In today's society, mass media plays an important role in how people think, feel, and behave in their daily lives. Mass media are communications – written, broadcast or spoken – that reach a large audience. This includes television, radio, advertising, movies, the Internet, newspapers, magazines, and so on. Mass media has such a high impact globally because of the messages that are sent through billboards, TV and magazines. Mass media is very useful in our world, but it also has its disadvantages. What could these downfalls be? Who will get the short end of the stick? Since the 19th century, women have been subjected to sexual stereotypes in ways that: cause much harm and detriment to their well-being. As well as being told who they should be, through many different forms of media. This is so true because of the frequent stereotyping of sexual and gender roles that occurs within the media which: affects women more often, but men are also influenced by these portrayals. Americans learn fundamental lessons about social life from the mass media. The mass media today shows the portrayal of sexual roles in the mass media and the effect of that portrayal on American girls and women. During the period from 1880 to 1920, Americans came into contact with a number of new forms of media, and both the number and type of artistic visual representations of women increased dramatically in the United States. (Adams, Keene and Koella). New images of women were spreading dramatically in public spaces: in newspapers, magazines, the theater, circus, and burlesque venues, among other places. (Adams, Keene and Koella). The first public representations of women began in early films where women appeared in skimpy costumes to create... middle of paper... the bite is quick and its message penetrates the very fibers that are woven together to create a culture of misperceptions about women and when this happens we as a society cause damage to our feminine being. Media is a business that relies on people, and like any business, its purpose is to create opportunities to generate profit. The issue remains how people, especially women, are treated by the media. They are treated as products rather than human beings worthy of dignity, personality and respect. The media uses discrimination, objectification and dehumanization to police: women's bodies. The result of this is an increase in low self-esteem, dangerous body modification procedures, violence and sometimes death among women. As long as women's bodies continue to be shunned rather than celebrated in the media, these negative effects will persist.