Looking back in the past last year’s Academy Award joke Amy Schumer made was offensive and halted the #AskHerMore movement.  Amy’s tweet said “ Ok well how about my idea #askhimless #Oscars” (Bustle Amy Schumer Tweets About #AskHerMore While I love Her, She is Sort of Undermining the cause)  In my own opinion the #AskHerMore campaign was supposed to be empowering and calling attention the media portraying a gender bias.  This social movement was established to motivate members of the media to ask women questions about their career fields and life goals.

#AskHerMore was started by Representation Project which is nonprofit organization that aspires to challenge individuals and communities to overcome stereotyping people when regarding their gender, race, class, age, sexual orientation or personal circumstances. The movement began during the Emmys this year and blew up on social media while women were watching the awards show. “Viewers expressed frustration at what they perceived as sexism in the questions asked, and journalists also weighed in pointing out that women were asked about fashion and baby bumps while men chatted about their childhood roles and fellow nominees (O’Neil, Lorena. “Oscars Red Carpet 2015: Battle Lines Drawn Over Sexism and #AskHerMore”).  Audiences nowadays do not like seeing sexism and the media harassing women about physical appearances because audiences do not agree with these media tactics.

Historically throughout time at the Academy Awards, the media would rather call attention towards what women are wearing rather than asking about their movie roles.  For an example, Reese Witherspoon posts to Instagram with the #AskHerMore campaign. Reese Witherspoon is tired and frustrated about the reporters Red Carpet questions regarding her clothing and makeup. “There are 44 nominees this year that are women and we are so happy to be here and talk about the work that we’ve done. It’s hard being women in Hollywood or in any industry” (Alter/Time, Charlotte. “Reese Witherspoon Slams Sexist Red Carpet Questions, Encourages Journalists to #AskHerMore.”)  Obviously, women are still struggling in the movie industry and in society when regarding physical appearance when there are thousands of tweets regarding #AskHerMore. This campaign is supposed to alert women, journalists and society about their talents, intelligence and not belittling women due to their gender.

In an article published by Next Web an example of belittling can be found in very visibly when describing a women’s typical role. Women are called crazy if they take upon as many responsibilities as men do and, are demeaned on public television. Susan Wojcicki one of the top female CEOs in America and she is in charge of YouTube. Susan was asked a patronizing question on the Gayle King show when she was invited to a successful women panel. King asked Susan if her children were made by the same husband (Hockenson /TNW News, Lauren. “Dreamforce’s ‘Women’s Innovation’ Panel Is Why We Should Stop Babying Female CEOs”). I found this to be inappropriate and demeaning because, a primetime TV host ethically she has no reason to ask this question and it was out of context. She shouldn’t have asked a question like this or even implied that she is unfaithful to her husband. The interview King was conducting was meant to show how Susan became a powerful CEO when she has the challenges of being a mother and business women in a man’s world. The notion that women cannot have careers is pure garbage because any women should be allowed to do what she loves without being asked why she even bothers doing what she loves. I think this talk show is an important example of why the #AskHerMore campaign began because this interview was not about empowering women it put Susan down. Susan was not allowed to speak on behalf on the challenges of running their company as a minority voice.

Society has changed to improve how women are treated and questioned by the media. Questions about your wardrobe and makeup have been more acceptable in the past, because the demographic population saw it as normal. Millennials and the generation beneath us are more sensitive to these types of questions due to eating disorders, bullying. The “what are you wearing? Or who did your makeup?” questions are no longer valuable information.  Women evidently have more to give to society, and perceptions of their roles have changed ever since the first suffrage movement. #AskHerMore has been successful despite Amy Schumer’s attempts to joke about it; however she did draw the discussion away from its purpose of answering questions about career fields and lifetime goals.