The media often portrays women with unrealistic bodies, using photo- editing techniques to make them appear more attractive than before. Why is it that women are only viewed as attractive objects? Why can’t women be viewed as people who say intelligent things? In today’s society women still only make seventy-seven cents for every dollar a man makes.

Many of you may have seen the commercial on YouTube by the brand “Always”; they brought out the “Like a Girl” campaign towards the end of June this past year. In the video they interviewed many teenage and young girls, as well as a young boy.

They asked them to do certain activities, “like a girl,” and what they found was that teenage girls and young boys both acted with the stereotype that women are weak, making fun of the way girls supposedly did certain things. Younger girls, on the other hand, did not think that the phrase, “like a girl,” meant anything different than just trying their hardest at the activity.

What the video shows is that over time women are put down into thinking that these stereotypes are true. So why is it bad to do things “like a girl” in our society? Why did that term develop such negative connotations?

On September 20^th of this year Emma Watson gave an inspirational speech about Feminism to the UN and received a standing ovation for it. Her campaign, “He for She,” stated that women aspire to be treated fairly and equally, just like men.

I personally believe that this issue is not as prevalent in our society as it is in others but that doesn’t mean we need to avoid it. We have gone far in women’s rights, but we can go farther. Emma stated that stereotypes against men needed to be broken down as well.

The stereotype that men can’t cry, or share their feelings, or be caring, needs to be dissolved, just like the stereotypes against women. This campaign is much better than just the term feminism on it’s own because it’s aimed at killing the stereotypes of both men and women to create a more level and realistic playing field.

The media still portrays women as these creatures with perfect hair and thin, flawless bodies, but in reality, these “flawless beings” do not exist. Though the media may continue to objectify women, the UN and Always’ awareness raising campaigns are a step in the right direction to break down barriers for both men and women.

See for yourself!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjJQBjWYDTs (Like a Girl)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkjW9PZBRfk (Emma Watson UN)