November 25, 2012
Dear American Citizens:
One of the main reasons for the continuance of gender discrimination in our culture is because of advertising in the media. The media has a powerful influence on socially desired gender roles in our country which is broadcasted through sexual, violent, and dehumanizing advertisements. The pressures created onto our citizens by the media describe an unrealistic reality from which men and women try to understand and emulate. The objectification of women in ads dehumanizes them and the encouragement of violence for males in ads has increased sexual, physical, verbal assault in our country. Equality in our nation has been the ultimate goal since the first settlers arrived on this land. However, there still are gender inequalities due to the evolutionary idea “survival of the fittest”. Behaviors exhibited by the strong and powerful (men in our society) are justified through this concept, conditioning them to ride over the weak. The media has evoked this very idea which has stretched the inequalities of male and female gender roles further apart.
Since the day we are born gender roles are being taught to us. In a typical American family, a parent would present either a red fire truck for their son or a pink barbie doll for their daughter. Blakie, author of "Gender Roles and Degrading Women in America", says children should not be enforced so much of gender roles. She suggests giving a child an equal balance of gender roles will make it so they do not have to conform to modern gender roles. I was raised by parents who allowed me to choose what things I wanted to play with. I always ended up choosing the more masculine item, not only because I wouldn’t want my friends to make fun of me for playing with a doll, but because I was more interested in the masculine toy. My parents also never guided me to act or behave by societies pretense of masculinity, but allowed me to discover my own gender role. However, when I reached the age when I was subjected to outside influences other than my parents, I took on society’s projection of masculinity. From brothers, friends, coaches, and the media I was taught the “right way” to behave.
Masculinity is a characteristic played out by males in our culture in order to seek exception. In the essay, “Bros before Hos”: The Guy Code, the author Michael Kimmel defines society’s expectations of masculinity in males ages 16 to 26. He searched throughout our nation, as well as 15 other countries, to hear men’s responses to the phrase, “be a man”. What he discovered, he call’s, “Real Guy’s Top Ten List”, which summarizes the top ten things guys say. For example; #1. “Boys don’t cry”, #2. “It’s better to be mad than sad”, #3. “Don’t get mad-get even”(609). The underlying message from all of the responses he received involves the condolence of showing emotion or admitting to weakness. To be accepted as a “real guy”, Kimmel argues, “The face you must show to the world insists that everything is going just find, that everything is under control, that there’s nothing to be concerned about”(609). These traits that make up “The Guy Code” act as a set of rules from which males live their lives according too. This formulated structure of behavior most males in our society follow is the result of other men in their lives, telling them how to act, says kimmel.
Kimmel suggests the reasons men follow this idea of masculinity is because they want to be positively evaluated by other men. By caring about other men’s approval, one can determine the right way to grow increasingly more liked on the social ladder. If one breaks any of the “laws of masculinity” men will point out the weakness and the effect will be mostly verbal name calling. The names I hear people being called the most are gay and faggot. These words are so commonly used in peoples everyday language that the actual definition of the words are rarely thought of. From an interview with Eminem, Eminem say’s, “The lowest degrading thing you can say to a man when you’re battling him is to call him a faggot and try to take away his manhood. Call him a sissy, call him a punk. “Faggot” to me doesn’t necessarily mean gay people. “Faggot” to me just means taking away your manhood”(612). In this context I believe it’s okay to call the person you are battling those names because the whole point of those things is to call people names. However, taken out of context and into reality, the meaning of those words attract a negative connotation, suggesting anyone that is gay is bad. Gay stereotypes are based off many different things, such as the way you dress, talk, walk, and what your interests are. The reasoning behind some of these characteristics are based off of actual attributes of gay people, but most of the time when someone uses the word gay it is because something is different.
For the same reason some Americans fear a specific culture, is the same reason some Americans fear gay people; difference. Fear is the byproduct of ignorance in these people because they are afraid of anything that is unique. The drawers of the advertisements make certain to leave out any indication of the opposite sexes gender role in order to fit society’s cultural norms. By greatly distinguishing society’s different genders roles, they are enhancing society’s idea of inequality within the male and female gender. Also, when trying to designate a specific gender role, the drawers use models who look accordingly to society’s projected cultural appearance. Aldous Huxley said, “individuals have had to de-individualize themselves, have had to deny their native diversity and conform to a standard pattern, have had to do their best to become automata”. The models used in advertising are so heavily computer edited it is impossible for women to achieve what is called “beautiful”, yet they endlessly attempt to do so. Former Supermodel Cindy Crawford said, "Even I don't wake up looking like Cindy Crawford". Advertisements are not promoting peoples Individual uniqueness, but are promoting society’s interpretation of normal. Aldous Huxley said, “They are normal not in what may be called the absolute sense of the word, but normal to an abnormal society”.
Exploiting women's bodies is a very effective way of selling a product. However, this comes at the cost of every women’s safety. In the essay “Two Ways a Women Can Get Hurt”: Advertising and Violence by Jean Kilbourne explains how sexual and violent advertising in the media are affecting women and mens attitudes, which leads to sexual aggression. Kilbourne argues the way ads portray bodies of women as objects conditions us to see each other in dehumanizing ways, thus normalizing and glorifying rape and violence. Men are encouraged to be forceful and dominant because of how the ads show people having fun and enjoying what seems to be dark and evil behavior. For example, “don’t be such a good boy”, say’s an ad with two beautiful women looking adoringly at a man, but he isn’t looking at either one of them. Opposite from reality, men who are dangerous are considered sexy and desirable, however popular culture leads people to believe this is the way men should really act.
In the culture we live in, women are thought of as weak and powerless; men are considered strong and powerful. In a Diet Coke ad “the women are physically, separated from the man. He is the one in control. His body is powerful, not passive”(587). Strength and powerfulness are gender stereotypes which are ways to oppress and discriminate one gender role from the other. It is human nature for men to play out these roles, but not so much to make women feel like they are nothing. In a Calvin Klein advertisement, they use a model who looked abused, vulnerable, and exploited. She is lying naked on a sofa, “plaint, available, androgynous enough to appeal to all kinds of pedophiles”(593). This kind of advertising degrades women and stretches the male and female roles further apart in our society.
Gender roles vary, but in our society only one role fits a specific gender. The negative affects of advertising is felt largely on younger people. Kids have a more difficult time telling right from wrong and if they see someone acting in a certain way, they are likely to copy that behavior. Growing up and going to school is challenging for any kid not normal. He or she is likely to be harassed and tormented and struggle to become accepted. Advertising makes people believe there is only one acceptable way a male and a female should act or look, which has caused many people unable to find acceptance.
Sincerely,
Sam Imsland
