Blog 10: I Touch Myself: For Breast Cancer

Summary

In Australia, The Cancer Council started a campaign and used Chrissy Amphlett’s ‘I Touch Myself’ song and remade it into a breast cancer awareness song. It launched on April 14^th and used numerous Australian female singers. The original song was about masturbation but these women took this song and turned it into something greater and more positive. The lyrics now “I touch myself” refers to a woman touching her breast, examining for lumps or signs of breast cancer. The video portrays the Australian singers and all of them are topless. Though as stated it is becoming more difficult to deliver a positive message through media due to all the negativity you see from it, this song has captured people’s hearts and won their trust and recognition. This song and video has created an intimate relationship with females and families of breast cancer victims and survivors through media.

Analysis

This is another article which exhibits media in a positive way. Many times you see media having a negative influence on women by making beauty be the ultimate goal or desire. This campaign has used a song that was originally about a sexual concept and turned it into an empowering song encouraging health. Normally portraying a woman in a video in her nudity is used to sexualize or make something sexy. These women were topless for a good cause a good reason, to show the beauty of breast and how important it is to take care of them by self-examination in prevention of breast cancer. I wish that media was used for more positive reasons like this one. 

I touch myself  

Blog 9: Media Against Women

SUMMARY

This article simplifies the discrimination that women in America face. Media is used in many ways such as to inform, but one way it has been used is to dehumanize women by making them aware of their inferiority. Women are depicted as a representation of sexualization in different forms of media. Most of the images used of women are altered and fabricated to make a women appear to be more sexualized or helpless. The article also states “As Susan Griffin put it in her 1971 essay on the subject, a woman in the United States is made to feel vulnerable, unable to say that she is “…free of the fear of rape.” Women are depicted more so as objects instead of human. The women used in media are often fairly thin and tall. With the average woman body dimensions not meeting the criteria of the model of course females are to feel inadequate.

ANALYSIS

This article expresses the reasons why I’ve chosen my topic of media and how it affects women and their beauty. In so many ways media defines or constructs the definition of beauty. With women in magazines, advertisements, and modeling there is a window of opportunity for the female race to dehumanized, over sexualized, and used a construct of beauty on how females should look. It presents the idea that you have to be thin, wear make-up, dress this type of way, and act thus way to be classified as beautiful. These are not what the standards should be. 

Being a Woman

Blog 8: Black is Beautiful

Summary

Adama Paris is a fashion designer of African ethnicity. Born in Senegal, Adama bases her fashion line off of her African culture. Her fashion as she states "My designing process starts always with me."With what I want to wear; with what is in my closet -- my style is multi-cultural, it's eclectic, it's the mix of my travels, it's bold, it's rocky," she adds. "It's African." Adama started a fashion even known as Black Fashion Week. This week is used to celebrate and model African fashion. Adama says her inspiration was based off of her travel around the world and noticing fashion.  Adama explained “I was really frustrated”. “When I looked around there were so few black models and I felt like I wasn't belonging there.”Adama wanted to present African fashion due to its neglect around the world. She also advocated for the idea that black is beautiful.  She felt as if the black/African community of modeling and fashion had been discriminated upon so she felt she had to create exposure to the culture to help her own people.

Analysis

I value this stance so much. As a girl of color I have noticed that we don’t have much influence nd representation in the world of fashion. Adama represents and wants to create opportunity, awareness, and exposure to the idea of black being beautiful. Typing in the world model the most representation I would receive is a white thin girl with blue eyes and blonde hair. Adama, who is part of the fashion industry, uses her role as a celebrity to spread the idea to influence the word that black is beautiful and should not be discriminated against.

Black is Beautiful: Stop Discriminating

Korean Pop Star Makes "Ugly" Beautiful

Summary

A Korean pop artist, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu uses her beauty and popularity to change the expected and anticipated image of beauty by using factors that other artist would not normally use. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu stated that she has a dark side and finds beauty in things that people would normally not.In her videos she uses plus size dancers, bald people, and other factors that would people would classify as unattractive. While other Korean stars are into the Harajuku theme and only want to portray beauty as make up and fashion Kyary Pamyu Pamyu stated “The spirit is that I am not the same as others. I don’t want to be the same as Harajuku culture, I think.” She aims to be different abd wants her fans to support her idea of what is beautiful and should be accepted by society. 

Analysis:

This story was very interesting to me. At a first glance I saw her videos to be strange, different, and somewhat disturbing. As I read more about her and what her goal is I developed sense of appreciation of Krary Pamyu Pamyu being different and not afraid to share her images of what she finds beauty in. Seeing plus size background dancers in her video “Pon Pon Pon” is something that many artists are not willing to do. Krary Pamyu Pamyu is a very beautiful girl but she strangely she does not try to exhibit her beauty she tries to make her appearance if I should say “ugly” or scarier.  I appreciate Krary Pamyu Pamyu for taking a stand and representing something different so that others can know that what you value as beautiful should be accepted by society no matter if it isn’t the norm. 

http://www.theguardian.com/culture/australia-culture-blog/2014/mar/21/kyary-pamyu-pamyu-tinges-j-pop-horror-show 

Blog 6: Dominican Republic Plastic Surgery Leads to Infection in 19 women

Summary:

Nineteen women who had received plastic surgery in the Dominican Republic ended up getting nasty infections after the process. In Dominican Republic, plastic surgery is must cheaper and easier to afford. Of the nineteen women more than half were treated at the same exact clinic while in the Dominican Republic. The other seven women were seen at different clinics. The infections were said to be caused by Mycobacterium abscessus. Mycobacterium abscessus is a bacterium very similar to the tuberculosis bug. The infections were very difficult to treat due to the bacterium being resistant to many antibiotics and other drugs. The women were hospitalized, required to attend therapeutic sessions, and had to undergo additional surgical procedures in order to treat the infections.

Analysis:

Plastic surgery is a medical procedure that many women and even men have been fond of getting in order to either preserve or increase their beauty. These nineteen women went to the Dominican Republic to receive tummy tucks, breast implants, and liposuction. The prices for those services in the Dominican Republic are much cheaper and that is due to the fact that all of their clinics are not licensed or accredited. The services provided may not be as sanitary or follow the correct procedures as they should. Some people who may be willing to risk health issues just to amplify their beauty. I see this as an issue of value. People are willing to go through processes to make them look better even if they aren’t aware of the risks that come with it. 

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/19-americans-infected-during-plastic-surgery-trips-report-finds-n46261 

Blog 5: Beauty Pageant Contestant Who Values More Than Beauty

Summary:

In England, a beauty pageant contestant who was crowned Miss Durham and hopes to be crowned Miss England shared her story with the public on how transforming from tomboy Lauren Abel into beauty queen Lauren Abel has actually helped her self-esteem. Lauren Abel was a tomboy and was told by her boyfriend that she wouldn’t stand a chance in a beauty pageant. Lauren took this as challenge and became involved. Lauren who is 23 years old admitted that the experience has changed her life for the better by helping her build her self-confidence after years of struggling with mental health issues. Lauren states “I now realize it’s not about being pretty and skinny, it’s about having a healthy body and a healthy mind.” Lauren aims to help and motivate people to gain their self-confidence. Miss Abel is also trying to raise as much money as possible for Beauty with a Purpose, a charity supported by Miss England that benefits good causes around the country.

Analysis:

This article really caught my attention because Lauren Abel is someone famous who signifies beauty that aims to teach people about having a healthy body and mind before they think about the aspect of beauty. Many times the people involved in media who influences the public only advertise and promote beauty or a product. This beauty pageant contestant aims to first help people realize health comes before beauty. Lauren also aims to help girls with mental health problems to regain their confidence. This article portrays how media, models, and people in the entertainment world can positively have an effect on the public and their view on beauty. 

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/11035324.Beauty_queen_who_battled_mental_health_issues_hopes_to_inspire_others/?ref=rss