Final answer:
It is false that third-wave feminists uniformly view media and consumption as harmful to women's equality; they recognize both the media's challenges and its potential for promoting feminist ideas.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is false that all third-wave feminists agree that the media and consumption are detrimental to women's equality. Third-wave feminism, which emerged in the early 1990s, has a nuanced view regarding media, recognizing both its potential to perpetuate gender stereotypes and serve as a platform for feminist discourse and activism. Researchers caution about both the perpetuation of gender stereotypes in media and its potential to provide alternative spaces for feminist groups and ideas. The media landscape is complex: while mass media is cited as a significant agent of gender socialization, often relegating women to less significant roles or extreme stereotypes, new media forms offer channels for feminist engagement and changes in public discourse about gender and equality.
For instance, feminist activism has challenged traditional portrayals of women and contributed to a more fluid conception of gender. Moreover, the media has historically been used as a tool for feminist protests, highlighting the exploitative nature of some female roles and advocating for equal rights. However, the critical stance against certain media practices does not translate into a blanket condemnation of media and consumption by all feminists but rather a critique and call for reform concerning how women are represented and engaged in it.