Plus Size Is Finally Normal

by Elizabeth Lemuz

Geek Girl Authority

This week in class we spent the beginning of it looking at some interesting ads that classmates had found on the web and decided to share with us all. One of the ads that stood out the most to me and apparently to all was the advertisement with the plus-sized woman in a bikini.

The advertising world is showing women to be beautiful only when they are super slim and have now physical flaws. The model that is showing off her curves is Ashley Graham. She is the face of a new line Swimsuits for All. Her picture was in the magazine "Sports Illustrated" for February 2015.

I was excited to discuss the appearance of a plus-sized model in a magazine and especially in a swimsuit advertisement. She was only shown in that one ad in "Sports Illustrated" surrounded by many other skinny models. I think her being in the magazine once is great because it allows her to stand out. I applaud this new swimsuit line for advertising with a new face and new body. There is also a hashtag to go along with this advertisement for a new campaign #curvesinbikinis.

It is time for the world to see what a real woman looks like. In the media, women have always been portrayed as something that isn't real. We are all accustomed to this idea that the women we see aren’t “real”. We know that these women after being prepped, are also photoshopped.

It’s difficult to see the women in the magazines and not want to be like them. Dr. Renee Engeln, a psychology professor at Northwestern University is quoted in an article in Think Progress. She believes that women like to look at images that make them feel hurt or feel about what they wish their body would look like instead.

I believe that this is our natural reaction to what the media is showing us. We don’t fight it anymore because this idea of women has been around for a long time now. Ashley Graham is making a difference with this new ad. It’s finally showing girls and women everywhere that not only is it okay to be different from what is shown in tv and magazines as the “perfect body”, but it’s also okay to advertise it to the world.

Citations:

“Plus-sized Model Ashley Graham Rocks Tiny Bikini in ‘Sports Illustrated’ Swimsuit Ad.” ET. CBS Studios, 2015. Web. http://www.etonline.com/news/159150_ashley_graham_rocks_tiny_bikini_sports_illustrated_swimsuit_ad/

“Are We Finally Fed Up With The Media’s Unrealistic Portrayal of Women’s Bodies?” Think Progress. Center for American Progress Action Fund, 2015. Web. http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/06/16/3449302/media-women-portrayals/


"Wonder Women Image." Geek Girl Authority. 2014. Web. http://www.geekgirlauthority.com/we-are-all-wonder-women/

'Birdman' at the Oscars

  by Elizabeth Lemuz 

    I didn't get the opportunity to watch the Oscars this past weekend, but I have been able to see on social media how it all went down! Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu is the director of 'Birdman' a movie about a washed-up actor who is trying to find himself while beginning his broadway career. I personally didn't even know this was an existing movie until it won three recognitions at the Oscars.
 
    I have heard many reviews about the movie and how there were better movies that should have won best picture instead of 'Birman'. It won the most important recognition  of "Best Picture". The New York Times wrote an article about this event, but I was disappointed that I wasn't able to watch this moment on live tv. There were many videos shared on Facebook with Iñarritu's final speech where he gives special recognition to Mexicans living in Mexico. I thought it was a meaningful speech and I was then upset that I missed such a great speech. It is hard to find that actual speech and I'm not sure why it is, but I found a part of it that you can watch here.

    It is exciting to see that a man such as Iñarritu who won three recognitions was able to take the time to dedicate his award to "his fellow Mexicans" at an award show that is about the American film industry. There are many hispanics that don't give such recognition and when someone does a thing like this it is a proud moment.
   
    I'm not big on giving importance on these things because I have been surrounded by so much segregation that isn't physically a thing but you can easily distinguish when you are being singled out because you are of hispanic heritage. I had to grow up with a lot of this all of my life and I still do.         There was a comment from Sean Penn when presenting the award to Iñarritu that caused social media to explode with comments after this. The Washington Post discusses this event and the reaction of Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu as well, and Iñarritu took it as a joke. I didn't pay much attention to the remark he made because we are in the 21st century now and we have all been surrounded by comments like these but I also didn't think that Penn meant it in a racist way. It seems like Penn is pretty comfortable enough to joke like this with Iñarritu, but I do understand how many others that are strong in their opinions would have seen it as bad.
   
      It's hard in this society to mention things like what was shared at this years Oscar awards. I commend Iñarritu for speaking up and giving recognition to Mexican's and I think Penn's comment shouldn't have been taken so directly.



Citations:

"'Birdman' Captures Best Picture at Oscar." The New York Times. The New York Times Company, 2015. Web. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/23/arts/birdman-wins-best-picture-at-oscars-2015.html

"For some, Sean Penn's 'green card' moment served as confirmation of #OscarsSoWhite." The Washington Post. The Washington Post, 2015. Web. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/02/23/for-some-sean-penns-green-card-moment-served-as-confirmation-of-oscarssowhite/

TeleSUR English. "González Iñárritu hopes for better government in Mexico." Online Video Clip. YouTube. YouTube, 23 Feb. 2015. Web. 27 Feb. 2015. 

First Day of Class!

Today was day one in the Journalism 4250: Race, Gender, and Media class. I was pretty nervous to show up to yet another 3 hour class, but it was honestly one of my favorite class so far. Our professor showed the class what we will be discussing in this class and how heated the discussions might get. Honestly, that isn't a surprise to me because anywhere you go and decided to discuss a topic, there will be an opinion. I attended a presentation over the new mural that will go up in the new union at UNT and I didn't expect to hear others commenting on the artist's work but I did. It sort of frustrated me because I was blown away by the creativity that this talented person had created and people were still criticizing her work. This just proves the point that there will always be an opinion to everything and we won't ever completely fulfill what others want. I think that I am most excited about the idea of connecting media with both race and gender. Media today influences everyone, even if they deny it, it does. I am really looking forward to the new an exciting things that I get to learn about our surroundings before going out into the real world.