Exploitation of women in mass media

The exploitation of women in mass media is the use or portrayal of women as sexual beings in mass media formats such as television, film, music, and advertising to increase commercial appeal, often leading to the detriment of the women being portrayed and women in society. This includes the presentation of women as sexual objects and the standard of feminine beauty ideals that women are expected to uphold, resulting in the sexual objectification and exploitation of women and girls in the media. Sexual exploitation of women in the media can be traced back to 19th century Paris, where ballerinas at the Paris Opera were subjected to sexual objectification and systemic exploitation by male patrons. The most often criticized aspect of the use of women in mass media is sexual objectification; this includes dismemberment where only specific parts such as lips, breasts, waist, hips and legs are shown rather than a whole individual. The exploitation of women in mass media has been criticized by feminists and other advocates of women's rights, and is a topic of discussion in feminist studies and other fields of scholarship.