Name: Emmanuelle Allnutt Date: July 26th 2023

Media Literacy Assignment (100 pts or 30 % of your final grade)

Due date: July, 24th, 2023 (gr. 344)

1) Write a two hundred-fifty word summary of the documentary, Killing Us Softly:

Then & Now (see link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=MQ3ESVKighs) (15 pts)
In ‘Killing Us Softly; Then & Now”, they begin by introducing Jean Kilbourne and the effect of
her on work on popular culture and modern day feminism. They then proceed to reference and
demonstrate said revolutionary work. In said viewing, we see the film of her lecture where she touches
upon sujects such as advertisement and its effect on consumers and their views on women. Essentially,
advertisement depicts an ideal for and of women, that is simply unnatianable. Not only is it unrealistic,
but it is also inhuman, ehich further pushes the objectification of women in the media’s agenda. Said
dehumanization leads to violence when women are seen as disposable objects. She then goes on to
explain that what is equally harmful to this cause is the ignorance of people that refuse to elieve that
they are victim to the ideologies spread throughout advertisement.
After the introductions were made, there was an effort in making a comparison between ‘Killing
Us Softly’ the, and that reality 40 years later. The consensus was that advertisement and its effect have
gotten worse. Although the unrealistic standards and mysoginy in advertismenet has increased, so has
the hope amongst Jean and her likeminded peers. They can look around and see that they are not alone.
Despite that facts, the new use of technology allows creating the impossible ideal of women to be done
so much easier. Ads goal is to convince women that through capitalism and spending, they could
achieve that ‘perfect look’, when in reality that look was not real to begin with. This mentally causes
major movemenets in popular culture, where even radical thought and efforts are transformed by
advertisements to push their products. Jean expresses that it is crutial that we be aware of how
advertisements gain their profit in a culture of self-hate, especially for women. It’s important to see
oneself as a person before a consumer.
She briefly discusses the beginning of her career, and how it was through taking risks, and giving
herself a chance, that she jumpstarted her career and found an editor. They then brought out a panel of
diverse members with the goal of celebrating Jean and her work. They discussed many topics including
intersectionality. Essentially, if you are considered a market in this country, you allegedely matter.
However, the reason you matter is through their ability to objectify, exploit, and market your rgroup,
such as women. The subjects of violence towards women and women of colour, as well as the
dominance over them was also brough up. They discussed the lengths at which women of colour must
go, not only to feel beautiful, but simply acceptable. Lastly, they touched on men and how important it
is that they be aware of advertisement and its effects, as well as how the future of media and
journalism may look in th efface of a very divided society within said media.

2) Write a two hundred-fifty word summary of the following article: Conley, T.

D.; Ramsey, L. R. (31 August 2011). "Killing Us Softly? Investigating Portrayals
of Women and Men in Contemporary Magazine Advertisements". Psychology
of Women Quarterly. 35 (3): 469–478. (35 pts)
https://de.ryerson.ca/DE_courses/uploadedFiles/6052_Arts/CSOC202/Modules/
Module_07/Psychology%20of%20Women%20Quarterly-2011-Conley-469-78.pdf

In ‘Killing Us Softly? Investigating Portrayals of Women and Men in Contemporary Magazine

Advertisements’, Terri D. Conley1 and Laura R. Ramsey contuvt research to come to two conclusions
paarralel to those of Jean Kilbourne’s documentary ‘Killing Me Softly’. First off, they try to see if therebis
truly a difference with regards to how men and women are portrayed in magazine advertisements, what that
difference is, and if Jean was using extreme examples in her discussion surrounding the topic of women in
advertisement. Not only did research how women were portrayed, but they wanted to concluded where they
were portrayed as such. They thus broke there reasearch down into 3 categories: Fashion Magazines for
women, Home Magazines for Women and Men Magazines. They concluded, briefly put, that Fashion
magazines partook in the sexualization of women more than the home magazines, but men’s magazines
beat the other medias in that category.
The examination of these magazines and its advertisement were done through different coding
catagories, such as; passive, active, submissive, roles, status, and objectification (amongst others). They
took the most consumed magazines in all categories, which included Elle, Vogue, ESPN, amd Redook.
When it came to things in women’s magazines such as women in defensive stances, women being silenced
or put into child-like scenarios, and even the objectification and glamourization of violence to women,
there were no differences in the models of either gender. In that way, some of Jean’s ideologies and
examples were proven false. With that being said, things like the unrealistic beauty standards were pushed
onto women, more so in the fashion magazines. However, men’s magazines were found incredibly likely to
push violence towards women. Essentially, women were portrayed as far more submissive than men, as
well as symbolicly told to ‘take up less space’. It is important, when analyzing things suh as this, that one
questions why these results are what they are. In this case, it is still mostly to sell products. Once again,
they profit off of, mostly, women’s insecurities, and the ability that men have to sexualize them.

3) Combine first the two questions above (questions 6 and 7) into a one essay with an
introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The essay should have an
introduction (35 words with a thesis statement and an organizing statement), a body
(500 words), and a conclusion (100 words). Finally, add a bibliography (the
documentary, the article, and the course pack) and an annex with the questions 1 to
5 done in class typed). (10 pts)

In the media previously consumed in class and on our own time, it is clear that Jean Kilbourne is a
pioneer when it comes to views on women. Her documentary, entitled ‘Killing Me Softly’, has
strongly effected women and men around the world. Although the education and awareness on the
topic continues to grow, at a large scale, capitalism is still considered more important than human
lives.

In ‘Killing Us Softly; Then & Now”, we hear Jean Kilbourne speak about how how women are
portrayed in advertisement. Not only does she claim they are objectfifed and sexualised, but the
damage advertisement has on women is also at sake of their own self-image. In ads, women are made
to look perfect. This perfection is unreachable, although it is advertised as the opposite. Instead of
having the well-being of women, and all people, at the center of advertismenet, they make sure to
create an unnatainable and inhuman version that women can chase forever through fleeting purchases.
The damage that has on women of all ages, all around the world, is incredibly impactful. It creates
things like eating disorders, and unsafe cosmetic surgeries. The point is, people do not care if women
are harming themselves, or even dying, over these false narratives that one must be perfect to be
worthy, as long as they can make profit over it. An example of this, is the use of ideals that are
supposed to be freeing and revolutionary, inserted within advertisement, simply to sell more. Even
when it seems change is happening, it turns out to be performative.

In the article ‘Killing Us Softly? Investigating Portrayals of Women and Men in Contemporary
Magazine Advertisements’, the more violent repercussions of this system are put into play. In this
article, they conduct research to analyse whether or not Jean’s findings remain true. However, the
result that I find most interesting and substantial to the idea that capitalism is always a priority, is the
fact that it is mostly in men’s magazines, that women are depicted as objects or sexualized and
brutalized. The normalcy of this is insanely damaging for women and their safety. When men, even
subconsciously, are motivated to see women as objects instead of people, it is much easier for them to
see women as something they are owed, as opposed to real human beings. It makes it much easier for
them to be violent towards women. With that being said, it is clear that well-being of women is not in
any way a concern to advertisers. Sex sells, and therefor women will be decomposed to their parts for
profit. Until women, especially women of colour, are seen as human first, this objectification will
continue.

They, in the first video, also touch on the subject of intersectionality. Although women are the
main topic of discussion within Kilbourne’s work, it is also important to touch on how bwing a woman
of colour has an added impact. In said video, the invited panel member claims that she used to bleach
her armpits simply to feel acceptable, not even beautiful. The standard of beauty that are set in these
advertisements are all white beauty standards, meaning that women of colour have to work even harder
to reach expectations that are even more far out of reacg, because they were never modeled after their
features in the first place. As for the way they glorify violence in these ads, it is dangerous seeing as
though women of colour are not humanized by our society. For instance, in medicine, it hasn been
proven that women of colour are victims of unsafe proceedures, because doctors do not think that they
feel pain, or, worse, they don’t care. This is why it is crutial for people to educate themselves on the
effects of advertisement and how it shapes the way people think.

Whether it be consciously or subconsciously, what people consume effects how they think. When
women are constantly being marketed as an object, it reinforces the concept that they be treated as
such. Capitalism has spread the concept of excess, and has painted it as the bare minimum. To reach
excess, one must sell. When that selling is based of the exploitation and demise of a group of people,
there is a problem with the system as a whole. Capitalism has always had capital at it’s center, wich
makes people consumers first. This needs to change. Jean Kilbourne and people with similar mindsets
are aiding in the fight to be free of an adverstized way of life and thought.

Grading Criteria Inadequately Adequately done Very Well Excellent

done 9-11 pts
0-8 pts 12-13 pts 14-15 pts
1.2 Appropriate Inadequately Adequately using Using very well Using in an
use of using the the concepts, the the concepts, the excellent manner
terminology concepts, the limits of field of limits of field of the concepts, the
relevant to fields limits of field of knowledge and knowledge and limits of field of
of knowledge. knowledge and describing the describing the knowledge and
describing the effects of effects of describing the
2.2: Adequate effects of historical and historical and effects of
definition of the historical and social context in social context in historical and
dimensions, limits social context in the use of a field the use of a field social context in
and uses of a the use of a field of knowledge of knowledge the use of a field
field of of knowledge of knowledge
knowledge.

3.2 Accurate
description of the
effects of
historical
development and
social context on
the limits and
uses of a field of
knowledge.
(15 pts)

Grading criteria Inadequately Adequately done Very Well Excellent

done 6-7
0-5 pts 8 pts 9-10 pts
4.1 Coherent Inadequately Adequately Organizing very Organizing in an
organization of organizing your organizing your well your essay excellent manner
the main essay essay your essay
components.
(10 pts)
Grading criteria Inadequately Adequately done Very well Excellent
done 18-20 pts
0-17 pts 21-22 pts 23-25 pts
Inadequately Adequately Analyzing very Analyzing in an
5.1: Appropriate
analyzing the analyzing the well the excellent manner
analysis of the
synthesized synthesized synthesized the synthesized
components.
components of components of components of components of
5.2: Coherent the question or the question or the question or the question or
synthesis of the statement and statement and statement and statement and
main assessing these assessing these assessing these assessing these
components. components of components of components of components of
the question or the question or the question or the question or
5.3: Appropriate
statement statement statement statement
expression,
including a
significant
individual written
component, of an
analysis of the
context,
importance and
implications of
the organization
and uses of
knowledge.
25 pts
Sub-Total

Comments on the Case-study

Spelling, grammar, and

5.3 Appropriate expression, including a significant
English Usage
individual written component, of an analysis of the
context, importance and implications of the
organization and uses of knowledge.
5.4 Appropriate use of revision strategies.
5.5 Appropriate revision of form and content

Deduction for spelling,

grammar, and English Usage
X .4 per errors =
 Total

ANNEX

1) Who created this message and what is the purpose?

Jean Kilbourne created this message with the purpose of educating people and
having them unlearn the unrealistic and harmful effects that advertisement has on
women.

2) What type of message is this?

This is an educational video. It was made to spread awareness to men and women
of the repercussions of the media they consume on how they view people,
specifically women.

3) What techniques were used to attract and hold your attention?

The use of examples, and the way she is soneloquently spoken is was heldnmy
attention the most throughout this video.

4) What meaning does the message have for you? How might others interpret it
differently?

The meaning of this message holds awareness that I, as a woman, must keep in mind
when consuming media. I must remember that the ideal set in front of me are not realistic. I
cannt achieve something that is in itself not real. Others, a man for instance, may see this video
and think that they need to be aware of the effects of advertisments, but for other reasons. They
may want to start noticing when women are bing sexualized or objectified so that they can
better view them as people and not an object that they are deserved access to.

5) From whose point of view is the message told and what information or points
of view may be missing from this message?

The point of view is told from a white women. Intersectionality, and the opinion
of a woman of colour is missing from this. Feminism without intersectionality is
not working towards freeing all woman, and thus contributes to the problem. I
think it is crutial that a woman of colour speaks on the subject of objectifying
women, considering the fact that they are the main victims of that within our
society. Additionally, the beauty standards talked about, although they are
unrealistic to many, are modeled after white women. This means that black
women and other women of colour must work twice as hard to be deemed as
acceptable within our society.