Reality TV Analysis- Huo Ling(Helen) Ruan

America’s Next Top Model Cycle 13 Finale

America’s Next Top Model view of women= glamorous, beautiful, tall, perfect figure and face, talk/walk beautifully

Our society wants to see things that are perfect rather than the not so beautiful. Like how we don’t want to recognize how many homeless people we have but rather make a twist and say: $_ can save X number people. Stars and celebrities are painted, sniped and stitched to be pleasing to the eye. Why do they need to act and look a certain way? Society expects them to do so. Gender is a social construct that is continuously being molded and changed. Things like the media have a major impact on how society views gender. Reality television shows like America’s Next Top Model has done so by delivering messages to millions of women across the globe.

Beauty: It is funny how in every season, the candidates are always beautiful (Maybe not to everyone but you get what I mean). They have not yet chosen any one that is not. Even in previous seasons when there was once this girl who had scars on her body, yes she was chosen to participate but she had to cover her scars. In the finale, the girls, Nicole and Laura had to do a Cover girl photo shoot and commercial. The idea is to sell the products and look gorgeous at the same time. When society sees the commercials what messages do they get? Wow, she looks beautiful and they would buy the product to “beautify” themselves. The product they were selling was mascara and it sent the message that having long voluminous lashes makes women beautiful.

Another interesting thing from this reality show is that women use their body to make them look amazing. The use their body to create curves, extend their legs, pout/smile with their lips and work their eyes. In addition, the models always wear makeup and had clothes that always revealed some skin. The girls were sparkling with glitter all over their body and faces. During the runway they also wore flowing dresses, looking elegant and swimsuits, looking sexy. Another interesting thing was that the themes of the fashion show were related to nature, fire, water and wind. The connection of women and mother nature popped up in my mind.

So, how does this affect the view of gender/sexuality in society? We can definitely tie this back Crawford’s book. In the book it discusses about love and also images of women. Men tend to pick attractive women. With images exposed throughout the streets men’s definition of “beautiful” or “attractive” has now changed since many years ago. Nowadays the common terms are hot, sexy, cute, etc. In my opinion all these terms describe parts of a women’s body. Some men like the woman because he likes her body. This is like objectifying her.

Men: The 2 Jays in the show definitely step out of their gender norms. I always find that men who are into fashion design or makeup are some what out of their gender norms. The men show their feminine side. Ms. J. Alexander walks and dresses like a female. One of the models once described them as beautiful. Usually in society we don’t describe men with that word. People usually say cute, muscular, hot, sexy and handsome.


Aside from this reality show, I see how kids do gender everyday. One day I was on the train and sitting across from me were these sisters. One was probably 5 and the other 6. They had in their hands a pink make up kit! The little sister was applying lip gloss on her lips with a brush. There was also eye shadow and applicators as well. The mother was teaching them how to apply makeup.

I used to work in a retail store and one day I hear his little boy crying. It turns out that his parents won’t buy him a toy. I looked and guess what? The toy the boy was holding turns out to be a Barbie doll!