Hey all,
Sorry for the late post! I got my wisdom teeth removed and totally spaced out until now...
So my topic I would like to share with you guys is gender inequality. I had shared this in my living and learning journal with John but now I would like to share it with you all. Below is my favorite commercial which was made by Pantene. Watch below!
The beginning is my favorite, as we see a guy who is a boss, turn into a girl who is “bossy” which for me has been the case since I could remember. I have always been involved in leadership roles throughout my high school experiences, especially my senior year. I was head captain for my volleyball team and head girl for my whole school and many of those times my leadership was taken as bossy rather as a "boss". Yet it was fine when my male coach gave directions and advice but not when I did, so my first question for you guys would be to share when you have experienced a similar encounter.
Here is the second video I would like to share with you guys:
I find this commercial funny, because they take women roles in commercials and put men into their role. This video shows are women are used to sexualize these products, yet it does seem odd to see men in their roles. We have came to a time where this is normal... you see women advertising cars all the time. The difference is shown in underwear commercials too. Men's are not provocative but yet women's are. It wasn't until the 1990's when the era of hyper-sexualized woman in advertising. My question is: What is your opinion on women being sexualized for commercials? Do you believe that we are at the peak of women being sexualized for commercials or that we are in a downfall/upfall? and why?
Here is my third and final video. This is a recap of both the good and bad that has occured with media and women in the year of 2013. I could not find a 2014 video but I believe this is a good way to visualize how we are advancing but that "Some things aren't changing fast enough". Can you reflect on the year 2014 and think good and bad things that have occured with media and women? Improvments and set backs? I know for example an improvment in the year 2014 was the "like a girl" campaign.
So to sum eveything up here are my three questions which were based on the videos:1. Share when you have experienced a similar encounter. (Based on the first video)
2. What is your opinion on women being sexualized for commercials? (Based on second video)
3. Do you believe that we are at the peak of women being sexualized for commercials or that we are in a downfall/upfall? and why? (Based on second video)
4.Can you reflect on the year 2014 and think good and bad things that have occured with media and women? Improvments and set backs? (Based on third video)
1. Share when you have experienced a similar encounter. (Based on the first video)
ReplyDeleteI too have always been considered bossy since I was a small child. I't is labels like these that glorify the leadership rolls of men and condemn females to the realm of inferiority.
2. What is your opinion on women being sexualized for commercials? (Based on second video)
Sexualizing women for commercials only serves to further the societal ideology perceiving women as objects. There is no depth to the women objectified, only surface value as if they were showing off a new car.
3. Do you believe that we are at the peak of women being sexualized for commercials or that we are in a downfall/upfall? and why? (Based on second video)
I can't say wether or not we have reached the peak of female sexualization in advertisement. The only reason I am perplexed is due to the increase in women who buy into the belief that their value stems solely from physical appearances. If society continues to shape our girls to believe that the outside is the most important, the rate of female objectification can only go up.
4.Can you reflect on the year 2014 and think good and bad things that have occured with media and women? Improvments and set backs? (Based on third video)
In 2014, the book Lean In was published by Sheryl Sandberg, A female executive with Facebook. She covers the gambit of these issues and the book became immensely popular.If information of this quality continues to be main stream, i see things shifting for the better.
1. Share when you have experienced a similar encounter. (Based on the first video)
ReplyDeleteI too have always been considered bossy since I was a small child. I't is labels like these that glorify the leadership rolls of men and condemn females to the realm of inferiority.
2. What is your opinion on women being sexualized for commercials? (Based on second video)
Sexualizing women for commercials only serves to further the societal ideology perceiving women as objects. There is no depth to the women objectified, only surface value as if they were showing off a new car.
3. Do you believe that we are at the peak of women being sexualized for commercials or that we are in a downfall/upfall? and why? (Based on second video)
I can't say wether or not we have reached the peak of female sexualization in advertisement. The only reason I am perplexed is due to the increase in women who buy into the belief that their value stems solely from physical appearances. If society continues to shape our girls to believe that the outside is the most important, the rate of female objectification can only go up.
4.Can you reflect on the year 2014 and think good and bad things that have occured with media and women? Improvments and set backs? (Based on third video)
In 2014, the book Lean In was published by Sheryl Sandberg, A female executive with Facebook. She covers the gambit of these issues and the book became immensely popular.If information of this quality continues to be main stream, i see things shifting for the better.
I really love that first video. It's definitely a tightrope that women are made to walk in order to achieve success without having their character smeared for traits that would not be considered negative in men. I don't think I ever got cast as "bossy" but I've definitely been called "domineering" and teachers have always told me that I talk too much in class discussions and I need to give other students a chance to speak, even when there are male students interrupting me. It's such a real thing, and it's so deeply ingrained that it's very difficult to detect.
ReplyDeleteThe issue of being "vain" or a "show-off" is a huge thing in computer science, as well. There's such a "slacker culture" in the tech world and it translates to weird looks when you wear a dress to class or put on makeup. It's always "who are you dressing up for?" Like it has to be a special occasion or a performance to justify putting effort into your appearance. It's a very frustrating attitude to deal with because it somehow becomes "if you're trying to look pretty then you obviously don't work hard enough and you're incompetent" when that's just not the case.
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ReplyDelete1. I have definitely been labeled as bossy in situations where I have been designated as a leader. Especially in group projects, many times the men in the group feel that they have a right to be in charge of the project and if I try to take charge it is seen as selfish or bossy.
ReplyDelete2. The sexualization of women in commercials is absolutely disgusting. There is no way that young men can learn to respect women when they are taught that they are objects that exist for their pleasure. These women are not portrayed as human beings, they are appreciated for their bodies alone. It also furthers the thinking of young women that the thing they are valuable for is their bodies. This not only encourages young women to practice self harm or eating disorders in order to have a perfect body, but it also discourages young girls from placing importance on their education or their future. If women continue to be objectified through commercials and ads like these, it is almost impossible to for women to be taken seriously in the workplace or the political arena.
3. I think that in 2014 the "He for She" campaign begun by Emma Watson has been a positive step for women's equality. There has also been more focus put on the wage gap between men and women in the workplace, hopefully inspiring some women to seek the equal salaries and treatments that they deserve.
This is an interesting look into the values that we hold as a culture. As you mentioned, the hyper-sexualization of women in the media is a new phenomenon, and it is far from universal. So why does it continue? I believe that it has become commonly accepted in American society, with many viewers believing it to be just another form of expression with no downsides. Most males certainly don't view this trend as detrimental to our society, but they don't often consider the greater ramifications. This trend promotes the commodification of women as objects, and this is detrimental to the social justice movement as a whole. It makes it more difficult for women who are going to college to receive an education and play a part on the national or world stage to be taken seriously when the culture of our society is trending towards viewing women in general as items.
ReplyDeleteI would say that women being sexualized in commercial will, unfortunately, always be a part of society. While it it becoming more and more common to see this as wrong, the fact is that sexualized women still help sell products. I do believe that this will soon begin to decrease as time goes on but for now it will stay a common occurance.
ReplyDeleteI believe that a main point in this new cultural phenomenon is the objectification of women and how that has shifted from something very taboo, to almost expected. If one is to analyze the majority of publications and advertisements in mainstream media, I would like to bet that the majority of advertisements with men as their intended audience include the use of women's bodies to capture the attention of men. It is absolutely disgusting and breeds the notion that women are now just bodies striving to meet the pleasure-filled demands of men. As a man, I am appalled that these techniques are being used, and am even more embarrassed to say that they are statistically working. There needs to be a shift in the entirely opposite direction leading towards the education that women are indeed human beings rather than objects with the intent of pleasure.
ReplyDeleteI would say that women being sexualized in commercial will, unfortunately, always be a part of society. While it it becoming more and more common to see this as wrong, the fact is that sexualized women still help sell products. I do believe that this will soon begin to decrease as time goes on but for now it will stay a common occurance.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely, Jami. In high school I was in leadership positions in a lot of clubs and such, and often when I tried to delegate or take a further leadership role, I was criticized or simply ignored. Some people didn't want to take direction from a girl, especially a girl who they saw as trying to be "controlling".
ReplyDeleteI think the hypersexualization of women in our country is appalling. If you watched the Superbowl this year, almost every single fast food commercial advertised a burger by having an oversexualized woman eating it, usually in a bikini on a beach or something. It was kind of ridiculous.
I don't think we are necessarily at a "peak" or at a "downfall" in the oversexualization of commercials and such. I think that as long as some people continue to watch/enjoy them, the media will continue to produce them. After all, unfortunately sex sells.
Recently, we have had women standing up to gender roles and oversexualization, especially those in celebrity roles. On the red carpet this year, we saw women talking about their movies and accomplishments when asked who they were wearing. People like Emma Watson and Jennifer Lawrence spoke out against various gender rights issues.