USC ANNENBERG STUDY SHOWS RECENT TOP FILMS LACK FEMALES ON SCREEN AND BEHIND CAMERA

http://www.wif.org/news/industry-articles-and-stats/567-usc-annenberg-study-shows-recent-top-films-lack-females-on-screen-and-behind-camera

This is a really interesting article, not only because the study occurred in USC, but because it shows a correlation between the number of women behind the scenes as directors, screenwriters, etc. and the number of female actors.

The super make-up

I came across a TV show the other day about the extremely effective make-up techniques mastered by several women in Taiwan.

Before taking off the make-up, one of the woman is so attractive that a man was willing to buy her a FERRARI for her to win her heart. However, after she took off the make-up, that man was not even willing to answer her phone-call.

http://cavemancircus.com/2010/10/28/asian-girls-are-deceiving-16-photos-before-and-after-makeup/

Here is a comparison of several girls with and without their make-ups.

Are make-ups that important for women?
Why are they important?
Is it vanity that is behind the story?
Or is it a psychological suggestion?
What does make-up mean for women?
Confidence?
Social status?
Sense of security?

Sexualizing Females in Hollywood

Here is an interesting article that I found on how Hollywood continues to sexualize female adults and teenagers, and the research was done by USC's Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism. This article talks about the statistics of female roles in film and how females continue to have less speaking roles than males, which suggests gender imbalance. Also, I found it interesting that the sexualization of women caused "males viewing girls and women as "eye candy" at younger and younger ages". Additionally, the fact that these sexualized images leads to the increase in "body shame" and "appearance anxiety" in others strikes me as society's way of oppressing women. However, I wonder if it is Hollywood's conscious decision to do so - and if so, why? Why are powerful females in Hollywood not doing anything about it?

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/usc-annenberg-study-hollywood-hooked-on-sexualizing-women-and-teen-girls-2011-11-21

- Merry Chin

Messages in Breaking Dawn

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2011/11/twilight-breaking-dawn-kristen-stewart-robert-pattinson.html

The article above posted in LA Times discusses about the messages present in Twilight: Breaking Dawn movie regarding anti abortion, the consequences of having sex regardless if it is hallowed, and the religious underpinnings and motherhood represented in Bella Swan

Male Dominance in Workforce

A government paper published on Tuesday said that women make up 11% of lower house members and 1% of corporate leaders. While figures from various media sources vary, it seems clear that Japan has a very low percentage of women in positions of power. Foreign critics, predictably, seem to have no solutions to propose, but only criticism of Japan to put forth. The Straits Times said this: ”Japan is behind the international standard in terms of female presence in the political sector,” the paper said, suggesting that the country introduce quotas like Sweden, Germany and South Korea have done in the past.

So why cant a woman be more like a man? In rich countries, girls now do better at school than boys, more women are getting university degrees than men are and females are filling most new jobs. Arguably, women are now the most powerful engine of global growth. In 1950 only one-third of American women of working age had a paid job. Today two-thirds do, and women make up almost half of America's workforce. Since 1950 men's employment rate has slid by 12 percentage points, to 77%. In fact, almost everywhere more women are employed and the percentage of men with jobs has fallen—although in some countries the feminization of the workplace still has far to go: in Italy and Japan, women's share of jobs is still 40% or less.

The increase in female employment in developed countries has been aided by a big shift in the type of jobs on offer. Manufacturing work, traditionally a male preserve, has declined, while jobs in services have expanded. This has reduced the demand for manual labor and put the sexes on a more equal footing.

Here's a diagram of sexual identity spectrum that I found. It really helps to break down the many levels of gender and what that means.

Gender-Confused Boy Welcomed Into Girl Scouts

I found a heartwarming article that shows how accepting some organizations can be towards people with different gender orientations, which is a stark contrast to the violence and hate that often accompany such topics. The link is attached: http://www.thenewamerican.com/culture/family/9586-gender-confused-boy-welcomed-into-girl-scouts