Men and Women in the Media

One of the first things I was exposed to on Earth was "the media". This is a huge umbrella term that includes television, internet, magazines, movies, advertisements, etc. In fact, "the media" is so big, humans had a hard time even explaining what it really was. But one thing was for sure, it is extremely influential, and although it provides information to the public, it also pressures both women and men to act and look certain ways.

As seen in the image above, "the media" often depicts men and women in drastic stereotypes. I found this to be funny considering the fact that no one I met during my visit on Earth actually looked like this. And yet, as I flipped through TV channels and magazines, women are shown barely dressed, dancing provocatively and using their bodies as ways to not only make money, but to define themselves.

Likewise, "real men" are supposed to be removed and aloof. They are to treat sex as if it is nothing of importance, and they are supposed dress well, own expensive cars, and have lots of money. And like women, successful men in the media are always in shape. One might think that only women worry about their bodies, but men too face a daily barrage of images on how they should look, dress, and act.

It seems that "the media" victimizes both genders. What is most upsetting is the fact that children are exposed to these stereotypes and ideals at such an early age and many struggle trying to keep up with the glamorized lifestyle that is presented to them. What they do not realize is that these images are unrealistic, unsafe, and can possibly lead to emotional and physical (self-)harm.

March for Equality in Washington D.C.

Hannah and her friends took me to an equality march in Washington D.C. where we marched for LGBT rights. It seems strange an unfair to me that this country has groups of people who are denied the privileges of citizenship simply because of their identity and who they love. Even still, this rally was an amazing thing to see because there were so many different kinds of people coming together for one cause.

One thing that was immediate though was the hostility between the marchers and many religious groups who came to protest our rally. As we approached the main area, we heard lots of screaming and chanting and cursing. We didn't know what was going on until we reached a clearing, where we saw people holding signs that said things like "GOD HATES FAGS." We were immediately told to turn back and that God was going to send us to hell because we were an abomination. Some of the protesters yelled back, some smiled, others started crying. But regardless of how reacted, we were very aware that we were hated. This hatred towards the LGBT community is called "homophobia". It can be caused by a religious upbringing, fear, misunderstanding, or simply the belief in heteronormativity (that heterosexuality is the natural and right orientation.) Although this group was definitely an extreme example of homophobics, lesbians and gays are often discriminated against for their lifestyles, simply because it is not what the majority of the population identifies with.

Hannah and her friends told me of multiple times they have been threatened, verbally abused, and even discriminated against in the workplace. All these things seem very strange to me considering the fact that i thought America was such an advanced country. But how advanced can this place be if certain citizens don't even have the rigt to get married?

Introduction

Hello, my name is V. I'm not from around here, but my friend Hannah has taken me in and she's going to show me more about the place where she is from. I am very overwhelmed by all the different aspects of your society. Things like war and race and gender are completely foreign to me. But I'm hoping that by looking through they eyes of Hannah and her friends, I will be able to make so observations and draw some conclusions about this place you call Earth.