Playboy's Sex Symbol

As we are all aware, Playboy has become an empire that has dominated the portrayal of women in media. All the women shown are put at an extremely high standard of body image and sexuality. These girls have become nothing but a sex symbol. They are no longer looked to as women, yet have become an object. Just take a look at how Playboy portrays not only women, but in this case, sorority women. What does this picture communicate about what women should look like, act like, and be treated?

Burger King Commercial

Take a look at this commercial promoting the Western Whopper for Burger King. Although the commercial is quite humorous, it still opens up some questions about the portrayal of women, in this case sorority women. After the girl on the couch takes a bite of the Whopper, her sorority sisters begin to scream. Then we, as the viewer, need to ask ourselves why they are screaming. Are they screaming because this thin perfect woman has just taken a bite out of the burger? Then she grows a mustache which ruins her face? Or are they screaming because she is a "fake blonde"? From there more questions arise as to why is this girl dying her hair a different color than it's natural and it opens the thought about what women are doing in order to keep their appearance up to scale and fit in. Not eating burger king? Dying their hair?

CLICK HERE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcNXxctkO1c

Sorority girl off to Harvard

For those of you who have seen the movie "Legally Blonde," you understand the basis of the story. A beautiful, young, sorority woman decides to apply to go to Harvard Law to prove to her ex-boyfriend that she can be the high standard women that he wants. Here is the conversation she has when she brings up going to Harvard with her parents:

Elle's Mother: Honey, you were First Runner-Up at the "Miss Hawaiian Tropics" contest. Why are you going to throw that all away?
Elle: Going to Harvard is the only way I'm going to get the love of my life back.
Elle's Father: Oh, sweetheart, you don't need law school. Law school is for people who are boring and ugly and serious. And you, button, are none of those things.

What message is this sending? Her parents are telling her that she already is fun and beautiful and that is all she needs to get by in life and be happy. They believe that if she goes off to Harvard she will "throw it all away" and become boring and ugly. This is giving women the idea that all they need to be is a gorgeous trophy wife and that if they are good looking and fun there is no need to be smart. This is a terrible message to give to girls and women. It is saying as long as you look good, you’re set, and if you try to use your brain, you will become boring and ugly!Below is Elle's admission video into Harvard. In the video she is shown multiple times in a swim suit and always looking beautiful. The video does not quite show her educational level, yet her physical qualities. Yet, this video works for her and she is admitted into Harvard. This too is giving a distorted view of reality. This is telling women again that if their looks are up to scale, they will get anywhere they want.

CLICK HERE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oodEKfTqPIE

From Letterman's jackets to Greek Letters

The media portrayal of Greeks has done some damage to the stereotype of Greek women and women in general. Who is affected? High schoolers heading to college. If they have watched video after video and show after show portraying "sorority girls" as "sluts", then that is what they will think they will have to do in order to "fit in" once they get to college. Or these girls have the idea that they are going to have to change whoever they are in order to be accepted. If the media says that a girl should be prim and proper, stuck up and snobby in public then become an easy, slutty, ditzy girl to fit in with the boys- that may be what they will do once they enter college.

Do letters define a person?

From campus to campus, young women and men are flashing their "letters" on everything from shirts and bags to the stickers on their cars. Do these letters define these people? Having these letters on our car or on your shirt does say something about you. Due to this stereotype that the media has placed on female Greeks, when a girl is seen wearing her letters, she automatically falls into one of the two categories. She may as well wear a shirt that says "Slut" or “Princess" according to what the media says!

House Bunny

For those who have not seen or heard of the movie "House Bunny" below is the trailer. The premise of the movie is that this Playboy Bunny is kicked out of the mansion and had to find a job. She soon became the house mother of a sorority house. The girls of the house are all portrayed as outcast and unpopular. Then this "bunny" comes in and gives these girls a make-over which gives them attention and finally some sort of likeability on campus. The problem shown here is that in order for these girls to "fit in" or be okay they must conform to the "norm" of the other sorority girls on campus- they must too become Playboy bunnies in order to make it. What does this mean for all women? This movie shows that in order to go anywhere or do anything productive, you must "look good" while doing so. It shows that these girls' lives are greatly improved due to a make-over. Is that all it takes? What is this telling all women? Look good to be good! What do you think?

CLICK HERE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coonC811-qQ

Sydney White

This is a trailer for the movie Sydney White. Please pay attention to how this completely justifies and uses the sorority girl stereotype. The "blonde, perfect, #1 on campus," etc. Then also pay attention to how this movie/clip shows that if you are a girl and you are different from the "norm" you will be shunned! Just one of the many stereotypes the media uses for Greeks. It gives not only a terrible display of sorority women, but women in general! Unlike many other movies, this one does have a great point to show that even this girl, Sydney White, will be fine if she just continues to be herself and not change just because that is what the "popular" girls want of her in order to fit in. This movie does depict women in a bad manner at the same time though as showing them as beautiful, conniving, and young women who will do whatever needed to be on top. Please watch the preview and tell us what you think!

CLICK HERE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q8DfAH7UxI

The stereotypical sorority girl according to the media:
-pearl wearing, prim and proper, polite, uptight
or
-slutty, vindictive, will do anything to be popular or for attention
or both??

Who is this girl???

Would you like to be this girl?

What are your first impressions when you see this girl?