaback Istanbul in Radikal!
Interview w/ founder Kacie Kocher and 2 page spread on our organization. Turkish-only.
no comments