World Savvy Monitor

The effects of gender inequality in media-saturated culture are thought to be profound.

• One estimate places the number of hours of television watched by the average North American child at 5000 hours, including 80,000 advertisements, before kindergarten age.

• Numerous studies conducted in many countries have found that nearly three-quarters of women reported feeling bad about their bodies after looking at images of models in magazines and advertisements.  Poor body image can lead to depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.  A Canadian study found 5 and 6 year olds who reported having dieted for the purpose of achieving an ideal body.  Between 5-10 million Americans have eating disorders, nearly all girls and women.  Another 7 million have plastic or cosmetic surgery every year.

• Sexualization of content is only increasing.  The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that of the approximately 14,000 references to sex a teen will see each year in the media, only 165 will contain any reference to delaying sex, using contraceptives, or avoiding sexually transmitted diseases.

• Music videos that contain unflattering and aggressive lyrics about women are also of concern to women’s and children’s advocates, many of whom see this gender baiting filtering its way down to sexual harassment of girls in schools.

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