'Girlfriend' Magazine Analysis

Cover Analysis:

The March 2012 issue of 'Girlfriend' magazine

Today I analysed the March issue of 'Girlfriend'- a popular magazine for teenage girls in New Zealand.
The name of the magazine has a few connotations behind it; the team behind the magazine, though older than the target audience, are trying to create a magazine which is almost like a 'girlfriend' (good friend) of the readers, ie. they can rely on it for advice, gossip and laughter, just as they can with a real 'girlfriend'.


The cover girl of this issue is Lea Michele. She is very well known for her role of Rachel on the hit TV show 'Glee'. On the show her character is high maintenance, bossy, very self-assured, and not very popular. But Lea Michele is thought of as sexy and has a lot of fans- both male and female.
She has tanned skin, dark brown eyes and dark brown hair. This shows her foreign roots- she is of Italian-Spanish-American heritage.


The cover has a white background, and about 50% of the text is black. The rest of the text and the title 'Girlfriend' are pinky purple; the same colour as Lea's shirt in the main cover image. This colour was used as it fits with the main photo but also because it symbolises femininity which will appeal to the target audience, as this magazine is aimed at teenage girls.


As well as the main photo of Lea Michele, there are 2 other smaller photos on the front cover: one of One Direction and one of Taylor Swift. They are there to advertise the posters that are included with the magazine, but also to attract the attention of One Direction and Taylor Swift fans especially those who aren't Lea Michele fans and might not otherwise be interested in buying the magazine.
This ensures a wide target audience- fans of Lea Michele, and Glee, fans of Taylor Swift and fans of One Direction.


The articles advertised on the front cover of the magazine are:


- Private pictures from Reece Mastin
- An article about the Hunger Games
- An article about Glee
- An article about having "the talk"
- An article on how to understand teenage boys
- A celebrity advice column (Annah Mac)
- Posters (One Direction, Taylor Swift, Big Time Rush)


These show that Girlfriend believes the main things teenage girls will be interested in reading about are:


- Guys
- Celebrities
- Sex

Adverts like this make the product
seem like a 'must-have'

- Advice
- Movies and other media

I counted the advertisements inside the magazine and came up with a total of over 90 advertisements!


This is made up from:


Makeup: 11 ads
Skin Care: 7 ads
Hair products: 4 ads
Clothing and jewellery: 19 ads
Technology: 1 ad
Other: 43 ads


Other things that were advertised included:

- Movies (DVDs to buy, movies to see in cinema)
- Books
- Perfume

Bags, such as this clutch, are
often advertised to teenage girls

- Stationery
- Bags
- Foods (eg. desserts, cake decorating items, healthy snacks)
- Campaigns (eg. Smoking: Not Our Future)
- Events (eg. Stage Challenge)
- NZ Magazine Company
- Websites and Facebook pages
- Deodorants
- Other appearance related objects (eg. makeup removal wipes, fake eyelashes)
- Radio stations
- CDs
- Video/PC games
- Groups (eg. Gay/Lesbian Youth Support Group)

The magazine uses popular celebrities, such as Justin Bieber, to advertise products.
This is an effective way to advertise as it attracts your attention and if it is a celebrity which you are a fan of, and look up to, you will be interested in the product because they are.

Inside the magazine a lot of the articles doubled as advertisements. The article might talk about a new TV show, what to do in the holidays, or what's in fashion but will then tell you to watch the program, go to a certain tourist attraction, or buy clothes, makeup and jewellery.


Examples of these include:

'Style Stalker' tells you what's 'hot' this season,
but includes prices and stockists on the same page.

- A competition to win a shopping spree sponsored by Benzac skincare which advertises their product on the same page


- 'Everything You Need for A Rad March' which is basically a list of makeup, nail polish, perfume, jewellery and books which you "need" to buy to have a good month


- 'Style Stalker' is an article about what's in fashion this season, complete with prices and where to buy the products


- A list of who has won last months competitions, and advertisements to attract those who didn't win into buying the items

This article gives tips on how to
become, as the title puts, it 'A Pretty
Girl', using the makeup and nail
varnishes which they then try to
sell to the reader.

- Makeup and hair tips including a list of prices and stockists


- Health article including advertisements of 'Nice & Natural' snacks


- Advice column advertises an online goal setting program


- Gaming, CD, movie and book reviews which also tell you where to buy the game, music, music or book


- Interview with an author who then tells you where to buy the book


- 'Beginner's Guide to The Hunger Games' that tells you to watch the movie in the cinema


- An interview with the stars of 'Austin & Ally' which tells you when the program premieres on television

Main Focuses of Articles Within The Magazine:

'Real Life Reads' are stories written by
'Girlfriend' readers about an important,
unusual or interesting event in their life.
These are a good way to inform readers of
issues, as they are relatable to.

Within the magazine the main focuses of the articles are beauty, fashion, relationships, guys, friends, advice, sex and health/diets. Sometimes there will be a small article concerning world affairs, news, and politics but most of these involves a celebrity, or a teenager who the reader can relate to. Often these are in the form of a 'Real Life Read', an article written by a 'Girlfriend' reader about an event in their life, as these are often more relatable to.

This is because the creators of 'Girlfriend' know what the readers of the magazine will most enjoy, as this is what will make the magazine sell. 

I believe that it is important for this magazine to include articles which the readers will enjoy, but will also advise and teach them.


Some articles inside this issue of 'Girlfriend' which are quite educating, or provide good advice, while still being entertaining are:

This article talks about the benefits of cycling
and why 'Girlfriend' readers should start
using their bike.

- 'Slow & Steady' which gives readers advice on times in their life which they should slow down, such as while brushing your teeth or eating. This might not sound like a terribly exciting topic, but the layout of the page (such as the color and images used) draws your eye in and the subheading 'You might think you're blazing the trail, but your speedy pace could mean you're missing out on health benefits' makes you wonder what these benefits are, and your curiosity makes you keep reading.


- 'Meet The (Friend's) parents' is an article talking about how to behave when meeting a friend's parents for the first time. It uses teenage slang to make it an easier read, which 'Girlfriend' readers are more likely to understand.


- 'Angry Birds' talks about youth violence, especially among teenage girls. It provides readers with information and statistics, as well as help and advice.
The title 'Angry Birds' draws you in to the article, as it is a well-known term because of the popular iPod/iPhone app of the same name. This is one way you can appeal to the audience, and attract their attention.


What stereotypes of girls are represented in the magazine? Are there any omissions (for example, certain ethnicities, disability, sexual preference etc.)


'Girlfriend' magazine tries hard to be inclusive of everybody, regardless of race, age, ethnicity, sexual preference and ability.
An example of this in this issue is the article which interviews 6 homosexual girls and boys on how they came out to their family and peers.
This article would not only help teenagers in the same situation and give them guidance on how to do the same; but would also be a help to people with gay friends, and give them tips on how to help their friend/s through the coming out and accepting themselves process.

Other examples include real life articles sent in by readers talking about overcoming challenges despite disability, and the mix of ethnicity in the models used.

Despite this, 'Girlfriend' magazine hasn't fully grasped the concept of complete inclusion. They have special sections where the models used are of realistic size, but these pages are marked with 'Photoshop free zone' or 'Reader models only' logos. The main photo shoot in the magazine always depicts stereotypical stick-thin, long legged girls hired from modelling agencies, and these girls never have disabilities (although they do include girls of various ethnicity).


Which celebrities are offered as role models?

Annah Mac is portrayed as a
role model in this magazine.

One celebrity who is offered as a role model in this magazine is Annah Mac, as there is a celebrity advice column where readers write in with problems and a celebrity- in this issue this is Annah Mac- answers the questions.
She is a suitable role model for 'Girlfriend' readers as she is a young female with a clean image, who was born and raised on a small farm in New Zealand, but because of her high hopes and dreams has managed to reach national fame.

What does the magazine portray as being normal?

The magazine tries very hard to include a mixture of girl's in the images used, but despite this the "normal" girl is a thin, Caucasian with either blonde or brown hair; this is the type of girl depicted in a majority of the photographs used throughout the magazine (such as in the photo shoots, and the accompanying images for articles).


Does it portray a positive message about what it is to be a teenage girl today?


I believe that this magazine gives quite a mixed message about what it is to be a teenage girl today. While they talk about being comfortable in your own body,  and being a confident woman, and not letting yourself be objectified etc. the magazine is also filled with advertisements for hair removal, tanning, makeup, hair and other 'beautifying' products which put the message to readers that they should look and act a certain way.
Despite this, 'Girlfriend' magazine does give a more positive message about what it is to be a teenage girl than other magazines on offer.


How does this affect people?


'Girlfriend' magazine is a big influence in teenage girl's lives, as it is a good source of entertainment and people enjoy reading it, meaning they are taking in information and advice from it. Because of this, the content of the magazine is very important.


Media as a whole is a heavy influence in people's lives, especially teenagers who are more likely to succumb to pressure and do things if they are pressured to. One reason that it is such a big influence is people's exposure to it- magazines are popular with many people. They are good for a fun and quick read and people read them while relaxing, or waiting in doctor's offices, to name a few.
Being exposed to something more often increases a teenagers chance of being influenced by it.
The other reason that magazine's are so popular is the idolization of celebrities. Celebrities are looked up to by many people, and at some stage most people will have read an article for advice, bought something after seeing an advertisement for it, or followed the guidance of a fashion column.


Because of this, everything inside magazines (such as 'Girlfriend') can really influence it's readers, and because of this it is important that the content is empowering, helpful and appropriate, rather than degrading and objectifying.

Teenage Girls in Adverts: Degrading vs. Empowering

Today I am going to be analysing some advertisment: some that degrade girls and some that empower them. 

The main dividing points between the two types of ad are who created them, and their target audience.


The adverts which degrade girls are often created by males and a lot of them are aimed towards men talking about females instead of directly to the girl.

Nowadays though a lot of adverts are created by females, for females, and have more empowering messages.

 This advert is aimed towards teenage
girls, and is for a makeup that will
hold all day as you 'work, workout at
the gym and party all night', and holds
the promise that you will "wake up in
the morning with your makeup in place"

Advertisements which degrade girls:

Adverts which degrade girls depict them as:

- weak

- unable to do even the simplest of tasks

- should be able to cook and clean, and an education isn't as important

- property of a man

- immature and dim

- 'supposed' to be good looking and well dressed at all times

A lot of adverts aimed towards teenage girls are for makeup, clothing, skin care products or weight-loss/ gym deals. This in itself is degrading as it is presuming that all teenage girls are and should be interested in this sort of thing, because they should care about their appearance.

This advert (shown right, above) is for a makeup brand that is guaranteed to stay looking good so girls can 'work all day, workout at the gym, party all night and wake up in the morning with your makeup in place'. This is presuming that all teenage girls care immensely about, and are almost obsessed with their image.
This is degrading as there is definitely more to girls than good-looks, and a makeup that stays on all the time definitely does not put across this message. This ad could also cause teenage girls to become anxious, and lead them into thinking that they need to wear makeup 24/7.

This advert is showing sexism, and is using
the young female to create a "fantasy scene" for
males

This advertisement (left) is for a men's deodorant 'Lynx Dry' and depicts a girl in her late teens/ early twenties in skimpy lingerie cooking a meal, with the phrase "Can she make you lose control?" This advert is definitely objectifying girls, making them seem like an object just there to please men.
The female is shown in underwear while cooking to create a "fantasy" for men. This advertisement definitely also showing sexism as it is implying that the female should be in the kitchen cooking, and also says that she should be obsessing with her appearance to ensure she looks her best, to appeal to guys.

This sickening advert
is putting across this young girl
as an object of desire

The next ad I will be analyzing is shown right, and is for Love's Baby Soft- a lip product.
This ad has used the image of a young girl, clutching a teddy bear, with the slogan 'Love's Baby Soft. Because innocence is sexier than you think.'
This advert is putting this young girl across as an object to please men, and being very sexist.
Adverts like this can actually be harmful, as people then think it's okay to think of young girls in appropriate ways, and makes young girls think they need to worry about their appearance so that they can 'appeal' to men.

This ad depicts teenage girls in suggestive poses,
wearing next to nothing

This advertisement (left) is for 'Bubblelicious', and depicts teenage girls in underwear posing suggestively. This advert is sexualising these girls and making them appear like they are objects. Chances are this ad would appeal more to males than females! Adverts like this are degrading and objectifying and can not only make males get the wrong idea about females (and think that they are objects etc.)

This advert is degrading as it is implying that girls
are 'easy', and using this image and idea to
sell their product

but they can also negatively influence females who think they have to look this way too.

The final degrading advert I will be analysing is for a furniture store, and is shown to the right. 
This ad depicts a girl in her teens/ early twenties in suggestive clothing lying across a couch, with the title 'Being CHEAP isn't always a bad thing'.
This advert is degrading as it is implying that teenage girls are 'cheap' (ie. desperate, happy with any man who comes along) and has used this, and the overly sexualised image of the girl, to sell their furniture.


Overall these adverts do not represent teenage girls positively or fairy. The girls in these ads are over-sexualised and heavily made-up, and the advert focuses on their appearance, using this to sell their product. The girls are objectified, and all fit the same criteria: slender with smooth 'perfect' skin, long hair, skimpy clothing and a lot of makeup. Being exposed to this can give girls a negative image, as they see this and think they have to "live up to the same standard". This can result in teen females becoming obsessive with their weight, clothing and makeup, and still not being happy with themselves.


But now on a more positive note....

Advertisements which empower teenage girls:

As I mentioned earlier, whether an advert degrades or empowers girls often depends on who it is targeted at, and who it is created by.

These "girl power" ads are all quite modern and aimed towards females. It is hard to know who created them, but there's a high chance it was a female.

A lot of modern adverts depict teenage girls in a neutral way (for example, as part of a family trying out a new product) but the ones I will be talking about are "girl power" adverts, i.e. ones that stand out for empowering females.

This advert is part of a set put
out my NIKE. Each talks about
a different body part, how
you can exercise it, and how
beautiful it is despite what
people might say to you.

This advert (left) is for NIKE and is part of a series of ads, each depicting a different part of the body which is 'worked out' at the gym, with an assortment of 'girl empowering' words. This one shows a young females shoulders and talks about how she has worked hard on them, lifting weights, and says they might not be 'feminine' but they are strong etc.
This is a positive advert for teenage girls to see as it puts females across in a good way. It talks about girls and their bodies in a positive manner- describing being strong and fit and proud as good, and not talking about needing to be super thin etc.

In this advert, Avril Lavigne
is shown as a strong female
which is definitely a positive
representation.

This 'Proactiv' advert (left) which shows a picture of Avril Lavigne, and the text 'I'm no pushover. I'm Proactiv'. This is putting her across as a strong, confident female who's in charge of her life. Her black clothing and heavy eye makeup show her personality, which is very out there and self assured. This is a good message for preteen/teen girls who will be viewing this advert, as she is represented as a strong female, who isn't afraid to be herself.

This ad talks about not being
embarrassed to talk about your
body and period.

This advert (left) was part of Kotex's advertising campaign which they started to empower a new generation of girls.
The advert's main text says 'I tied a tampon to my keyring so my brother wouldn't take my car. It worked.' and the image shows a young female driving into the distance with her fist in the air (a well known sign of happiness, power and triumph).
This advert is designed to appeal and relate to a wide audience. Firstly, the car is slightly beat-up and old looking, meaning that any girl looking at the ad could realistically own this car.
For most teenagers a car represents freedom and maturity, and in this photo the girl is driving away into a long stretch of road, which symbolizes adventure.
The small text at the bottom reads "Why are 40% of people uncomfortable with tampons?", and goes on to tell girls not to be ashamed of their bodies and it's natural processes, which encourages empowerment. The punchline of the advert is 'Break the cycle', which is a pun as it refers to both the menstrual cycle and the cycle of being embarrassed to talk about it. This is a positive portrayal of teenage girls as this advert is all about being proud to be female, and not being ashamed of yourself. Seeing this ad would positively influence a teenage girl as she would realise that she doesn't need to be embarrassed. This advert could also make her feel 'girl power' and a sense of pride.

These empowering adverts all show confident, 'real' females who can be positive role models for the young girls looking at the ads.

These adverts are a lot nicer to look at, and I believe they get the message across better. I would definitely be more likely to buy a product which uses strong, confident females in their advertising, rather than being sexist and degrading.

The Hunger Games

Katniss Everdeen-

The main character of recent film 'The Hunger Games' is Katniss Everdeen, who has been described as

" The heroine that the world needs right now"

Wired.com writes that even bigger than Katniss' challenge to win the Games using only "her bow, her arrow and her wits', is the challenge of proving that she is a heroine who can hold her own with the big boys, and hoping that pop culture will embrace this.


Katniss is quite different to the large numbers of female characters who are shown in films purely as 'sex symbols'. She is strong, smart, tough, compassionate and fierce: characteristics that stereotypical girls in movies and television have been lacking for so long.
She is not a typical, traditional superhero either. She does not possess special powers, or come from a comic book, and neither does she sacrifice herself like many female action-film characters (such as Trinity in the Matrix trilogy).
She is a true female hero, both physically and emotionally strong and 'The Hunger Games' does not follow the stereotypical storyline of the female hero obsessing over her male counterpart.

Determined, compassionate and both mentally and physically strong-
Katniss Everdeen is a perfect example of a not so stereotypical female character.

It is so important to have characters like Katniss in the media, as young girls are heavily influenced by what they see. Having more strong, confident, female characters like Katniss means better role models for the female audience who may be used to weaker, more passive female characters. The fact that she is a normal girl with a normal appearance, who wears every day clothing and isn't heavily made up and scantily dressed, ensures viewers are given a fairly realistic view of a teenage girl.


The Hunger Games has proved an outstandingly popular movie, with a fan base of mainly teen-aged males and females, and the majority of these viewers "root for" Katniss, ie. they support her and want her to win. And this isn't because she is outstandingly good looking, wears next to nothing, or acts dumb to catch a boy's eye. It's because she is a strong-minded, smart and brave character, who's story and background is developed so that the audience grows to know and love and support her.


The Hunger Games movie and the character of Katniss are very influential as they are putting across a non-stereotypical character who dresses and looks fairly average, and who is brave and has a good brain. Unfortunately characters like Katniss are still fair and few between, as often if a female character is the 'hero', she dresses in suggestive clothing, and smart girls in the media are often portrayed as unpopular and 'ugly' people (who usually go through some sort of transformation throughout the film where they dumb themselves down, and "become beautiful").

But Katniss Everdeen is a strong, smart, brave and heroic character who teenage girls all over the world should look up to as a role model.

The Ever-Changing Representation of Teenage Girls in Movies

"Traditional  teenage gender roles are become more blurred as society changes and ideology moves on"

What was then:
The representation of teenage girls in movies is changing over time which represents the changing position of females in society. In early films females were portrayed through the male viewpoint, were often objectified and rarely contributed dialogue: the plot was driven entirely by the male characters.
An example of this is 1955 film, 'Rebel Without A Cause', in which the male characters are the drivers of the narratives and the girls were simply there to attend to the boy's every want.
This was how a majority of young males believed they should treat girls, and of course their beliefs were only supported by the media they were exposed to.
If they were to see something in the media they had a high chance of copying it, as media such as movies and television shows are often turned to for advice.

'Rebel Without A Cause'- the male characters dominate
while the females are only there to attend to the boy's wants.

What is now:
The rise of feminism radically changed the representation of females in the media and nowadays a large number of movies are through the point of view of a teenage girl. Some examples of these are 'Mean Girls', 'Wild Child', and 'Bend It Like Beckham'. This is good as it lets female viewers watch a movie/ TV program which would have a females view of her life, instead of a male characters view of her. This makes the story line more realistic, and girls are more likely to enjoy watching it.

'Wild Child' - Poppy is a self-confident and rebellious teenage girl: quite
different to the quiet, passive roles that females once played.

Despite this, there is still negative representation of teenage girls in the media, though the girls are degraded in different ways. Nowadays teenage girls are often over-sexualised, which only encourages boys to disrespect girls, and makes young girls believe that they have to act and look this way- resulting in them obsessing over their weight, makeup, clothes, who they have as friends, and how they interact with boys. Although girls are not as passive as they were in older media, and are no longer thought of as the 'possession' of the male they are with (whether it be their father, boyfriend etc.), girls are still objectified. An example of this is a male "fantasy" being created, using female models, to sell a product to boys.

This can be destructive to both males and females, as it gives them the wrong idea about either the females in the life, or themselves, respectively.
Teenage boys who are exposed to media in which girls are skimpily dressed and posing suggestively often then expect the girls they meet to do the same. And similarly, when a girl is treated a particular way- such as being disrespected or objectified- they then believe it is socially acceptable for them to treat the females around them the same way.And it affects females too; when a girl sees another girl in the media who is dressing, acting or being treated a particular way she is lead to believe this is 'normal' or 'acceptable', leading to her worrying about her appearance and how she acts around boys. It can also lead to a female believing that the sexism or even abuse being aimed towards her is 'normal'.


What has stayed the same:
One aspect of the representation of teenage girls which has stayed the same is the use of the colour pink. Pink is stereotypically a 'girly' colour, and research suggests that pink represents immaturity, passiveness, innocence and weakness. Filmmakers often use pink to show that a character is portraying these characteristics. This can be negative as pink is known as a 'girly' colour and in saying this people are being sexist, as they are implying that females are immature, passive, innocent and weak. This label is also putting strong connotations on a colour, resulting in judgement of people who like pink. 

'High School Musical'- Sharpay Evans is a perfect representation of the
stereotypical use of pink as she is considered immature and very 'feminine'.

'Grease'- an earlier example of how pink is used to show
the characteristics of a person.

Feminists are now trying to change the way pink is perceived, by attempting to put it across as a sign of feminine strength. For example, the Breast Cancer Foundation's logo is pink to show support for women. 

Pink- is changing the representation of pink by
associating it with her punk attitude.

Another common trait that has always been shown in teenage girls throughout movie history is their obsession with the 'perfect' boy and the female character often has an almost desperate fixation on one boy. This boy is usually:
- very good looking
- the leader of his clique
- a jock, and into a popular sport

'She's The Man'- Duke is a good example of the 'perfect' boy: he's
very handsome, popular and sporty.

This is still very common in movies now, especially romantic comedies, and although the story line of the girl ending up happy with the good-looking man is always popular, it can also be negative and degrading to females.
A lot of rom-coms portray females (who are often unpopular, 'geeky' and basically put across as someone who a girl should not strive to be like) who then change themselves and how they act and dress, and who they're friends with, so that they can fit in with the 'popular girls' and get the 'hot guy'. 
This is not a positive portrayal as it is implying that the girl is not happy being who she really is, and should instead change herself to fit in. A lot of movies also put across a female as needing to be supported and protected by a man.
Story-lines like this can affect viewers by giving them ideas on how a girl should go about "getting the guy" and the roles of males and females in relationships.
Females who watch these sort of movies can be taught to think that they need to change and not be their true self in order to be popular and get a boyfriend.
It also teaches teenage boys that it is necessary for them to 'protect' their girlfriend, and that she is weak and passive and needs a guy.


So what is more positive about the portrayal of girls now?
The way teenage girls are represented in movies has changed over time. Females used to be presented as passive and have small roles, often just there to be an object of the man's desire. Nowadays girls are often the main character, and the story is often told from their point of view.
The female characters are no longer always weak, pathetic and obedient and are now often portrayed as rebellious, adventurous and more stereotypically "masculine".

The changing representation of teenage girls in the media is definitely a positive change, as it opens up viewers to a wide range of females; and they therefore start to grow to accept "different" people.

For example, the character Kat in '10 Things I Hate About You' is tough, strong-minded and confident which shows viewers a different sort of girl to the heavily made-up, un-opinionated 'girly' girls often portrayed in the media.

'10 Things I Hate About You'- Kat is a perfect example of a
modern representation of a teenage girl. Instead of being weak and
un-opinionated, Kat is portrayed as rebellious, strong and
outgoing.

'Mean Girls'- Aaron: the 'perfect' boy

'Mean Girls'- pink
is used to portray 'girly' characters.

And what still needs to change?
Although a lot has changed in terms of the representation of girls in the media, there is still a fair way to go. It's true that girls are now often seen in stronger roles, but they are still often objectified, over sexualised, and put in rather simple roles just to add a "hotness" value that will appeal to male viewers.
Exposure to media of this sort can be damaging to teenage girls and boys as it can give them the wrong idea about things. 
The way the colour pink is used to portray certain personality traits in a character is another thing which needs to change. Pink is used to define someone as 'weak', 'passive' and 'immature', and is thought of as a 'girly' colour. By saying this, people are labelling girls as weak, passive and immature, and also laying down connotations around the colour which causes people to not just like it because it's a nice colour, but instead worry about wearing it or decorating their bedroom with it in case they are labelled.
And finally, the way girls are portrayed as desperately in search of a "perfect man" put them across as needy, and make it seem like girls aren't strong and independent enough to live without a boyfriend.
This could mean teenage girls worry about not having a boyfriend, and therefore search for one even if they don't want to, just to fit with the social norm.
It also makes males believe that they need to protect and provide for their girlfriend, and doesn't put the female across as strong-minded and smart.

So- how does this affect people?

Being exposed to something in the media makes people consider it normal.

Because of this, people are often given the wrong message about teenage girls. 
This can be seen by boys mistreating a girl after seeing females being degraded and objectified in the media. Media is often looked to for advice or guidance, and a lot of people trust the media even though of course a lot of it is untrue or fictionalized. It is for this reason that when people see something in a TV show or movie, they sometimes automatically presume that it is okay for them to act the same way.
For example, a male television watcher could see an advert which objectifies a female and uses her over-sexualised and suggestive image to sell him a product. The boy could then walk away from this with the opinion that he can treat girls the same way.

A negative portrayal of teen girls in the media can also affect female viewers. This could be in the form of a female feeling bad about herself because she doesn't look like the people in the media and trying to change herself to live up to those impossible standards. This could include the girl obsessing over her weight, the makeup and skincare products she uses, the people she hangs out with, and the boys she dates, just to ensure she is fitting with what she sees in the media.

Defining 'Stereotype'

Stereotype:
definition- a standardized and over simplified conception of individuals based on prior assumptions. Another word for stereotype is a bias. A bias is defined as a tendency and a lot of the time this is a good thing (such as knowing to eat food, instead of paper clips) but sometimes stereotyping can turn into discrimination when people misinterpret a bias and act on it. 


A Few Common Stereotypes:
- men are strong and do all the work, while women are un sporty, not smart and can't work as well as men.
- goths wear black makeup and clothes, have black hair, are depressed and hated by society.
- Asians are all good at maths, but not at sports.
- blondes are dumb.
- white Americans are obese, lazy and dim-witted.

- teenagers are all rebellious

Homer Simpson- the personification
of a white American man

Karen from 'Mean Girls'
- a stereotypical 'dumb blond

'The Goth Kids' from South Park- have black hair, makeup and clothes and are depressed and rebellious. The stereotypical goth.