Now, I know there are still very serious issues facing women in the media today: wage disparities, discrimination, and underrepresentation to name a few. These issues are very important and there is still a long way to go. That being said, women are also driving some big changes. It is important that we not forget to celebrate some of the very cool things going on for women in the media today!
Behind the Camera
It is great to see some awesome shows written/directed/produced by amazing and unapologetic women.
Girls on HBO has launched Lena Dunham to fame and notoriety. The show has been nominated for and won numerous awards including an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and a Writers Guild award. It’s based on young women living in New York and struggling with everything from paying rent to failing classes to insecurities; basically the antithesis of Sex and the City.
Another great example is Shonda Rhimes. It would be hard to find someone who has not seen or at least heard of Shonda Rhimes’s creations. The mind behind such hits as Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away with Murder, Rhimes is a standard of success in the television industry. Her shows feature complex and powerful women. Oh, and they are completely addicting.Mass Marketing
More and more today companies are recognizing that women of all ages want brands that empower and support them. Gone are the days when a pretty Betty Crocker look-a-like simply baking brownies was enough to convince women to buy brownie mix.
Women want to see companies that address not just our consumer needs, but also our social and intellectual needs. This push for the modern woman to be represented in advertising has marked a tremendous shift, and women are creating that shift.
Think of the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty or the Always #LikeAGirl commercial. Two of my favorites are the Aerie Real campaign and Pantene’s “Not Sorry” commercial. These brands are recognizing what societal roles and expectations women have traditionally fulfilled, and pushing past those boundaries. I highly recommend watching these commercials if you want that empowered “I-can-change-the-world-girls-rock” feeling (no offense to guys, because cause you rock too).
Greater Diversity
Never before has there been such a movement for representing a diverse group of women in television. Whether it is Mindy Kaling and Gina Rodriguez nailing their star roles in their hit TV shows (It is also worth pointing out that Kaling is executive producer and writer of The Mindy Project), or Laverne Cox and Caitlyn Jenner representing transgender women for the first time on TV, women are more fully being represented in all their diversity.
And who doesn’t love Ellen DeGeneres? Even though many people doubted she could have a successful talk show after coming out and supporting the LGBT community, her show has won numerous awards (she is also a writer and producer). These women are redefining the stars we see on TV, and by doing so setting an important example for young girls. Regardless of religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity, woman and girls should feel like they can achieve success in any field.
Although the work is nowhere near done, it’s important that we recognize the progress that is being made.
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