SPARKit!: Examining Media Images of Women & Girls
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The Media Education Foundation is excited to partner with SPARK and Hardy Girls, Healthy Women to produce this SPARKit, which provides video clips, discussion questions, and activities to help middle and high school girls think critically about media images and messages and explore the impact commercial stories have on their lives. The clips and activities offered on this page will give girls -- and their parents, facilitators, and teachers -- an opportunity to explore issues of body image and sexualization within the context of cultural messages.

This SPARKit consists of these three easy steps:

Step #1: Download and do the "Critiquing Girl World" activity from Hardy Girls, Healthy Women's From Adversaries to Allies curriculum.

Step #2: Watch the two MEF video clips below and then use the prepared, downloadable discussion questions to have a conversation about media images, sexualization, body image issues, identity issues, and more.

Step #3: Use this Social Action Project as a guide to writing a protest letter to a company that you think sexualizes or objectifies girls in their ads. Be sure to let SPARK know how it went, so MEF and other SPARK partners can support you! E-mail [email protected]. Download the instructions for the Social Action Project now.
Films of Interest


Killing Us Softly 4



What A Girl Wants


Clip 1: From Killing Us Softly 4

 
WATCH: From Killing Us Softly 4. Jean Kilbourne speaks about print advertising, idealized beauty, objectification, and sexualization. 6 mins 10 secs.
Discussion Questions

  • What do you think is the purpose of advertising? How does the purpose of advertising affect the way people are portrayed in advertising?
  • What are some stereotypical stories media tell about women? About men? Can you think of some stories or messages not mentioned in the clip? What patterns of difference do you see between the kinds of stories told about women and men? How do you think this impacts girls and women, boys and men?
  • Jean Kilbourne mentions an increase in media sexualization, especially in how media portrays and targets younger girls. How do mainstream media define sexy for girls? Can you give some examples of media sexualization that you've seen?
  • How are sexualized images in media different from the messages kids receive about healthy sexuality from parents or in school health classes?
  • Kilbourne mentions a number of concerns about the media's version of sexy. What impact do you think these images have on girls and boys and on their relationships?

Download the discussion questions.

Clip 2: From Generation M

 
WATCH: From Generation M. This clip explores idealized beauty
and the commercial interests that put forth media images that encourage
the pursuit of 'perfection.' Also includes a discussion of eating disorders,
disordered eating, and dieting. 6 mins 43 secs.

Discussion Questions

  • Describe the ideal girl or women, according to mainstream media. Do you feel that the media reflect or create the ideal image of beauty in our society? Or do you think it's a bit of both?
  • What are some of the potential physical, emotional, and mental effects on girls and women who try to live up to our culture's ideal image of beauty and sexiness?
  • In the clip we heard about the "thinness ideal" in our media. We also learned about the impact television had on girls' feelings about their bodies in Fiji. How and why do you feel individuals are susceptible to media influence? What does the media promise to those who match up to this ideal?
  • What is responsible advertising? What might it look like in advertising to girls and women? How about to boys and men? Do advertisers have a responsibility to society? Do they have a responsibility to children? Why or why not?
  • What role can girls and women play in diversifying or creating more options in our understanding of what it means to be a woman in the culture? What role can boys and men play?

Download the discussion questions.

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