Depictions of women by the media criticized

The negative and unrealistic portrayals of women by the media are diminishing gradually, but there is a still long way to go, according to some women at San Jose State University.

Women have been portrayed as domesticated, as too naive and as sex symbols in American media, according to a lecturer of television, radio, film and theatre at SJSU.

Luane Beck, a lecturer teaching acting and digital video production, said media portrayal of women as sex objects is not necessarily a recent trend and the images of strong women have been blocked in media.

Beck said she is sometimes frustrated when her students hand in their scripts to her.

"The scripts that are coming from my students put women in submissive roles where they can't take responsibility or they don't take the right responsibility," Beck said. "They overlook things that are extremely obvious."

She said audiences are expected to believe the myth that a woman can't handle problems. Because the media often promote expectations, not reality, some women must constantly battle the stereotypes being projected.