Students from a range of demographics joined Omega Phi Beta (OPB), Phi Sigma Sigma (Phi Sig), and Phi Lambda Phi (PLP) on March 9 last week in Kessel’s Multi-Purpose Room for “Focus In,” a table discussion of the portrayal of women by media outlets. The event was the last one in a weeklong lineup for OPB’s “Week of Illumination,” a week out of a semester dedicated to helping women elect their own fate.

“We focus on injustices women face when entering the political field,” said Casey Fernandez, OPB’s membership chair.

Attendees began the night by identifying the accomplishments of five women. Three were easily identifiable Hollywood stars Angelina Jolie, Emma Watson, and Kerry Washington. Sarah Palin and Kathleen Bryne, both looking very politician-like, were also thrown into the mix.

Students easily placed the high profile-looking Bryne with Palin under the category of politician, but this was a trap.

“Kathleen Bryne was made up,” Fernandez said. “She was put in there to trip you up, she had a more professional look compared to the celebrity photos.”

The hostesses took on several topics discussing the treatment of women by news outlets.

The first topic discussed the backlash Jolie received after speaking in front of the United Nations without a bra on. During her speech, several news outlets reported on Jolie’s undergarment situation rather than on the issues she was trying to bring to the forefront.

“I think it’s typical that people think there is a time and a place to make a statement,” said junior Mercedes Major. “I don’t think that [Jolie] came in thinking that not wearing a bra would offend other people, nor do I think that she cared.”

Using a clip from ABC’s Scandal, they asked students to give feedback on a scene with Leo Bergen, DC fixer, and Abby Whelan, White House representative.

“They cover the news but they also write about me…they also write about my lip stick and what I wear,” Whelan said in the scene. “They also write about you, there is some rule that every time they mention me they must mention you.”

Students immediately went into a discussion to determine the reasons why the news media operate the way they do.

“When women go into politics, people tend to focus on their personal lives, we don’t notice but we call female candidates by their first name but not the men,” Fernandez said.

Adding another clip from the politics-centered Scandal, students viewed a female senator taking a stand against a reporter who treated her differently than as if he were interviewing a man—a climactic moment for the senator and her campaign.

“In order to create change in the media we have to change,” said Phi Sig sister Anna Palazzi. “We love to be entertained and the media puts out what entertains us.”