Californication: Role of Women in Media

Women have openly been depicted as vital factors in the media since they play different roles considering the theme of any movie. They have always been used as attractive items for decades in media. For instance, 99% of the advertisements in the world involve women. Women are always seen in bikes, as well as shaving cream advertisements. The exploitation of female gender in media has emerged commonly especially in the advertisement sector, and it is unfortunate that most people have failed to be outraged or notice the fact. Californication is one of the common movies across the world that has brought out clearly the role of women in the media. Women have also been used to represent bad morals in society. Main characters in Californication smoke cigarettes, have oral sex in the church with a nun, act hangover, curse prolifically, appear topless in the bedroom and talk about sex. Californication has exposed women’s nudity and sex life. This is a clear picture of the way women’s morals have been undermined and they have been used without any regards to their interests. This has been done through objectification.

In today’s media, women have been glamorized, and this has become evident in both Hollywood and Bollywood movies where women are portrayed as eye-catchers for viewers. Most importantly, women are constantly being used for roles that do not exist anymore in reality (Gauntlett 10). A good example is a fact that teenagers have had exposure to the media, as well as they are able to learn and attempt from the actresses. Moreover, the media has shown that women have stopped being dependent on men and can stand out and represent themselves since they have taken their roles to be equal to those of men. However, women in Californication have been victimized and measured against their religious and cultural morals and beauty. Advertising tends to use little extreme through additional elements of sexism in order to make the notions of an ideal beauty of women to be prevalent and increasingly attainable hence leading to different complexes. It has become clear that advertisements along with the media have effective marketing strategies. The manner, in which the film Californication depicts women as sexual and saleable commodities, has become an element of concern hence requires to be checked. Physical attributes of women in the media have been commercially browbeaten through modernization, and they have been represented as elements of fantasized attraction in order to attract viewers of the film.

Provocative images of naked women in Californication have also become prevalent in the first scene, and this continues as one proceeds with the film. Women have been depicted as sexual objects since their bodies can easily be associated with brands that can be bought or sold across the world. Women’s bodies are mostly dismembered into breasts, thighs, legs hence reinforcing a message that they are simple objects instead of complete human beings. Despite the fact that the sexuality of women is not a taboo in most parts of the world, many critics have questioned the concept that blatant secularization in the media through women is becoming liberalized. Californication has brought out the idea that women should be concerned with giving attraction to men through their sexuality and satisfy them. Women have also been used to depict sex and violence in the media. In this case, romance has ended up having a dark side. Media has for long been infantilizing women hence portraying them as innocent and vulnerable beings. Therefore, being a vulnerable creature is closely associated with the concept of being a victim of violence at one point in life. Californication can encourage children to become promiscuous in case their seniors fail to guide them, and this has more to do with trivializing sex instead of promoting the same. Sex in Californication is both synthetic and cynical. It has become clear that viewers of Californication have been provided a pseudo-sexuality, which renders it hard for them to be able to discover their uniqueness and their authentic sexuality.

Californication is just one example of many films that have been released as comedy films without realizing that women have depicted their roles in the entire film as obnoxious and bad morals. This ridiculous sex film is loud and follows a horny Weasel who has time to seduce college women and dump them. He fights and engages in sex with several women. The women characters have been depicted as shallow and horrible people that can do things without a thought. It is unfortunate that if women have to be represented in films and media as a whole, they are depicted as weak beings and mostly of poor morals while in situations where they are not represented, they fail to appear in major films and media programs. Research has indicated that women are faring at the worst levels in making movies during the current times than it was in 1998. Most importantly, women have had less speaking episodes in movies in the year 2012 as compared to the year 2007 (Gauntlett 14). This is an indication that women have only been used as sex stereotypes in most films. Inadequate representation of women in films appears to be a global phenomenon. Most importantly, women athletes have also been given less shrift in media as compared to fellow men athletes. The language used by women characters in Californication is a clear concept of representation of gender in television. This can be explained by the manner in which people within a particular culture express meaning by use of language. In this case, language is considered as a wide sense more than words and letters. However, discrepancies have occurred between researchers involving gender representation in media since one of the sides claims that there is a hegemonic process that can lead to mistreatment of women through power ideologies.

Furthermore, the main women characters that have been represented in Californication can be considered as independent female beings that have a high drive along with strong motivation. Moreover, whenever they are compared with male identities in the film, there are remains of declined discussions on the side that dominates the other. Female characters seem to be held back through their male respective. It has become evident that even such a minor character as Becca can become increasingly responsible as compared to her father, Hank. It is also clear that female characters in the film have been depicted as more organized and focused than their male characters. It is later confirmed when a mother and her daughter engage in a discussion on inevitable relocation. There seem to be many indicators that offer reference to the way women in the film are inclined to their cultures and choices in regard to culture and their physical bodies. Therefore, the series brings out an inclination to testing territories of female representation. Nevertheless, there are various courses of actions by different women characters in the film. There is a clear division between young women and mature women. Younger women have been depicted as more aggressive than mature ones. It is through media that various lifestyles are depicted. In this case, the notion that young women characters tend to act more insistent than the mature ones in lifestyle choices is a verification of the real world and fictive one. Most women in Californication have been brought out as dominant females that have refused to be placed aside by fellow men. They have constantly forced men characters to renegotiate their status and places in the new society.

In attempts to go back to strong women in the film; one can turn on his or her attention to a strong character, Mia in the film. Mia has been represented as a young woman that has a determined mind. The moment she sees Hank in the book store, she is able to run after him. In this case, there is a ritual of seduction with Hank that can be described as an older man with much fame in society. He considers Mia a perfect adventure for that moment. Californication is open as lovemaking takes place between Hank and Mia as she remains on top of Hank in full control. It is also clearly seen when approaches orgasm and punches Hank on his face using her fist up to a point where she is satisfied. This is a clear indication of women that are in control of men. Mia is aggressive that she has to have sex with the old man who easily gives in to her beauty and seduction. This control is even more clear as she moves out of the room leaving the old man alone and naked on the bed. Californication tends to promote a strong ideal concept of women values and alters the premises in order to grab an alternative interpretation. The film has also been used to depict female supremacy. Despite the fact that female characters in the film have been used as subjects of nudity and sexuality, they have a strong role to play as dominant women over their men. The film has also shown that young women tend to be more aggressive than their older counterparts. The role of women in the media is clear from the first scene of the series. Women have been offered both positive roles and negative roles in the film. Considering the positive roles, they act as determined individuals that know all that they need in life. They are living a lifestyle that they desire. On the other hand, negative aspects have been brought to the light through their nudity, dirty language and sleeping with anyone who they desire. This depicts them as immoral beings in the film.

In conclusion, the role of women in media has become clear in Californication. Women can play negative and positive roles in the media, especially in movies. Currently, women are being used by advertisers to draw the attention of clients whenever they see sexy ladies on the screens. Women are being paid to use their beauty and sexuality. Californication is just one example of many films that have used sex and violence in order to bring out the clear roles of women in media. Women have been glamorized in the media and especially in both Hollywood and Bollywood films where they have been depicted as blondes that have strong impacts on the themes of those movies. It has of late become evident that films will no longer become appetizing without women and language. Language has also become a major element that indicates the role that women play in the media. Californication engages exchanges of dirty and sexual language among the characters and this has placed it under a romantic film category. It is now evident that women have a role to play in the media despite the fact that they are sometimes underrepresented and neglected in the media industry.