I think what this reading is all about is how much power the media has over nearly every part of our lives. It doesn’t matter if it is how we show our sexuality or what rights we have or don’t have the media plays a very big role in it. For example the perfect body image is also dictated by the media. At the moment, and for quite some time now, women have to be skinny. There shouldn’t be a gram of fat on their bodies. This topic is so prominent that some women can’t stand the pressure and take drastic measures like crash diets, which are neither healthy nor do they really help. But not only women are affected by this kind of body image. More and more men become anorexic by trying to become what the media defines as perfect. Most of the models which are supposed to be role models don’t even look like that in reality but with the help of Photoshop they do. Another part the media influences is as mentioned above our sexuality. Companies realized that if they couldn’t stop the gay and lesbian movement they might as well profit from it. Now the media is promoting all kinds of products especially for homosexual people. I don’t know if this part is good or bad. One the one hand gay and lesbians don’t have to hide anymore on the other hand though they are under even more pressure to act and to look the way the media dictates.
This reading also mentioned the power the internet as a means of communication has over the information we get. This was already discussed once in the reading “Communities, Nations and Feminist Activism” but what is new is that you shouldn’t take everything as it comes but be a bit suspicious. This can be very important in a case like the one in Nigeria. Yes, it is important to help and yes, the internet is a great way to raise awareness but we should also take into consideration that there are differences between countries and people and we should respect them.
