How the Media Failed Women in 2013

"There was a lot to celebrate this year for women in the media," notes The Representation Project, a non-profit (formerly called Miss Representation) dedicated to exposing and analyzing gender stereotypes in film, television, and advertising. The success of female-centric shows such as Orange is the New Black . The record number of women nominated for directing Emmy's. The first female anchor team on Newshour. Heck, even Sweden's new "feminist film rating" system.

Yes, 2013 has brought a lot of good things for women in the entertainment industry. "But some things aren't changing fast enough," says TRP, in a video round-up of some of this year's worst media crimes against women's intelligence and agency. I suggest you stay far from the YouTube comments section to this video — the video is disheartening enough on its own without realizing how absolutely tone-deaf some people are about these critiques. "Who are you to say what is ok for people to look at," says one commenter. "Not everyone is closed off or not comfortable with their bodys [sic]." Remember, ladies, you're a frigid, censoring prude if you would like to see women sometimes wear clothing on TV.

"Maybe you should look at women themselves instead of blaming men, like we make every commercial on television," says another — though of course nowhere does this video assign blame to one particular gender (persecution complex much, dude?). And my favorite: "dont like it dont look at it." Oh, if only it were that easy! As another commenter points out, "you can't just 'not look' at women being objectified, it is EVERYWHERE."

Hey, maybe we could just start wearing blinders, like the put on racehorses, no?