PRE-PUBESCENT GIRLS' EVALUATIONS OF FEMALE IMAGES IN HONG KONG MEDIA

Interviews with pre-pubescent girls in Hong Kong explored their satisfaction with the images of females presented in the media. Sixteen girls aged 10 to 12 were asked to take images from media that are about "what girls or women should be or should not be; and what girls or women should do or should not do". They were asked who created the images they collected and whether they were satisfied with the content. Most of these young girls were able to identify some of the individuals and the institutions involved in the creation of female images. They identified promoting sales, beautifying, reflection, and questionable motives as the intentions behind creating the images as they were. The girls were dissatisfied with female images in the media. They found them too sexy, too passive, or too artificial and expressed a preference for images of girls or women that are active, natural, and healthy.