On July 22, 2005, NOW young feminists from the Capital District Campus Chapter and other NOW members protested MTV outside its studios in New York City's Time Square. Four grievances were addressed:

1.	The idolization of celebrities, which casts expectations on American young women to be "perfect" - that is thin, vapid, heterosexual (and completely dependent on men!), wealthy, prematurely sexually experienced, etc. This emphasis on “perfection” has sparked eating disorders at epidemic proportions, body image issues that consume a majority of American women, and paralyzing self-esteem problems. While seven-year-olds grasp that they aren’t supposed to look like Barbie, seventeen-year-olds often do not realize that these MTV “demigods” are groomed, made-up and even "digitalized" before they even flash a fingertip on camera or in a magazine.
2.	The exploitation of women of color in rap and hip-hop, through the actual lyrics of the songs and the way women are objectified in the music videos. In the latest rap, R&B, and hip-hop music videos, women of color are not portrayed as women - they are portrayed as body parts. Glimpses of legs, derrieres, breasts, and beautiful bodies dance across the television screen. This is not graceful, but in an exploitative, dehumanizing way as the singers refer to these women in the most derogatory of terms. The way women are portrayed in these music videos is not only a regression of women’s rights, but also an advancement of racism. While we are not protesting MTV for creating these music videos (because they didn’t - this is work of music video directors and the actual artists), we do protest MTV for airing these videos.
3.	The installment of a somewhat reborn element of machismo in American culture; expecting men to be hyper-masculine and domineering. This creates more men who act like the rappers as described above, encourages the regression of the feminist movement with women becoming the lesser gender, and fosters violence against women (with the increased empowerment of males). It also exerts pressure on men to be excessively “manly,” who might have otherwise chosen to be a more androgynous or feministic kind of person. These masculine expectations cause vanity issues for men, accelerating a new disease, called muscle dysmorphia, along with steroid-usage problems, and stress-induced drug addictions. (Muscle dysmorphia, is basically "the male equivalent of anorexia," which fosters obsessions with muscle mass and addictions to weight-lifting beyond the scope of an attractive amount of muscle mass.)
4.	The amount of sex and violence broadcast on MTV. MTV’s Spring Break in Cancun, the music videos it broadcast, and the television shows and awards shows which it sponsors, exploits sexuality and sells sex to children who are just entering puberty. And never, ever are the consequences of unprotected and promiscuous sex shown. MTV's reality television shows glamorize violence, with the male actors getting ready to brawl if someone so much as drinks the last beer in the refrigerator. Much of MTV's rap music has violent lyrics. MTV also airs music videos that glorify gangs and violence.

Read the article about the protest at Tolerance.org.

Join our Young Feminist Task Force and see how you can work with other high school and college students and other young women who are interested in promoting and gaining women's economic, social and political equality. Contact NOW - New York State for more information.