Growing Up in a Filtered World

Portrayal of Gender in Media

Polina was a bright, curious 19-year-old psychology major who had always loved storytelling, especially through film and social media. Raised in a small town, she grew up watching animated shows, teen dramas, and later, reality TV and Instagram influencers. As she entered college, Polina began noticing something unsettling: The way women were portrayed in media didn't match the diversity and depth she saw in real life.

In her psychology class, Polina learned about gender stereotypes, which are how traits like warmth and compassion were often assigned to women, while ambition and assertiveness were reserved for men. She started reflecting on her own experiences. Why had she always felt pressure to look a certain way? Why did she hesitate to speak up in class, fearing she'd be seen as "too aggressive"?

Reflections on Objectification

Polina's reflections didn't come all at once; they built slowly, shaped by years of media exposure. At first, she thought her discomfort was just part of growing up. However, as she sat in her psychology lecture, she learned about objectification theory: when people, especially women, are portrayed as objects in media. Something clicked. She realized she had spent most of her teenage years seeing herself through a lens that wasn't her own.

She remembered the hours spent curating her social media posts and choosing filters, adjusting angles, deleting anything that didn't feel "pretty enough." She wasn't just sharing her life; she was performing it. Polina began to understand that she had internalized the idea that her worth was tied to her appearance. She had become her own critic, constantly monitoring her body, her clothes, her smile.

In class, they discussed self-objectification, which is how people, especially women, begin to view themselves as objects to be evaluated. Polina felt a pang of recognition. She had skipped meals before parties, avoided speaking up in class to not seem "too opinionated," and even hesitated to apply for leadership roles, fearing she wouldn't be taken seriously. These weren't isolated choices; they were symptoms of a deeper issue. Polina began to understand that many of these pressures were rooted in sexism, which involves discriminatory beliefs and expectations based on a person's sex.

The professor showed research linking media exposure to body shame, anxiety, and eating disorders. Polina thought about her freshman year when she had struggled with disordered eating. She hadn't connected it to media before, but now it made sense. The constant barrage of idealized bodies and gendered expectations had shaped her self-image in ways she hadn't realized.

Unpacking Media Messages About Femininity

Polina's psychology professor showed a short documentary on sexualization in media, highlighting how a woman's value is often tied to their sexual appeal. Polina was shocked to learn that this wasn't just about adult content; children's shows, music videos, and even advertisements contributed to this narrative. She thought about her younger cousin, who already worried about her looks at age 10.

She remembered learning that gender identity begins forming as early as age 3 and that children absorb gender norms from media, peers, and family. Polina's cousin, Lily, was already showing signs of internalized sexualization, which is valuing herself based on appearance and associating femininity with beauty and desirability. Polina realized that Lily wasn't just watching children's shows; she was learning who she was "supposed" to be.

Media Literacy

Polina felt a mix of sadness and urgency; she didn't want Lily to grow up feeling the same pressure she had. That night, she began drafting ideas for a media literacy workshop aimed at middle schoolers. She wanted it to be something that could help kids like Lily learn to question what they see and understand that their value goes far beyond their appearance.

Her goal was to help young people recognize and critically evaluate the gendered messages they encounter daily, like on TV, in ads, on social media, and in video games. She wanted to give them tools to decode stereotypes, challenge objectification, and resist internalized sexualization. She discovered that media literacy programs could help reduce these effects by teaching students to critically analyze media messages.

Polina structured the workshop around three core psychological concepts:

• objectification theory: She explained how media often reduces people, especially women, to their bodies, and how this leads to self-objectification, body shame, and anxiety.
• cultivation theory: She showed how repeated exposure to media shapes beliefs and expectations about gender roles, relationships, and self-worth.
• social role theory: She explored how media reinforces traditional gender norms, influencing career aspirations, emotional expression, and interpersonal dynamics.

She also created a short video featuring interviews with peers who shared their experiences with media pressure. One student talked about skipping meals before prom, and another described feeling invisible in STEM classes because of how women were portrayed in science fiction. Polina's cousin even made a cameo, talking about how she wanted to be "pretty like the girls online."

Polina's project was met with enthusiasm by her professor and classmates. She was invited to present it at a campus wellness event, where educators and counselors praised her for bridging psychological theory with practical advocacy. For Polina, it was more than a grade; it was a turning point. She realized that psychology could be a tool for change, and that her voice, once quieted by media expectations, could help others find theirs.

Scripts Shape Identity

Polina's journey began with quiet discomfort. Through learning about objectification, sexualization, and gender stereotypes, she began to see the invisible scripts that had shaped her identity. She recognized how media had taught her to monitor her body, silence her ambition, and measure her worth in likes and compliments.

But Polina didn't stop at recognition; she chose action. Her cousin became a mirror, reflecting the early impact of media on young girls. Seeing her question her own beauty and value at just 10 years old lit a fire in Polina. She realized that change couldn't wait for adulthood; it had to start now, with education, awareness, and advocacy.

Through her media literacy project, Polina transformed theory into empowerment. She gave students tools to decode harmful messages and reclaim their narratives. She showed them that psychology isn't just about understanding the mind; it's about healing it, protecting it, and using it to challenge the systems that shape it.

In the end, Polina didn't just rewrite her own story. She helped others begin rewriting theirs.

References

CrashCourse. (2018, February 27). Introduction to media literacy: Crash course media literacy #1 [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/AD7N-1Mj-DU?si=kvEvM60EFz6iJlTu

Santoniccolo, F., Trombetta, T., Paradiso, M. N., & Rollè, L. (2023). Gender and media representations: A review of the literature on gender stereotypes, objectification and sexualization. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(10), Article 5770. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20105770
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0).

Photo Credits

golubovy on Adobe Stock. "Self analysis. Neon portrait. Mental introversion. Disturbed confused troubled girl with relaxed face mirror reflection in pink blue color light isolated on dark."

Alena Ozerova on Adobe Stock. "Child watching tv."

Xavier Lorenzo on Adobe Stock. "Young group of people using mobile phone device standing together in circle outdoors. Millennial friends addicted to social media app, betting or playing video game on platform online."