From Her Eyes

Within every society, there are both men and women living among one another. According to The World Fact Book, there are 0.97 men for every woman in the United States. However, women are often not proportionately represented in many positions that hold power and influence over the society in America. This holds true with the members of the popular culture canon, where not a single woman can be found.

This is an issue because the canon consists of the individuals who dictate the discussions and debates that consider what occurs within our popular culture. More specifically, it means that men are the ones analyzing feminism and the portrayal of women in the media.

In Feminist Approaches to Popular Culture: Giving Patriarchy its Due, the authors discuss the different feminist approaches to popular culture. In the reception and experience approach, the focus lies on readers and viewers of cultural products, along with their experiences and perceptions.

In Betty Friedan's study,  she used the reception and experience approach and had women respond to to popular culture messages that addressed the lives of women. By applying this approach and interviewing women, she was able to discover the gap between the media messages and how women actually feel about their lives.

This disparity between the media's depiction of women and how they actually view themselves in reality is concerning, however not surprising to feminists. Many would say that the biggest advantage of this approach is that it gives women the opportunity to directly speak about their reality in comparison to the media. Using this approach helps to diminish the major issue of the male dominated canon, the fact that women's views are not well represented. Although not in the canon, ideas published using this approach are gaining traction and attention.

Often in the media, as seen in films and television shows, women never go for the nice guy. In these situations women are seen choosing the mean, bad-boy type over the man who truly loves and cares for her. This is exemplified in the film and novel, The Great Gatsby.

Daisy actively choosing Tom (bad boy) over Gatsby (nice guy).

In this story of fiction the main protagonist, Jay Gatsby chases after the girl of his dreams, Daisy Buchanan. In his pursuit it is obvious that he loves Daisy and would do anything to ensure her happiness and safety and that this love is reciprocated by Daisy. Stories found in the media like this one are why articles such as Why Women Like Bad Boys... and how you can win are believed to contain truthful and accurate depictions of how women feel.

However despite her feelings and the pure devotion of Gatsby, she chooses to be with a man who physically abuses her and actively cheats on her (the bad boy). When speaking with women on how they would, or have reacted in similar instances, it is obvious that the majority of women have and will choose the caring and loving partner that they love.

The media has created an allusion that women do not wish to be wanted or respected by their partners. Thereby suggesting that women should not be respected, adding to the overwhelming patriarchy not only in the United States but around the world.