Why are strong female role models important in the larger scheme? They empower young women, and this empowerment leads to social and economic strength and growth in society (Bhargava and Gupta). Therefore, strong female role models aren’t just important for individual young women, but for society as a whole. So, what is with all this talk about female empowerment? I thought this essay was about strong female role models? Well, as I previously mentioned, the two go hand in hand and are both necessary for the other. Understanding the effect female empowerment can have on society is imperative when understanding the importance of strong female role models. Here I will discuss the current conversation of female empowerment in regards to psychology and the media.

 

Mental health plays an important role in the goals of every society. Much of this mental health is determined by how society views a particular group. Therefore, “changes in social attitudes are one of the methods for improving the mental health of women and reducing their mental problems” (Shooshtari, Shahin, et al). This change in attitude is an important step forward for women empowerment. Women empowerment has an important role in determining women’s real position in society, according to Shooshtari et al. In order for women to feel empowered, society must allow them to as well. As depicted in my discussion about female characters in movies, society does not always allow women to look as strong as they would allow their male counterpart to.

 

Female role models play an important role in this empowerment because they allow younger females to realize that society supports them. From a mental standpoint, female empowerment is imperative for female progress because of their historical disadvantaged position. This position “is greatly attributed to cultural and structural influences or barriers” that women have had to face and overcome (Selamu and Singhe). It is important for females to remember that they do not need to fit into the “jobless” and “housewife” roles that society has structured for them if they do not care to do so (Selamu and Singhe). Having a female role model is a great way to remind younger females that they can do whatever they set their mind to. 

 

Much of this female empowerment is achieved through the media. The media constitutes a large part of our life. For better or for worse, we cannot escape its effects and reach. It is “the part of life, all around, from the shows one watches on television, music on the radio, the books, magazines and newspaper. It educates people about the current issues and influences the public opinion. People rely on the media to know about happenings in society” (Bhargava and Gupta). As technology continues to progress, the media’s reach increases as well. In Pemlata and Tanuja Jukaria’s article “Role of Media in Empowering Women,” the authors discuss what they see as the duty that the media has to educate society about female empowerment by emphasizing women’s “stand and worth.” They write that a “balanced portrayal of women in the media'' is necessary for social and economic growth that women can bring.

 

Media is imperative to social and economic strength women can bring because media has “the power to pressurize and criticize the drawbacks of democracy” (Storm). Whereas women might not be as represented in the government or in leadership roles, the media has the power to increase the presence women have. However, although the media has this great power, it has a lot of progress to make in terms of women empowerment advancement (Storm). The media continues to have an unbalanced portrayal of women. This is not surprising because the media industry is male dominated. Because of this imbalance, women are not portrayed equally to men in the media. Many times their achievements are seen secondary to their appearances. For example, when Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi was re-elected, The New York Times published a tweet about her “hot pink dress” (Storm). This is an example of the sexism that still exists in the media. Media has the ability to increase women empowerment, therefore increasing productivity in all facets of life, but there is still much progress to be made.

 

Currently, women are taking control of their positions in society. Through movements such as the MeToo Movement and marches such as the Women’s March in DC, women are using their female empowerment to inspire others. Big acts like these empower females all over the world, allowing them to feel strength they never knew they had. This confidence leads to new and innovative ideas. Society, not just other females, must continue to encourage young females to feel empowered and find strength in themselves, so that they are able to reach and to contribute their full potential.

 

Work Cited

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Bhargava, Neetu, and Yogesh Kumar Gupta. "Role of Media in Empowering Women and boosting 

Women Entrepreneurship in small cities in India." International Journal of Research and Engineering 3.8 (2016): 13-7.

Selamu, Liranso G., and S. Singhe Mohan. "The Psychosocial Empowerment of Women: A Critical 

Review." EC Psychology and Psychiatry 5 (2017): 08-15.

Shooshtari, Shahin, et al. “Empowerment of Women and Mental Health Improvement with a 

Preventive Approach.” Journal of Education and Health Promotion, Medknow Publications & Media Pvt Ltd, 9 Feb. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5852985/.

Storm, Hannah. “The Media Must Do More to Cover the Positive Impact Made by Women.” World Economic Forum,

www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/03/bad-news-for-women.