Talk:Portrayals of Adolescent Females in Teen Films

I think this topic is a really important one, especially because when females are in their teenage years they are very easily influenced by the media and the images the see in popular culture. The dominant portrayal of caucasian, middle-class, straight female means that if teenage girls are anything less than this ideal image they see it has the potential to further their insecurities. Your example of Mean Girls is a really good way to show the mainstream images that are portrayed in popular culture and it emphasizes and backs up some of the points you've made really well! I think there is a real need to diversify the portrayal of teenage females. I think it could be beneficial if you included an example of a film that does show a non-hegemonic character to illustrate its impacts.

Hello all,

I thought this page was very informative with respect to female adolescents in teen films - speaking to Charlotte's suggestion - I feel as though it might be useful to talk about the limitations imposed on adolescents males, or perhaps a link to a page that addresses that realm of portrayal. This type of external reference might be useful for addressing the inadequacy of teen film to portray a multiplicity of characters realistically - but rather, in a specific way that limits all types of individuals, and has negative impacts on vulnerable groups who engage with this type of media. Not that this page specifically addresses other limitations of teen film, nor should it - my suggestion is simply a "see also" type of reference. You briefly address this when you talk about sexual agency, and how males are pretty much always in pursuit of losing their virginity. Overall, I thought this page was great! Thanks for your contribution!

Great page. I often have thought about the effect how popular media portrays adolescent females in films and your page does and excellent job addressing the issue. While you do state that the female teens in films are mostly Caucasian, attractive, etc., maybe from an intersectional point of view, it would be beneficial to briefly address the effects this severely limited portrayal has on all the teens who are not represented in the media's portrayal of female teens. Maybe not only the effect of this portrayal on the un-represented teens could be addressed, but also the effects/outcomes of this certain portrayal to the larger society, as in does it reinforce certain cultural standards of say, beauty etc.? As well, inserting wiki links are helpful if the reader wants to know more about a concept/idea you address. In your case, maybe providing a link to social cognitive theory would be beneficial for those who want to read more in depth about it. Just some suggestions! Nice work!

Hi,

I really like your topic! Its something that we may not all be acutely aware of on a daily basis but once you begin to notice these patterns in popular movies, these commonalities become apparent. I appreciate how you gave some examples of well-known movies to illustrate your point. I think it would add to you analysis to make a comparison between some popular movies which do not follow this common narrative. Comparing and contrasting elements in such movies would support your argument and make it clear what you're trying to show. In the last section, your discussion of the social cognitive theory was a nice addition! I think you could expand on this a little bit and make more of a clear argument around the consequences of these portrayals in mass media.

Overall, I thought your page was well organized and you make tones of really good points!