The Negative Portrayal Of Women In Superhero Films

Just like many things in the United States, gender inequality has gotten a little out of hand. Gloria Steinem is a known feminist who grew up loving Wonder Woman and feels like there should be more female heroes. Throughout her essay she explains her arguments by manipulating the rhetoric situation and presenting solid claims. Gloria Steinem is not the only talented writer who is demanding to be heard. Maura Reilly gives insight to gender inequality in another entertainment source.

when we think women are the protagonist or the hero, the story ends up revolving around the man.

Sexism, from the lack of women creators to the hypersexualized characters, is an enormous problem facing the comic book industry today. It is the 21st century, and the comic book industry is still a male-dominated industry. Thankfully, there are fewer distress damsels and more leading ladies, but I remain unsatisfied and believe that we need more. With female versions of superheroes doing better than their male counterparts, it will continue getting better. This world absolutely can not become better, until all aspects of life ceases the discrimination against

The objectification of women does not exist in America as it does in other areas of the world. In fact, they perfect equality and prosperity of all genders in all places: Wal-mart, schools, and even Hollywood. Showing women what they need to look like gives them an image to strive for. In movies, girls always need saving but never saves. Girls here know what they have to look and act like in order to find success, unlike other countries where they have to pretend they aren’t anything at all. Being the person everybody wants is better than not being anybody at all. Hollywood allows few lucky girls to act like that person while also promoting that woman to others. Today’s Hollywood gives women an outline to not only who but where society allows them to be. In films today, there is an undeniable lack of women as main characters. Less than a third of women receives main roles out of 800 movies and 35,205 speaking characters (Smith). As in movies, it is imperative for women to hide in life. Let the men take the spotlight, and stay in the shadows. For example, in the 2016 election, a woman ran for president. Having intellectual thoughts and opinions does not make a woman more attractive, which proves why Hillary Clinton inevitably failed, especially to such a politically polished and more qualified Donald Trump. Hillary fools herself into thinking a girl stood a chance against a man if she only wore an ugly

In the media we see today, and movies that are continually coming out all have a central idea in common. They all show and represent the idealistic perspective of male versus female in society. From cartoons to chick flicks to romances and comedies we notice identifiable differences and trends represented between the two genders. In the movie I watched, “Clueless,” there are many examples illustrating male superiority over female, ideas of what femininity should be, and female appeal towards the male figures in the film.

Women are deemed as a “minority” yet make up 51% of the world population and in 2014 made up only 12% of protagonists in films. And that is just on-screen, the percentage decreases as you go farther and farther into behind-the-scenes positions such as directors, cinematographers, and writers. Add race and ethnicity and those characters' percentages decline even more (Lauzen, 2015.) Women in film and television are often portrayed with emphasis based on their body type and in advertisement are largely objectified. The large objectification and misrepresentation of women in the media has led to an offset psychological view of women from growing up to adulthood.

In addition, we will explore the context in which the members of the group communicate with their intended audience using mass communication. The last part will try to examine the recent changes in the comic-book world in regard to giving the traditional male superhero role to a female lead and what changes might it bring forth by breaking some of the female gender stereotypes and norms.

Who doesn’t love a good superhero? The perfect figure, the spandex suit, the flowing cape, flawless looks, and the powers we can only dream of having. Superheroes have been around for ages now, leaving an everlasting imprint on our hearts. It is no secret that males dominate the superhero industry; both the heroes themselves and those who create them. Superman, Batman, Ironman, and Spiderman have become the top heroes of all time; there is nothing wrong with them holding the spotlight, but female heroes are underrepresented. There are notable female heroes, but they tend to be drawn with a busty figure that few women are naturally blessed with, and show little emotional rational in fights. Take Black Widow (Marvel) for example, anyone would love for her figure and kick-ass moves. Wonder Woman is our hero of the hour, she has made her way onto the big screen; casting her into the spotlight more than ever. She screams fights for love, promotes peace, is a beacon of hope, and screams feminism. What’s not to love? The new movie released on June 2, 2017, has called more attention to the American-spirited, Amazonian woman than ever before. The movie is the first fully female directed movie, Patty Jenkins brings a great female to the big screen. Although the movie is great and supports feminism, is the movie the depiction of Wonder Woman that should be idealized?

The presence of media is prevalent in our technology savvy lives. Yet with inequality shown in media, we are constantly bombarded with sexist concepts. This issue was specifically exemplified in the movie “The Avengers” where a bunch of superheroes get together to collectively defeat an enemy.

Throughout the world women are depicted to be oversexualized among forms of media such as video games and comic books. The idea of oversexualization towards female characters is that they have been often drawn and animated in hypersexual ways. Even going as far as viewing them as a sex object, their revealing body images are eye candy through the eyes of men. Hence women found in comic books and video games are frequently emphasized by their excessive physical appearances, objectification, portrayal, and character role.

Frequently, most superheroes in cinema are portrayed by male characters rather than women, creating a distinction between gender roles. Indeed, through the passage, “These results may suggest to viewers that women are less important, knowledgeable, and capable than men – and less likely to be a hero” (Miller et. al) women are much less likely to be featured as the hero within the film, and more likely to be featured as the “damsel in distress” of the story. Furthermore, women are much more likely to be depicted in a sexualized fashion, even when displayed in the role of hero. This feature of women with a lack of dominance defies feminism, as they lack roles in superhero films and they are portrayed with the sole purpose of boasting

Filmmakers use traditional gender stereotypes to produce characters audiences can easily identify with by portraying conventional images of a person with identifiable characteristics. In previous years, the dominant representation of a women in film has been the passive, subjugated protagonist. However, through the development of female empowerment and added feminist representations of film, the female heroine transformed to become strong and independent women in her own right, as an individual character.

In the entertainment world today, comic superheroines are conveying messages to women everywhere that their powers are not limited, and they all have the ability to choose their fate. Many movies, tv shows, and comics are coming out that involve strong, independent women. This recent rise in representation has gotten out to women everywhere, and this is influencing them throughout their lives. With the rise of female comic book characters in the media, women are changing the way they see themselves and the role they play in the world.

Books, plays, and movies that depict culture and social life often make statements about social issues such as gender roles, racism, and class distinction. Stories set up a context in which characters relate, often representing “stock” characters chosen from society and placed in situations where their stereotypical behaviors—and sometimes their breaking of these stereotypes—are highlighted. As feminism became a popular movement in Western countries in general and the United States in particular, female voices were naturally heard through fictional characters. Social and political issues commonly fuel entertainment; feminism, racism, and classism—recurring themes in entertainment through the 20th Century and into the modern day—have

The simplest way to increase gender equality is by creating more roles for women. According to 2007-2012 film statistics reviewed by the New York Film Academy, the “average ratio of male actors to female actors is 2.25:1.” With less females onscreen than males, men continue to be the majority in movies. It is important to portray realistic representations of everyday life in where “women comprise 50 percent of the population” (Green, Women In Film Los Angeles). It is also important for women and young girls to have a variety of role models to look up to. With more women in movies, young girls will begin to understand that being a woman does not limit what they can do. Organizations such as Women in Film were created to help by “promoting equal opportunities for women, encouraging creative projects by women, and expanding and enhancing portrayals of women in all forms of global