Newswriting + Reporting

Jennifer Siebel Newsome Brings a New Perspective About Women in the Media at Leadership Salon.

Everyday people all over the world are exposed to massive amounts of advertising that is mostly based on sex, drugs, and alcohol.  The majority of them objectify and underestimate women.  After being objectified on many occasions as an actress, Jennifer Siebel Newsome became an activist to increase awareness of the media’s misrepresentation of women and young girls.

“The media treats women like shit and it’s horrible, it’s like I don’t know how we survive it, I don’t now how we rise above it.”  Says activist and actor Margaret Cho in Newsome’s film.

Newsome visited The Women’s College at the University of Denver and shared with students, faculty, and staff a variety of ideas to change the under-representation of women in positions of political power and influence, its impacts and the consequences.  One of those consequences is girls becoming sexually active at a very early age.

“The rate of girls having sex before the age of 14 has increased a 20% in the last 10 years,” stated Newsome in her film.

The Cable Center welcomed Jennifer Siebel Newsome last Wednesday, May 9^th.  After showing her 2011 Sundance documentary MissRepresentation, there was a discussion led by the Dean of The Women’s College, Lynn M. Gangone.  In her introduction, Dean Gangone stated that at The Women’s College our sister students are expected to “walk the walk and talk the talk.”  Dean Lynn referred to the fact that by having such an honored speaker we are doing just that.  We are learning about a new perspective of the media that perhaps we didn’t have before. 

Approximately 100 people attended this event, which was sponsored by the Leadership Salons: Conversations around Great Issues of the Day.  These salons were developed and created by the Women’s College Alumni Association and faculty members to provide a favorable attitude towards women as leaders in the United States.  The audience was mostly women between ages of 28 and 60.  It was very encouraging to see young women and men from the traditional DU undergraduate school.

Jennifer Siebel Newsome, writer, director, and producer of the film MissRepresentation talked about the importance of increasing awareness among women.  She discussed the fact that everyone – men and women have the power to make a difference by making small changes in their every day lives.

“If we begin to support more women behind the scenes, the role of women would be portrayed in a completely different way in movies and TV shows.  If we stop buying magazines and newspapers that contain offensive advertisements and objectify women.  If we stop watching reality shows that are diminishing women’s values, then we will make a difference.”  These are the words of Newsome as she gave the audience some examples of how consumers’ attitudes and behaviors could create change.

“Women are always a role model whether they like it or not,” explained Jennifer when Dean Gangone asked her about how important it is for women to understand this current and critical issue of women’s misrepresentation.

High school student Ariella expressed in the film that “There is not appreciation for women intellectuals, it’s all about the body, not about the brain.” A significant quote that represents how many young women feel about themselves.

 Woman from the media’s world Katie Couric, anchor of CBS evening news said, “The media can be an instrument of change, it can awaken people and change minds, it all depends on who is piloting the plain.”

As Newsome and Dean Gangone spoke, the audience clapped and cheered as a form of agreement when they said something inspiring.  Many of them took notes and looked pleased to be there.  At the end of the event everybody stood up and thanked Jennifer Siebel Newsome for her extraordinary work and leadership.