How mainstream media undermines US women in influential positions

WASHINGTON - A documentary titled ‘Missrepresentation’ has been released, which explores how mainstream media undermines American women in influential positions.

Lieutenant Governor of California Gavin Newsom’s wife Jennifer Siebel Newsom has directed the documentary, which also challenges what it says is the media’s often disparaging portrayal of women.

‘Missrepresentation’ devotes quite a bit of time to how Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton were covered by mainstream media in the 2008 presidential elections.

“The idea for the film came to me as I watched the 2008 presidential campaign and saw this sexism and double standard that was directed towards Hilary Clinton and Sarah Palin, and some of the wives whose husbands were running for office,” Fox News quoted Siebel Newsom as saying at the premiere in Park City, Utah.

“It really upset and affected me and I was worried about raising a daughter in a world that objectifies women to such an extreme,” she stated.

The documentary notes that while women make up 51 percent of the population, their presence in Congress is only 17 percent, ranking the United States 90th in the world when it comes to percentage of women in office.

“It is extremely important that we champion good media and in some cases boycott bad media,” Siebel Newsom said.

“Women hold more than 86 percent of America’s purchasing power, and we have to use our power as consumers. We have to write our corporate media leaders to encourage socially responsible business practices.

“We need to connect the dots for our political leaders so they might advocate for better policies for women and improved media. We have to build community among individual women and girls.

“It comes down to the fact that we have to be the change we wish to see in the world,” she added. (ANI)