Connie Johnson, a graduate at Minnesota State University, did a study on how women of color (WOC) are portrayed in magazines. Out of roughly 300 magazines, only 52 had WOC on the cover, and 90% of them had hypersexual images, contextual cues, and/or content. In the current overflow of mainstream media consumed, WOC are often portrayed through a lens painting them as “objects of desire.” Due to the Hollywood ideology that they are “exotic” to the hypersexualized imagery in music videos and movies, WOC are hired for their looks instead of their identities, talent, or authentic personalities. This is an extremely detrimental and narrow portrayal of WOC that affects how they are viewed by the consumers of this media and by the world.
Sadly, it is not only WOC that are affected by this misrepresentation, but children are equally as impacted and influenced by this image and perspective, especially by adults. There is a prominent adultification or lack of vulnerability with young black girls compared to young white girls. A study was done by Georgetown University where they stated that “compared to white girls of the same age, survey participants perceive that black girls need less protection, less support, are more independent, know more about adult topics, and know more about sex.” These perceptions are far-fetched, lacking data to back them up. The same study ran a questionnaire on how people perceive black female minors in relation to adultification and the results revealed that from mid-childhood to early adolescence black girls are seen as more adults compared to white girls.
Another strong example of the hypersexualization of WOC in media is the culture surrounding anime. Anime characters have unrealistic body proportions that usually highlight their curves, making them a prominent part of the character. These female characters are often objectified and treated not as women but as subjects for the men in the shows and the audiences watching to gaze at. Many of these shows have a recurring character known as the “the dirty old man” whose harassment of female characters become a form of comedic relief. This portrayal is a direct contribution to the fetishization surrounding Asian women, and it also furthers harmful stereotypes including the idea that they are “submissive” and “infantilized.” An example of an anime having this overly sexualized portrayal of Asian women is “High Rise Invasion”. In one of the opening scenes, a female character falls over in an action shot and her underwear is completely exposed. This has nothing to do with the actual plot of the story but instead to feed stereotypes and implement sexual tones. In the same anime you can also see certain female characters speaking with high pitched child-like voices while saying and voicing sexual mannerisms with unnecessary squeaking and moaning. In most of these cases, the characters are dressed to look like schoolgirls.
The best way to combat this issue is to petition or report outlets of media that perpetuate hypersexualized imagery of women and girls. There are many organizations and petitions designed to take action against this problem. Founded in 2009, FBOMB is a public teen feminist platform that allows young feminists to spark debates and conversations about many current issues and events. The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media is a research based organization that works inside the entertainment industry to influence producers to improve their gender representation in films, creating a diverse range of WOC female characters in entertainment. A campaign called #WomenNotObjects takes a stand against the objectification and sexualization of WOC in advertisements. The Women’s Foundation is a non profit organization that challenges the objectification of women in Hong Kong, specifically fighting against how Chinese women are portrayed sexually in media and advertisements. In addition, the 4 Every Girl campaign has a petition calling on leaders in the media industries to create female characters that respect the “true value of every girl.” Ultimately, the hypersexualization of women of color in media is a damaging issue that creates harmful stereotypes and societal biases. The media distorts the identities of WOC by consistently portraying them as exoticized, sensual, and objectified figures. It is essential for both media creators and consumers to challenge these harmful representations by joining organizations, petitions, and advocating for more authentic, diverse portrayals that actually reflect women of color as people.
