[ozmidwifery] Magazine Horror story

[Gabrielle Williams]

Thank you Andrea for alerting us to the 'power of the popular media's portrayal of childbearing', and how insidious it can be.   Recent research I have completed on the information women receive regarding childbearing in popular women's magazines was very disturbing. SHE magazine was one magazine analysed as it offered a story on Cindy Crawford and baby Presley (Cindy had a home birth). It offered nothing valuable about birth, it was a six page advertisement for Revlon cosmetics using images that were very sexy.  Phallic lipsticks oozing with melted liquid and a beautiful buxom Cindy wearing an off the shoulder lacy black bra. All about the 'Whore'. She birthed at home, a very bold defiant woman, NOT a woman you would trust.   My research revealed if you are a good woman accepting the 'correct medical advice and care in a safe hospital environment' you are portrayed as 'The Madonna' pink, married and submissive. 'Good women' fear birth and doubt their strength as women to birth safely without medical intervention. Your reward for this behaviour will be a pain free birth via and epidural and a perfect baby that the Doctor delivers for you. Instrumental births are portrayed as 'normal births'. (Women's Weekly, March 2000, Jennifer Keyte's antenatal story)   The magazines demonised the home birth choice, denying the safeness of a home birth comparing it to the safety of a hospital birth.   The stereotype was apparent 'Good girls do as they are told and have medicalised births', Bad girls are untrustworthy and chose home births'.   In 2000 one only of the magazines analysed sold over 750,000 copies in one month, popular women's magazines are a very powerful form of media, we do need to challenge them and certainly not accept free advertising by distributing them within the hospitals.   Cheers Gabrielle