General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: It is not about the swimsuit issue it is about basic respect for women [View all]rrneck
(17,671 posts)But it isn't easy. And you won't do it by telling people what not to think. I obviously agree that we can't legislate fiction. Ironically enough, if you want to change cultural mores, you have to use fiction to do it. Demanding people empathize is useless, but the arts give people the experience of empathy. It gives them somewhere to go rather than telling them to stop. It's the difference between impel and compel.
And your interpretation of the images is a fine example of ideology driven saccade. The images on the left are examples of unreasonable ideals presented to both genders, the images on the right are the self destructive behavior to which they contribute. You almost figured out the motorcycle easily enough, but could you interpret the shame and isolation in the image of the young girl suffering from, in this case, bulimia? Remember, girls act in, boys act out. That's why visual literacy is so important. How can teachers teach what they don't know? For all I know you're an algebra teacher. And you don't have much time and fewer resources to get that done. Arts programs get cut first when school money gets tight.
All this business of percentages of the various genders in media are a red herring. Regulation of cultural output is impossible. It's just another form of censorship. If you want to advocate for cultural change through changes in cultural media, advocate for accuracy. And be warned, accuracy is not as easy to achieve as you may think it is.