Throughout the semester, prompts based on class readings, screenings, lectures, and discussions will be posted on this blog. Responses will be graded on their level of critical thinking, pertinence, engagement with class texts, and grammar/spelling/proofing/
length. Be sure to read the prompt carefully and fully engage with the content of the class materials. At the bottom of your response, type your FIRST NAME and the FIRST INITIAL OF YOUR LAST NAME (e.g. Claudia Z.).
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Week Six: Response 6.2
What are some ways Pozner shows the normalization of
violence against women in reality television? What effects may this have on viewers?
In Jennifer Pozner’s Reality Bites Back, Pozner articulates how violence against women passes off as entertainment on television, normalizing violent behavior. An example Pozner mentions is seeing women cry (“money shot”) and being hurt has been figured as entertainment for an audience and the producers want to focus on normalizing women in pain on television, giving off the message that “boys will be boys”. Violence against women is figured as “glamorous, romantic reality”, making the audience, especially women believe the behavior that is being displayed is alluring. Another example Pozner mentions is the reality television show “The Real World” and the rape controversy that occurred of young woman getting raped by one of the cast members while filming was taken place. Nothing was done about it when it was occuring, having the audience to believe the type of behavior in the show is common because if it was atrocious someone would have stopped it. Shows like “America's Next Top Model” (ANTM) promote normalization of violence against women by exposing women in scenarios such as a photoshoots where the women pose as “pretty-as-picture crime scene”. The challenge was humiliating, objectification, and degradation of women to integrate profit to the advertisers. ANTM is a show that captures young girls attention and by portraying violent behavior and exposure it is going to make young girls believe that type of behavior is acceptable and “normal” because it is displayed on national television. Physical and verbal abuse on reality television is an implication to society to promote it as a “romantic fairytale”. The “romantic fairytale” is viewed as a relationship that involves female fear, pain, torture and death on modeling shows being viewed as beautiful. Reality television is giving audience unhealthy figures of love, sex, and health. The effect it might have on viewers are having them believe that what is occurring on television is everyday behavior, especially with reality television portraying violence. A woman getting raped in a reality television show should not be categorized as "the norm", but shows continue to show women either getting raped, glamorizing death, and finding other humiliating forms of violence to create “good television” at the cost of normalizing violence against women.
People watch reality TV shows because it brings on a sense of fairytale type indulgence when watching, or it gives people a sense of schadenfreude which is happiness at the misfortune of others. People enjoy watching other people in humiliating situations because at least their own situation is not as bad as the ones on tv. Since drama is one of the leading reasons for high ratings, the networks promote the violence against women by hiring people who have violent backgrounds. The more conflict the networks can create, the more interested people will have which leads to higher ratings for the network. An example would be when on The Real World, a guy drugged a girl and brought her to the house and raped her in the bathroom. There was no consequence for his actions which promotes the idea that not only is assault against women okay, but so is sexual assault. The sexual violence displayed here contributes to the rape culture that is prominent in our society. The constant violence against women displayed on tv and social media creates normalization for the acts. The normalization of violence against women creates victim blaming such as asking things like “what was she wearing?” or “was she asking for it?” instead of “is she okay?” An example of this would be when Jersey Shore released a trailer for their show in which a woman referred to as “Snooki” gets punched in the face. This scene was constantly replayed and talked about across different social media platforms as well as television channels. At first this was shocking to most people, but as it was constantly seen, people became normalized by the surprising footage. Once they actually watched the show and saw the scene displayed on the trailer, they begin to blame the victim by saying that her behavior is the cause of her abuse. Posner’s examples of violence against women displayed on reality tv negatively impacts the generation that is constantly on social media and are watching these reality shows. Even if the viewers don’t think these scenes and ideas affect them, it subconsciously dictates their views and actions towards women.
Jennifer Pozner mentions victim blaming, liability waivers and how reality television encourages the normalization of violence against women. She mentions the scenario in America’s Next Top Model when Adrianne Curry was sexually assaulted by a stranger on camera while on her way to a meeting. Not once do any of the people around her try to intervene, help, or let alone council her. Instead they stand by watch, and record. What’s worse is when it came down to evaluations her tardiness was deemed unacceptable. She writes how instead of seeing this “incident” as an assault, which is what it was, the judges used it as a means to “victim blame”. The judges debunked the harassment down to an excuse and deemed it unprofessional nor unacceptable.. When it comes to “eligible bachelors” some if not most of these men have criminal, abusive backgrounds, yet are still allowed on air. These “bachelors” have raped, hit, and degraded women. Its clear that the safety of the female cast members do not seem to be in the top priority to the people who put these programs on the air. Sadly it seems that these producers wont learn from past mistakes as they repeatedly hire “bachelors” with violent criminal backgrounds to remain on the show. Like with Ryan Jenkins, a man with previous assault and domestic violence charges had been continuously booked until the gruesome discovery of his wife Fiore whose body was found mutilated in a suitcase. Standards for entry into reality casts are so low because background checks aren’t intended to ensure contestants safety. They’re conducted primarily to absolve producers and networks of legal liability. She writes how it’s a fact that, ”casting directors often seek out participants who are prone to violence… the better to ensure fights, tears, and the oh-so-important ‘drama’.”
In Jennifer Pozner’s Reality Bites Back, Pozner articulates how violence against women passes off as entertainment on television, normalizing violent behavior. An example Pozner mentions is seeing women cry (“money shot”) and being hurt has been figured as entertainment for an audience and the producers want to focus on normalizing women in pain on television, giving off the message that “boys will be boys”. Violence against women is figured as “glamorous, romantic reality”, making the audience, especially women believe the behavior that is being displayed is alluring. Another example Pozner mentions is the reality television show “The Real World” and the rape controversy that occurred of young woman getting raped by one of the cast members while filming was taken place. Nothing was done about it when it was occuring, having the audience to believe the type of behavior in the show is common because if it was atrocious someone would have stopped it. Shows like “America's Next Top Model” (ANTM) promote normalization of violence against women by exposing women in scenarios such as a photoshoots where the women pose as “pretty-as-picture crime scene”. The challenge was humiliating, objectification, and degradation of women to integrate profit to the advertisers. ANTM is a show that captures young girls attention and by portraying violent behavior and exposure it is going to make young girls believe that type of behavior is acceptable and “normal” because it is displayed on national television. Physical and verbal abuse on reality television is an implication to society to promote it as a “romantic fairytale”. The “romantic fairytale” is viewed as a relationship that involves female fear, pain, torture and death on modeling shows being viewed as beautiful. Reality television is giving audience unhealthy figures of love, sex, and health. The effect it might have on viewers are having them believe that what is occurring on television is everyday behavior, especially with reality television portraying violence. A woman getting raped in a reality television show should not be categorized as "the norm", but shows continue to show women either getting raped, glamorizing death, and finding other humiliating forms of violence to create “good television” at the cost of normalizing violence against women.
ReplyDeleteJoselyn G.
People watch reality TV shows because it brings on a sense of fairytale type indulgence when watching, or it gives people a sense of schadenfreude which is happiness at the misfortune of others. People enjoy watching other people in humiliating situations because at least their own situation is not as bad as the ones on tv. Since drama is one of the leading reasons for high ratings, the networks promote the violence against women by hiring people who have violent backgrounds. The more conflict the networks can create, the more interested people will have which leads to higher ratings for the network. An example would be when on The Real World, a guy drugged a girl and brought her to the house and raped her in the bathroom. There was no consequence for his actions which promotes the idea that not only is assault against women okay, but so is sexual assault. The sexual violence displayed here contributes to the rape culture that is prominent in our society.
ReplyDeleteThe constant violence against women displayed on tv and social media creates normalization for the acts. The normalization of violence against women creates victim blaming such as asking things like “what was she wearing?” or “was she asking for it?” instead of “is she okay?” An example of this would be when Jersey Shore released a trailer for their show in which a woman referred to as “Snooki” gets punched in the face. This scene was constantly replayed and talked about across different social media platforms as well as television channels. At first this was shocking to most people, but as it was constantly seen, people became normalized by the surprising footage. Once they actually watched the show and saw the scene displayed on the trailer, they begin to blame the victim by saying that her behavior is the cause of her abuse. Posner’s examples of violence against women displayed on reality tv negatively impacts the generation that is constantly on social media and are watching these reality shows. Even if the viewers don’t think these scenes and ideas affect them, it subconsciously dictates their views and actions towards women.
Christine N.
Jennifer Pozner mentions victim blaming, liability waivers and how reality television encourages the normalization of violence against women. She mentions the scenario in America’s Next Top Model when Adrianne Curry was sexually assaulted by a stranger on camera while on her way to a meeting. Not once do any of the people around her try to intervene, help, or let alone council her. Instead they stand by watch, and record. What’s worse is when it came down to evaluations her tardiness was deemed unacceptable. She writes how instead of seeing this “incident” as an assault, which is what it was, the judges used it as a means to “victim blame”. The judges debunked the harassment down to an excuse and deemed it unprofessional nor unacceptable.. When it comes to “eligible bachelors” some if not most of these men have criminal, abusive backgrounds, yet are still allowed on air. These “bachelors” have raped, hit, and degraded women. Its clear that the safety of the female cast members do not seem to be in the top priority to the people who put these programs on the air. Sadly it seems that these producers wont learn from past mistakes as they repeatedly hire “bachelors” with violent criminal backgrounds to remain on the show. Like with Ryan Jenkins, a man with previous assault and domestic violence charges had been continuously booked until the gruesome discovery of his wife Fiore whose body was found mutilated in a suitcase. Standards for entry into reality casts are so low because background checks aren’t intended to ensure contestants safety. They’re conducted primarily to absolve producers and networks of legal liability. She writes how it’s a fact that, ”casting directors often seek out participants who are prone to violence… the better to ensure fights, tears, and the oh-so-important ‘drama’.”
ReplyDeleteMaria R.