ASA 141
Week 9
The reading for this week talked about the portrayal of women in media, and how they are usually depicted as the object of another's gaze. A part that stood out to me in this reading was the mention of how women are often seen to be "decorative". This especially resonated with me because of a topic that has been mentioned in class since the beginning of the quarter. When it comes to culture and cultural expression, women are more often the "cultural bearers" of their people and have more pressure placed on them to uphold traditions and values, especially when it comes to dress. It's interesting how this idea manifests in different ways, as I was able to be reminded of that topic in this week's reading.
It was interesting to read that Western models are more frequently presented in a sexy and revealing way because of how Asian women are very commonly exoticized, especially under the Western gaze. For example, if you Google search Pinay, the images that come up are all "sexy" representations of Pinays. Some results are even advertisements for Filipina mail-order-brides. It is rare to come up with a search result of a Pinay that is presented modestly or in a more everyday light, let alone in positions of power and autonomy.
Below is a popular video about beauty standards in the Philippines over the course of 100 years.
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