Do I Feel Misrepresented?

       While watching Miss Representation, I felt a number of emotions. Shock, sadness, disappointment, the feeling that I already knew the information they presented, worry, and hopelessness. I felt as though the documentary was a good message overall, but I wasn't sure how to approach such a large issue. This is an issue that is bigger than all of us. We need to examine truly where these false beauty standards came from, the messages that the media sends, the origin of those messages, and why those messages are being sent. We also need to more closely examine what the effect of those messages are on every aspect of society. I felt as though the optimistic tone the documentary took at the end was kind of futile in the face of such a large issue. There needs to be more done, in my opinion.
     After watching the documentary, I felt as though I needed to examine myself. Did I feel as though I was being misrepresented in media? Was I being influenced by the messages media was sending to me? Was I perpetuating self-objectification and perhaps spreading that message on? Was I taking down other women without realizing? These are all questions I asked myself, though I wasn't able to answer all of them. I did feel as though I was being misrepresented in media, in the sense that I felt under-represented. I don't see many mixed individuals in media, and especially Asian women are very difficult to find in any form of media. I felt as though seeing little of Asian women growing up definitely influenced me more to feel as though I didn't necessarily belong. I definitely am influenced by the messages media sends me, about my body, weight, hair, eye color, ethnicity, and sex. Every aspect of me is available for scrutiny. Yet, how much am I influenced?
    I have always been insecure about my body. I tend to see skinnier women in media, and even "plus size" women do not share my body type. Seeing media images of what the body should look like, often unrealistic images, have influenced how I view my own body. I definitely regularly critique my appearance, and rarely feel confident or "pretty", and this definitely was an influence of media. I do feel as though I spread that message also. I sometimes find myself shaming other women, saying "what is she wearing" or making fun of how she looks or acts. I sometimes catch myself, but it is definitely something we all need to work on. Women are definitely pitted against each other, and I feel as though that is another influence of media, where they are pitted against each other rather than working together. Powerful women scare the media, truthfully, and that is why it is so difficult to just be a powerful woman in today's day and age without facing constant scrutiny.