Last year, America's Next Top Model glorified violence against women. Their crime scene victim photo shoot provides us with visions of undressed murdered female bodies. The shoot included vivid images of women in situations such as (but not limited to)- wearing lingerie with organs stolen, almost naked in a bed (legs spread) strangled, drowned and abandoned, severely beaten and thrown down a flight of stairs, and electrocuted in underwear.
The focus was on the sexiness of the corpses, instead of the humanity of female victims. In the photo that depicted a model shot in the head, one of the judges stated, "I love the broken down leg. It's absolute genius."
Sadly, torturing, raping and murdering women seems to be entertaining in our "bitch slapping" culture. Images of sexually objectified women lead to violence against women. The abuse of women has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, battery is the leading cause of injury to women. Erotized violence conditions boys and men to be desensitized to the suffering of women. The mainstream media plays a critical role in connecting masculinity with control and dominance over the female body.
Even though more then 3 women are murdered by their male partners in the U.S. everyday (Bureau of Justice Statistics Crime Data Brief Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2001), amazing feministy boys give me hope.
Let Tyra (tyrabanks@studiofanmail.com) know that America's Next Top Model's toxic actions are beyond unacceptable (feedback@CWTV.com).
If you or anyone you know is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, give them this number: U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE). It could save their life.
This blog was originally posted on March 30, 2007 on http://www.youngpeoplefor.org/blog/posts/930
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1 comment:
I am repulsed that America's Next Top Model would focus a photo shoot on how attractive corpses are. Is it me, or is that utterly deranged? This lets us know that the sexification/objectification of women is still a major social force.
I was sexually assaulted by my first boy friend when I was 17. I am still dealing with PTSD and other effects, such as a phobia of dating and relationships. This is a SERIOUS problem, not only for me but for women who have suffered through worse experiences than myself.
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