Representation

1. Describe a group, issue, or event that you may want to represent within your project.  

An issue that I feel passionate about and would like to represent within my project regards the sexual harassment and unequal treatment of women. As I’ve grown older, I have become less naive to the inappropriate thoughts of older men. However, I am not surprised. Because, just like every other girl, since I was a child, I have been preparing for this. I have been prepared for the expected harassment I’d face as my hips grew wider, my self security grew lower, and I’d have to start practicing, my now-perfected, looking over my shoulder while on a jog. “Don't ever walk home alone, Amanda” my mother would say before I understood why she was saying it. Now, I understand.

Sexual harassment is not normal. But, it is common. It has become so common to the point of normalization.The first time I was ever physically sexaully harassed, I brushed it off. I tried to blame his actions on everything but him. “That’s just his personality, he’s just super friendly” I’d convince myself. Until he did it again, and I told him he’d crossed the line. All he did was laugh, accused me of taking what he did the wrong way. He told me he was just joking and that I had no sense of humor. And that was the end of it. I sometimes question if I had just blown the whole situation out of proportion, but I know I didn’t because although it’s common, it is not normal, and it is definitely not okay.

The concept of consistent sexual harassment of women is a topic I’d like to represent within my project because it is extremely relevant and very personal. When I say “personal”, I am not referring to myself. I am referring to my mother, my aunts, my cousins, my girlfriends, and all the women who have been assaulted/harassed. Which in hindsight, I am really just referring to all woman. Because at some point in a woman’s life, regardless of the severity of the incident, a woman faces sexual harassment in one form or the other.

2.  Analyze two examples within the media of how this group, issue or event is already represented.  

In TV shows and other forms of media, female victims of sexual harassment are portrayed as just that - the victim. They are depicted as fragile, emotionally unstable, and very traumatized by the event that took place. And sometimes, this representation is accurate. However, most of the time, woman, like myself, just carry on. Some are too scared to report their harassment, in fear of being called a liar like the many women before them. Some, deny the incident as it took place at the hands of someone they knew and trusted. Often times, when women do come forward, their attacker is hardly ever brought to justice. For instance, take the real life case of Brock Turner - a successful college athlete - who raped a girl while she was unconscious and was ruled with only 6 months incarceration and 3 years of parole. This case was one that received extreme backlash from the public as it was deemed unjust to give Turner such little time for a crime that the evidence showed he was, without a doubt, guilty of.

Sexual harassment is an issue that is not distinctly represented in media. Often, behaviors of sexual harassment go unnoticed or unaddressed within the media, whether that be through a fictional or non fictional outlet. Even comments that are considered inappropriate and can make someone uncomfortable are still made despite their obvious sexual tendencies. For example, take the 2016 presidential election when a video of Donald Trump encouraging a male colleague to “grab her by the p*****” was released. His encouragement of was not only disrespectful and degrading, but was clearly one that encouraged sexual assault. Instead of it being shunned upon, it was marketed as a Trump slogan and even used by his supporters against his female opponent, Hillary Clinton.

Another example of how sexual harassment is represented in the media lies within the portrayal of those who commit acts of sexual harassment. For instance, in the media, such as within films, attackers are often strangers. However, in real life, statistically speaking, a woman is more likely to be attacked/harassed by someone she knows and/or someone she is close too. Gender is also a role that is considered in the representation of sexual harassment. In almost all forms of media, sexual harassers are male. This contradicts with the reality that anyone who commits an inappropriate sexual act towards another can be either female or male.

3.  How do you feel about these representation characteristics?  Are they fair? Correct?

I don’t believe all of these representation characteristics are fair or correct. Some hold truth, while others are completely wrong. As of recently, representation about sexual harassment has increased in accuracy. For example, in the show “13 Reasons Why”, there is constant representation of various issues, one being rape. In the show, the scriptwriters address two forms of rape. One being that the assaulter is the character’s boyfriend. Not many understand, that rape can take place in any situation - even a relationship. However, it was clear within the show that despite the character’s self denial, her boyfriend was assaulting her - forcing her to do things she made clear to him that she didn’t want to do

4.  Which representation characteristics would you retain?  Which would you challenge?

Some characteristics I would retain within my project is the representation of emotional trauma that comes with being sexaully harrassed. There is no amount of denial that can take away from the feeling a girl gets after the incident occurs. This is a constant variable throughout all media platforms when addressing how women are treated in terms of sexual assault. In all media productions that address this topic, there is evident discomfort that provokes the audience throughout the story. This method of getting the audience to sympathize with the on-screen character, allows the audience to realize that this is extremely real issue, regardless of if the narrative is fictional, and that it must be addressed.

Another characteristic that I would like to retain when portraying the issue of sexual harassment is that it stems from cultural and social influences. The whole concept of normalizing behaviors of harassment is an evident issue within our society. It is a clear contribution as to why people who participate in sexual harassment believe that what they do is okay. That if a woman doesn’t say “No”, then she’s implying yes.

On the other hand, one characteristic that I would want to challenge within my project is the identity of a sexual assaulter. Someone who sexually harasses another can be of any age, any gender, and of any background. They can be a stranger or a close friend. There is no one description that fits a person who does such things. But, one thing is certain about all people who decide to sexually harass another. And, that is that there is nothing to excuse his/her actions.