This thread is to discuss the effect of popular culture on women and women’s roles in society. How do fictional characters affect us? Can a book or movie change the way we view women? Can they make us re-examine our lives? Is the current portrayal of women helpful or harmful? Is our society right in what it sets as the “norm” for women?
Heavy topic, We know! This is a forum founded by two women, run by women, and with the clear majority of our members women. This is a topic that hits very close to home to all of us. Not to mention that as a woman and the mother of daughters, it is one that I care deeply about.
We also understand that this is a topic that can have vastly different points of view. Feelings will come in to play, memories will be stirred up. We hope that future possibilities will be explored.
In light of all this, we need to have ground rules to make certain that we respect and honor everyone and their opinions while having a serious discussion.
Topic Rules
- Be kind. Do not attack any person for their views. You may disagree with their position, but you may not hurt them personally. Personal attacks will be removed by the mods.
Stay respectful of other viewpoints. Keep all discussion on topic and respectful. We are discussing the interplay between society, women, and the media. We have posters from all over the globe, and one person’s “norm” may not be another’s. Respect the right of people to live their lives and choose their beliefs. One may not like what a person says, but one needs to respect their right to say it.
Be willing to agree to disagree. There are no right answers to many of the questions we have given here.
Don’t be easily offended. Please do not allow your feelings to get hurt by what another person says. You may disagree with each other, but that doesn’t mean that they are attacking you or that you have attacked them. Often, the tone that we read into a post isn’t the one that the writer intended.
Be open minded. The best things about discourse of this nature is that you might find that someone professing an opinion so very contrary to yours might actually have a point! The value in a thread of this nature is not having a rooftop or a soapbox from which to shout your own viewpoint, but instead a forum in which you can gather new insights, perspectives and experiences that can, if you let them, broaden and enrich your experience as a woman or as one who has to interact with women. Come and share your thoughts on women in the media, but even better leave with a greater understanding of the struggles and joys of being a woman in this complex, modern, and global society.