SexMoneyMedia celebrates and explores the status of women in screen based media.
An astoundingly diverse and powerful group of women—with high-ranking representatives from industry, finance, unions, the national government, technology, academia, the arts, and non-profits—joined for two days, with the primary goal of making sense of (and providing action items towards changing) the shockingly regressive rates of women’s participation in, and representation through, media.” — Alexandra Juhasz (Pitzer College, California)
From October 14-16, 2010, international media leaders, theorists/scholars and stakeholders gathered in Vancouver to address cultural, industrial and economic opportunities and challenges facing women working in film, video, television, digital media and ICT (information, communications and technology). Informed by more than a decade of research, the shift to a new digital paradigm and by current economic realities, SEXMONEYMEDIA was created to address the persistently marginal participation of women in media generally, and in leadership roles in particular.
The gathering quickly focused on two core questions: why do the stellar achievements of individual women in media today stand in such stark contrast to their statistical presence, particularly in leadership positions? How might this pattern give way to a more diverse, culturally relevant and globally relevant media landscape?
On the final afternoon of the conference, delegates gathered to consider recommendations that would advance three general objectives: increasing the opportunities for the advancement of women in the feature film, new media and television production, especially in the content creating roles of screenwriters, directors and executive producers; strengthening the integrity and competitiveness of Canadian media industries by enhancing the diversity and depth of its talent pool; and supporting the creation of media that counters, rather than reinforces, negative stereotypes.