The media's stereotypes in society today include both men and women. Television seems to devalue the importance of women in our society. It is a fact that women out number men in our society, however men out number women on most television shows. On dramas, cartoons, and even soap operas men tend to out number women. Even though the majority of the audience are female, the women who appear on television have their lives portrayed differently then the lives of their males. In TV shows, it shows men more employed than women.
Advertising feeds into stereotypes of both men and women in society as well. For example women are much more likely to appear in an advertisement for personal hygiene products than men. In these advertisements women are usually shown as domestic housewives. Men in commercials are more likely to hold positions of power.
Advertisements featuring men are usually shown as rare when it comes to domestic situations. When a man is portrayed in a commercial performing a simple household chore like washing his clothes, it is portrayed as unnatural or almost humorist. There is a Flash multi-purpose cleaner advertisement where a man offers to take over the job of scrubbing the floor from his wife. When the wife leaves, the husband uses Flash and demonstrates how effortless cleaning can be. When the wife returns, it appears as though he has scrubbed the whole floor; the wife is very happy and she rubs her husbands back. This commercial shows that cleaning is a woman's job and that if a man decides to help out with it, he should be praised. On the other hand, when a woman is shown in a male dominated position she is usually punished not rewarded.
Women face different stereotypes than men in regards to their sexuality. On television commercials and magazines advertisements, women are often shown as objects instead of human beings. It is not uncommon to look through a magazine and see advertisements that do not even have a picture of a complete woman just a body part or a section of her. The women in most advertisements posses a body image that is impossible for the average woman to ever have unless she starves herself.
The media teaches men to be a lot different, on most television shows men are shown as confident, arrogant, immature, and only concerned with getting the girl. Shows like The Bernie Mac Show and movies like the James Bond series all show at least a few of these qualities. It is rare that you will ever see a male TV star that is not confident. Males learn that if you do not know something, act like you do so you won't show any sign of weakness. This is why society sees it as acceptable for women to cry and men to brag. With men, the media sends the message to get the girl and get as many as you can.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Pop Culture and Sexism in the Presidential Race
This year’s election has been regarded as not just an election, but a social movement. Obama’s use of pop media and technology mobilized America’s voters in ways that the country has never seen before, with tools such as Facebook groups, popular art, and YouTube advertising. Obama has embraced the use of popular technology and plans to use it to make his presidency resemble his ideals for the way the office should be run, with priorities of transparency and being connected to voters. According to Newsweek, he plans on employing a senior or cabinet-level technology consultant, streaming live cabinet meetings on the Net, and utilizing Facebook for demonstrations and policy discussions.
There have also been several discussions about sexism in the presidential race, especially concerning Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton. While Hillary was criticized for being too “masculine” and being “fake” when she got emotional during one of her speeches, Sarah was shielded from fully participating as a VP candidate, then criticized for her practices because she was being a “soccer mom” and a “pageant girl”. Rather than look at these women’s previous records in leadership and their responses to interviews and on the issues involved in the debate, it was easier for some to create images like these:
While these are definitely amusing, they are not the kind of focus that we need to bring to the electoral process.
There have also been several discussions about sexism in the presidential race, especially concerning Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton. While Hillary was criticized for being too “masculine” and being “fake” when she got emotional during one of her speeches, Sarah was shielded from fully participating as a VP candidate, then criticized for her practices because she was being a “soccer mom” and a “pageant girl”. Rather than look at these women’s previous records in leadership and their responses to interviews and on the issues involved in the debate, it was easier for some to create images like these:
While these are definitely amusing, they are not the kind of focus that we need to bring to the electoral process.
The Meaning of Michelle
In a recent Newsweek article, the author wrote about our new First Lady and how her character will shape the images of both President Obama and the country as a whole. At a second glance, though, this observation about Michelle Obama carries with it a strongly gendered and racial image. The Newsweek author mentioned several noteworthy points about Michelle which Americans are looking to as an example. Her Princeton and Harvard Law education, according to the author, will challenge existing stereotypes about black women and black culture, because her assertiveness and confidence can show that it’s possible to be a strong, black woman without carrying the negative stereotype of “B***hiness” that goes along with female strength. A quote from a voter in the article talked about how it was a change to see “dark” women like Michelle Obama visible and valued in the media; even the media age we live in now, “lightness” seems to be associated more with beauty (think
Hey Slut!
In today’s world of slang and informality, many women (and men) use derogatory terms as jokes or in casual conversation. Words like “slut,” “hoe,” and “bitch” are frequently used as jokes and are not given much thought otherwise. It is not uncommon to hear girls of all ages using these expressions in conversation with friends as a joke or over text messages.
But does this type of behavior transcend the surface meaning – a silly joke – and actually have deeper meaning and consequence than it appears? Males, of course, traditionally use these terms as insults to describe women. Now one can walk down the street and hear these terms in any variety of ways—from the traditional, insulting sense of the word, to the new way of using it, and perhaps the strangest way – as a friendly greeting. “What’s up hoe?” or “hey slut!” are two common ways of using these expressions.
By using such words in a casual manner, the goal is to take away the power attached to them – power that only the opposite sex could utilize before this kind of speech became common. Such is the case with the n word; some blacks use it when speaking with one another to remove the power associated with it in its negative usage. But is this really what it happening here? Or is using them, even if the purpose is to diminish their negative connotation, still just perpetrating the usage of these words to continue? Are we simply making these words more accessible and acceptable for anyone to use?
These questions continue to linger; only time will tell whether these derogatory terms will remain in our society or if they will fall by the wayside as people realize that perhaps they are only hurting the progress of society by continuing to use them.
But does this type of behavior transcend the surface meaning – a silly joke – and actually have deeper meaning and consequence than it appears? Males, of course, traditionally use these terms as insults to describe women. Now one can walk down the street and hear these terms in any variety of ways—from the traditional, insulting sense of the word, to the new way of using it, and perhaps the strangest way – as a friendly greeting. “What’s up hoe?” or “hey slut!” are two common ways of using these expressions.
By using such words in a casual manner, the goal is to take away the power attached to them – power that only the opposite sex could utilize before this kind of speech became common. Such is the case with the n word; some blacks use it when speaking with one another to remove the power associated with it in its negative usage. But is this really what it happening here? Or is using them, even if the purpose is to diminish their negative connotation, still just perpetrating the usage of these words to continue? Are we simply making these words more accessible and acceptable for anyone to use?
These questions continue to linger; only time will tell whether these derogatory terms will remain in our society or if they will fall by the wayside as people realize that perhaps they are only hurting the progress of society by continuing to use them.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Men's Role in The Fight Against HIV
I have recently come across many different articles focusing on the struggle against HIV/AIDS in Africa; however, the articles I have come across have presented the situation in a different light than I had expected to see. We all know that HIV/AIDS has been an obstacle faced in Africa for decades and is still extremely prevalent today; however, did you know that many organizations and health clinics feel that the only way to win the fight against HIV/AIDS is to get the men of Africa involved? This is because organizations, such as The Project of Engender Health and many others have found that a root cause of HIV/AIDS in Africa is due to unequal gender relations. Because of the unequal gender relations, unsurprisingly it is the women who are more affected by this virus in comparison to the men.
You may ask why this is so? Well consider and analyze the present day gender roles in Africa. Women are powerless in Africa and are seen as subordinate beings to men. They have unequal access to health care resources and receive little information regarding their own health and bodies. Women have the strict roles of maintaining the household and attending to the needs of men, no matter what these needs may be, including sex. The male’s dominant and controlling role in these societies forces women to be submitted into situations such as rape (including within a marriage), sexual trafficking and incest to name a few. All of these horrific events expose females to the possibility of becoming infected by AIDS/ HIV, which is so prevalent in these societies. Women do not have the power or the tools to stand up to men and tell them to practice “safe sex” or to prevent themselves from being victims of rape or incest. Therefore, organizations feel that it is vital to involve men and boys in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Since the male gender has so much dominance over women in these societies and because they make most of the decisions within relationships due to unequal power relations, males should also take the lead role in fighting to prevent further spread of HIV/AIDS. Researchers feel that these males can use their head roles to make a change and this can be done by teaching males how to prevent the spread of HIV, teaching them how and where to get tested and by teaching them the importance of gender equality and the need for them to stand up against gender-based violence. In fact, The Project of Engender Health has begun to use the media to teach men about these different topics. For example, they have come up with DVDs that provide males with information about HIV/AIDS and encourage males to take on positive roles in preventing and eliminating the spread of the disease.
Therefore, including African men and boys in this fight against HIV/AIDS and gendered-violence may be a solution for this issue, and can be made possible through the use of the media. By providing information and encouragement through the media, males can learn new roles and most importantly positive roles in regards to preventing HIV/AIDS and gendered-violence.
You may ask why this is so? Well consider and analyze the present day gender roles in Africa. Women are powerless in Africa and are seen as subordinate beings to men. They have unequal access to health care resources and receive little information regarding their own health and bodies. Women have the strict roles of maintaining the household and attending to the needs of men, no matter what these needs may be, including sex. The male’s dominant and controlling role in these societies forces women to be submitted into situations such as rape (including within a marriage), sexual trafficking and incest to name a few. All of these horrific events expose females to the possibility of becoming infected by AIDS/ HIV, which is so prevalent in these societies. Women do not have the power or the tools to stand up to men and tell them to practice “safe sex” or to prevent themselves from being victims of rape or incest. Therefore, organizations feel that it is vital to involve men and boys in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Since the male gender has so much dominance over women in these societies and because they make most of the decisions within relationships due to unequal power relations, males should also take the lead role in fighting to prevent further spread of HIV/AIDS. Researchers feel that these males can use their head roles to make a change and this can be done by teaching males how to prevent the spread of HIV, teaching them how and where to get tested and by teaching them the importance of gender equality and the need for them to stand up against gender-based violence. In fact, The Project of Engender Health has begun to use the media to teach men about these different topics. For example, they have come up with DVDs that provide males with information about HIV/AIDS and encourage males to take on positive roles in preventing and eliminating the spread of the disease.
Therefore, including African men and boys in this fight against HIV/AIDS and gendered-violence may be a solution for this issue, and can be made possible through the use of the media. By providing information and encouragement through the media, males can learn new roles and most importantly positive roles in regards to preventing HIV/AIDS and gendered-violence.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Gender Stereotypes and the Food Network
Although it is not directly evident, the Food Network stereotypes based on gender—it is underlying each and every show. The themes, decorations, and even kitchenware are geared toward the host’s gender. The names of most shows sound either feminine or masculine, not both. For example: Big Daddy’s House, Throwdown, Boy Meets Grill, Grill It!, Rescue Chef, Guy’s Big Bite, Guy Off the Hook, Ham on the Street, Hungry Detective, Dinner Impossible, Food Detectives…Who do you think is the host of these shows—a man or a woman? And these: The Cooking Loft, Chic and Easy, Healthy Appetite, Everyday Italian, Simply Delicioso, Home Cooking, Best Dishes, Semi-Homemade, 30 Minute Meals…Man or woman?
One can clearly figure out which are hosted by men and which are hosted by women.
Today’s society typically associates grilling with men because it is considered “manly”. Subsequently, baking is considered “motherly” or “grandmotherly”, and the quintessential housewife is pictured with an apple pie in hand. This gives an example of how these hidden gender roles are built into our everyday culture and passed down from generation to generation. This notion of the housewife baking cakes and pies is almost something of the past, for more women are in the workforce and do not have time for these kinds of activities. Some Food Network shows still depict this idea. Sandra Lee, in her show Semi-Homemade, makes desserts and cocktails galore. Her dining room table and kitchen is always decorated according to her theme (such as Harvest Time, Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, etc.) with tons of flowers and candles. Rachel Ray prepares “30 Minute Meals” so that the average housewife can make dinner in less than thirty minutes too. On the other hand, a lot of men prepare dinner, but most of the time the wife is the one doing all of the cooking. Of course there are exceptions to this, and the Food Network is a good example. Most of the male chefs on the Food Network cook intricate meals, including Emeril Lagasse, whose primetime show Emeril Live ran successfully for several years.
Although there does not appear to be gender inequality within food network television shows, stereotyping is certainly present. Men and women are equally represented, but the shows do include gendered themes and topics. This will probably never change; these concepts are built into our lives and television has certainly portrayed these ideas for as long as we can remember and nothing is going to change now.
www.foodnetwork.com
One can clearly figure out which are hosted by men and which are hosted by women.
Today’s society typically associates grilling with men because it is considered “manly”. Subsequently, baking is considered “motherly” or “grandmotherly”, and the quintessential housewife is pictured with an apple pie in hand. This gives an example of how these hidden gender roles are built into our everyday culture and passed down from generation to generation. This notion of the housewife baking cakes and pies is almost something of the past, for more women are in the workforce and do not have time for these kinds of activities. Some Food Network shows still depict this idea. Sandra Lee, in her show Semi-Homemade, makes desserts and cocktails galore. Her dining room table and kitchen is always decorated according to her theme (such as Harvest Time, Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, etc.) with tons of flowers and candles. Rachel Ray prepares “30 Minute Meals” so that the average housewife can make dinner in less than thirty minutes too. On the other hand, a lot of men prepare dinner, but most of the time the wife is the one doing all of the cooking. Of course there are exceptions to this, and the Food Network is a good example. Most of the male chefs on the Food Network cook intricate meals, including Emeril Lagasse, whose primetime show Emeril Live ran successfully for several years.
Although there does not appear to be gender inequality within food network television shows, stereotyping is certainly present. Men and women are equally represented, but the shows do include gendered themes and topics. This will probably never change; these concepts are built into our lives and television has certainly portrayed these ideas for as long as we can remember and nothing is going to change now.
www.foodnetwork.com
Monday, November 24, 2008
Women and Film
“The Women” was a movie made in 1939, which had an all female cast, 130 roles all filled by women. Based on a play of the same name, the movie’s focus is the relationships of women. The plot starts with one woman, Mary Haines, finding out her husband is cheating on her by way of a talkative manicurist. The movie follows the friendships and how they grow stronger, or fall apart, when men are the issue. For a full synopsis click here.
The movie was a successful play and was so successful at the box office it spawned a musical remake. Here is an example of a great movie that was a box office success. So why was the 2008 remake so hard to produce? In 1994, Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan were in talks and production was starting on a remake on this romantic comedy classic. The off camera and on camera names signed on would have been any movie studio’s dream. Famous names attached to the project included James L Brooks, Candice Bergen, and Marisa Tomei. Also, a writer for the then successful “Murphy Brown” sitcom had updated the screenplay.
All was going well with production until the two big stars/ co-producers (Ryan and Roberts) wanted to play the same role. Diane English retooled the script to satisfy everyone, which took time, and actresses/directors were changed in and out due to poor scheduling. Diane English decided to helm the project herself and slashed her asking budget by $10 million. Every studio rejected her with the same reason: an all female cast would bomb at the box office. English had a list of female movies including, “9 to 5,” and “First Wives Club,” which were box office hits. Studio heads refused to see a pattern and instead claimed every movie directed towards women that did well was a fluke.
English saw this movie through and developed it as an indie (another word for low budget) and pitched the whole thing to the head of Picturehouse Production, who was the only man to see the all-female cast as an asset. Romantic comedies get green lit because women are assumed to like romance. A female buddy comedy, though, is assumed to tank, even though there are examples of films of this nature doing quite well. In this age of equality and movies get cranked out like they are on an assembly line, why did this movie have to fight so hard? Is an all female cast that much of a turn off?
As of November 17,“The Women” had grossed almost $27 million dollars and had a $16 million dollar budget. The budget was small and some actresses received a much lower than normal salary to be part of this film. The budget is minimal compared to other films (Paul Rudd’s comedy “Role Models” had a reported $28million budget). Women, as filmmakers and audience members, need to be respected and appreciated. Though equality abounds everywhere else, the film industry still presents a biased atmosphere.
Sources for this article:
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20219070_20219072_20222088_3,00.html
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/
The movie was a successful play and was so successful at the box office it spawned a musical remake. Here is an example of a great movie that was a box office success. So why was the 2008 remake so hard to produce? In 1994, Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan were in talks and production was starting on a remake on this romantic comedy classic. The off camera and on camera names signed on would have been any movie studio’s dream. Famous names attached to the project included James L Brooks, Candice Bergen, and Marisa Tomei. Also, a writer for the then successful “Murphy Brown” sitcom had updated the screenplay.
All was going well with production until the two big stars/ co-producers (Ryan and Roberts) wanted to play the same role. Diane English retooled the script to satisfy everyone, which took time, and actresses/directors were changed in and out due to poor scheduling. Diane English decided to helm the project herself and slashed her asking budget by $10 million. Every studio rejected her with the same reason: an all female cast would bomb at the box office. English had a list of female movies including, “9 to 5,” and “First Wives Club,” which were box office hits. Studio heads refused to see a pattern and instead claimed every movie directed towards women that did well was a fluke.
English saw this movie through and developed it as an indie (another word for low budget) and pitched the whole thing to the head of Picturehouse Production, who was the only man to see the all-female cast as an asset. Romantic comedies get green lit because women are assumed to like romance. A female buddy comedy, though, is assumed to tank, even though there are examples of films of this nature doing quite well. In this age of equality and movies get cranked out like they are on an assembly line, why did this movie have to fight so hard? Is an all female cast that much of a turn off?
As of November 17,“The Women” had grossed almost $27 million dollars and had a $16 million dollar budget. The budget was small and some actresses received a much lower than normal salary to be part of this film. The budget is minimal compared to other films (Paul Rudd’s comedy “Role Models” had a reported $28million budget). Women, as filmmakers and audience members, need to be respected and appreciated. Though equality abounds everywhere else, the film industry still presents a biased atmosphere.
Sources for this article:
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20219070_20219072_20222088_3,00.html
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Adultery- how human monogamy is shaped by gender issues and culture
Are humans meant to be monogamous? This issue is one which is constantly debated, though recent increases in adultery statistics seem to support the idea that the human nature is one of promiscuity. Anthropological studies have reported that 80-85% of societies allowed polygamous marriage. It is a well-known fact that the early Mormons practiced Polygamy, with men having multiple wives. This trend is true of many societies; however, most men in such cultures are not able to afford multiple wives, leading the average societal marriage to involve one man and one woman. Why was it never women who had multiple husbands? It seems gender issues shape this practice as well. For those who are religious, it is obvious that adultery is forbidden by the Seventh Commandment and was considered punishable by death (and still is in some parts of the world). However, history has shown that this rule was typically enforced only if a married woman engaging in sex with another man. If it was the man who cheated, it was rarely considered adultery and punished as such.
This raises a very interesting question When looking at America's increasing infidelity and divorce statistics, there still seems to be an issue of gender at play. According to the electronic article “Adultery: Statistics on Cheating Spouses,” published by Eagle’s Nest Publications, “60-70 percent of adultery victims are women” while “30-40 percent of adultery victims are men.” Is this truly a difference in the biology of the two sexes, or is culture partially to blame? Perhaps these vastly different statistics exist this way because it has historically been more acceptable for men to be unfaithful. Nevertheless, it is impossible to ignore the changing trends of our society. The media bombards us with stories and images of unfaithfulness, in both men and women. The gap in the statistics of cheating is quickly closing. However, though the sexes may be reaching some balance, it seems that the meaning of relationships is greatly changing. Why are monogomous relationships failing? Is it pop culture that is changing our attitudes toward cheating, or is society swinging back to the real biological tendencies of humanity?
This raises a very interesting question When looking at America's increasing infidelity and divorce statistics, there still seems to be an issue of gender at play. According to the electronic article “Adultery: Statistics on Cheating Spouses,” published by Eagle’s Nest Publications, “60-70 percent of adultery victims are women” while “30-40 percent of adultery victims are men.” Is this truly a difference in the biology of the two sexes, or is culture partially to blame? Perhaps these vastly different statistics exist this way because it has historically been more acceptable for men to be unfaithful. Nevertheless, it is impossible to ignore the changing trends of our society. The media bombards us with stories and images of unfaithfulness, in both men and women. The gap in the statistics of cheating is quickly closing. However, though the sexes may be reaching some balance, it seems that the meaning of relationships is greatly changing. Why are monogomous relationships failing? Is it pop culture that is changing our attitudes toward cheating, or is society swinging back to the real biological tendencies of humanity?
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Media's Creation of False Hopes in Young Teens
Some of today's most notorious television shows, such as Gossip Girl, are geared towards young teens, some of whom gain false hopes from watching rich adolescents live extremely fabulous and flamboyant lives. Gossip Girl, a show that deals with the problems that a group of teenagers face, such as school, sex, and relationships, has been studied since its beginning. It has been shown that teens that watch this show are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior. Furthermore, although I have not found information on any studies being done, it seems as though people that watch this show, along with other teenage dramas, think that their lives could be just as fabulous as those of the made-up characters.
It is very difficult to separate tv from reality, especially in shows like Gossip Girl, because teens can relate so easily to the characters from the show that they think all components of the show express the truth about life. On the contrary, Gossip Girl may explore similar problems that teens face nowadays, except it amplifies them, but seeing characters like Blair and Serena live rich lives where they don't have to do any work and simply get by as a result of their wealth gives teens a false hope. Teens think that they can go to school to show off their popularity, and go out to clubs to drink and engage in explicit behavior.
It has been shown that people, especially teens, that are exposed to sexual behavior on screen are more likely to engage in similar behavior. This proves that shows like Gossip Girl, although very popular and entertaining, are affecting teens in many negative ways. The constant underage drinking, along with sexual behavior among a single group of friends and seemingly work-free life, gives teens a false hope of their future. Teens are inclined to believe what they see on tv, especially in shows like Gossip Girl that have many parallels to real life.
Friday, November 21, 2008
The Norm of Disordered Eating
While out to dinner with my female housemate, I was ready to indulge myself on a full meal after a long day of work and classes. After giving my lengthy order to our server, I was stunned to silence when my friend ordered a side salad, no dressing, and water. Suddenly my soup, cheeseburger, side of fries, and the hopes of a chocolate cake dessert seemed quite excessive. After questioning her usually healthy appetite and the fact the she doesn’t even like salads, she explained she is starting a diet. From there, our mostly one-sided conversation focused on my friend’s diet plans and weight-loss goals. After an hour of listening to her “two-meal-a-day-no-snacking-no-eating-after-seven-o’clock” rules, I causally cancelled my cake order and motioned for the check.
Over the next few days after our dinner, I found myself becoming more and more aware of my friends new-found eating (or lack of) habits. Opening our refrigerator was like advocating for some new fad diet; the shelves lined with diet coke, fat free milk, and enough Lean Cuisines to last through next semester. Each day I watched as my friend had a diet pill for breakfast, cereal bar for lunch, and a salad or other small meal for dinner. Not surprisingly, a new addition made its way into our bathroom in the form of a high-tech digital scale.
As my friend continued to obsess about her progress, her pitfalls, and her love-hate relationship with food, my concern grew and I was reminded of a magazine article I had read on the topic of disordered eating. After an unsuccessful search for the article, I decided to do some research online and was directed to an article on the MSNBC website. The article, “The Disordered Next Door,” revealed that while most women are not clinically diagnosed with an eating disorder, many suffer from what is known as disordered eating. The article explained that eating habits many women see as normal, such as dieting and skipping meals, are symptoms of the disorder. Alarmingly, 65 percent of women surveyed in the article are classified as disordered eaters. While disordered eaters are not at immediate risk of the dangers of anorexia or bulimia, they display unhealthy relationships with their food and bodies that can greatly impact physical and emotional health. This article seemed to encompass much of my friend’s recent actions and behaviors surrounding food and her body.
As I reflected more on what I had read, I realized that clues and signs of disordered eating are all around. I recalled past conversations and meals with other female friends, all who ordered salads and diet drinks. On the rare occasion where one splurged and actually ordered dessert, the conversation following was declarations of overeating and what could be done to cancel out the extra calories. I was surprised by the number of conversations I have had with female friends about food and dieting. Within my own group of friends, I can recall sharing dieting advice, venting our guilt about overeating, and trash-talking the tiniest of imperfections on our bodies. I had never realized it before, but disordered eating certainly was and had been present in my own life and the lives of many other women I know.
Today, as my friend continues her diet, I can’t help but wonder what has caused so many women to develop such an unhealthy relationship with food. To most, dieting for women is not out of the ordinary; it is the norm. I am sure our waiter at dinner was not surprised when my friend ordered only a salad, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the sales person who sold my friend her diet pills didn’t give it a second thought. It seems this type of behavior has become acceptable and at times expected of most women. The lingering question, however, is what in society has us thinking that the disordered is “normal?”
Reference:
Female Athletes
Today, women in sports are working incredibly hard to gain recognition in their respective athletic endeavors. Taking away from these females’ accomplishments are the blatant objectification of female athletes by the media. Without fail, the media commits an overbearing amount of focus on the sex appeal of popular female athletes. While females can sometimes use the fact that “sex sells” to their advantage, sometimes the integrity of the sport is harmed.
It seems as though any young attractive female athlete that become competitive professionals are immediately marketed as sex symbols. Quite often, the front page of Maxim Magazine features a famous female athlete wearing a bikini. An example of this that comes to mind is Anna Kournikova. Anna Kournikova played professional tennis for seven years, never ranked in the top 15 female tennis players, yet was undoubtedly the most marketed player in the league. She has since left tennis, and focused on modeling.
Another example is Danica Patrick. Danica Patrick is a groundbreaking female Indy Car driver, and recently became the first woman driver to win an Indy Car race. Since then, she has been one of the most covered drivers in all of her races. She is now marketing her sex appeal by appearing in several magazines, including the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Maxim Magazine released an article about the “20 Hottest Female Athletes.” Many of the 20 females posed for a Maxim wearing bikinis or lingerie . I do not see such a thing occurring in male sports. I do not see male athletes ever sold for their sex appeal in such a way. It will be interesting to see, as women’s sports gain in popularity, to what extent this trend will occur.
It seems as though any young attractive female athlete that become competitive professionals are immediately marketed as sex symbols. Quite often, the front page of Maxim Magazine features a famous female athlete wearing a bikini. An example of this that comes to mind is Anna Kournikova. Anna Kournikova played professional tennis for seven years, never ranked in the top 15 female tennis players, yet was undoubtedly the most marketed player in the league. She has since left tennis, and focused on modeling.
Another example is Danica Patrick. Danica Patrick is a groundbreaking female Indy Car driver, and recently became the first woman driver to win an Indy Car race. Since then, she has been one of the most covered drivers in all of her races. She is now marketing her sex appeal by appearing in several magazines, including the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Maxim Magazine released an article about the “20 Hottest Female Athletes.” Many of the 20 females posed for a Maxim wearing bikinis or lingerie . I do not see such a thing occurring in male sports. I do not see male athletes ever sold for their sex appeal in such a way. It will be interesting to see, as women’s sports gain in popularity, to what extent this trend will occur.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The Lottery No One Wants to Win
This posting is authored by Scott (a.k.a. The Reinman):
Since the institution of the Selective Service System, women dodged the bullet (pun intended) of signing away your freedom. Yes, we haven’t had the draft active since the Vietnam war, and yes there is no major reason to assume a draft will be necessary even in this time of war, but signing that little card on your eighteenth birthday is never as simple as it seems. Being forced to sign that paper, even though Gillette makes you feel manly with a nice razor as a birthday gift, is being forced to put your name into the lottery no one wants to win. There have been several attempts at bills being passed through congress to amend this legislation, but they have never come close to passing. A case brought on by four males made it all the way to the Supreme Court in Rostker v. Goldberg where it was ruled that registering only men was not a violation of the constitution. In 1994, Clinton had the department of justice review this issue and they determined the following: since the purpose of the draft is to acquire individuals as direct support infantry troops and women are not allowed in front line combat positions, registering women for the draft would serve no purpose as they couldn’t fill the roles. Knowing that thousands of men have involuntarily given up their lives through this program, I think there are a few ways to analyze this situation.
I think there is no doubt, that this part of history has forever impacted the view of women in the military. While men are viewed as courageous for putting their lives on the line in every war in history, women have played the behind the scenes roles. The only woman I can think of from my history classes is Molly Pitcher (I know several of you just remembered that third grade story as well). While these positions were important for sustaining our economy and directly supported the war, they were not the ones coming back home in wooden boxes. This reaffirmed the military as a ‘man’s world.’ Since the all-volunteer status was reinstated, women have nearly tripled their presence in the armed forces. Except for the marines, they have the freedoms to assume nearly every position that isn’t front line combat. By keeping this old and inactive legislation the way it is, women are still cast in a negative light. Even if I don’t go to war or face the threat of a draft selection, I am still reminded of the years when my grandfather and many others were snatched from their homes. Even though the numbers aren’t proportional, the women that do enlist and serve our country are willing and able to defend our nation, and I think this cuts down the respect they deserve.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Sexy Politics
When it comes to sex and the political world, it usually has to do with a politician admitting to the nation that he had relations with either an intern or a high priced prostitute. Ever since Bill Clinton famously stated that he “did not have relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky,” sex has become an integral part of the politics in America and abroad. When most people today think of sex and politics, they think of such examples stated above. However, the Australian Parliament’s new political party, the Sex Party. According to Breitbart, this new political party is “describing itself as "serious about sex" the party sees itself as a political response to the sexual needs of Australians in the face of moral campaigners and prudish politicians.” Although the primary reason that this particular political organization came to power was due to the mandatory internet filter that has been debated in the Australian Parliament, the idea of a political party forming on the basis of reproduction is a cause for debate.
While there are many special interest groups dedicated to many different industries, the issue of sex has been taboo in the political realm and should not be ignored. In fact, I believe that this party created in Australia will have a positive affect for many different nations. With the infusion of sex into not only the political world but also in pop culture, this issue must be addressed by the government. Many television networks such as CBS, ABC and NBC have used sex in every new television shows. Recently a sociological study showed that teens that watch shows such as Sex and the City have been showed to increase sexual behavior in teens. With this trend expected to increase over the coming years, I feel that this issue must be addressed by the government. Now, I’m not suggesting that we begin to censor any current aspects of pop culture just yet. Instead, I feel that the government must take a stance in order to avoid any confusion that the American people might have regarding sex. I don’t foresee a new national party forming like the one in Australia but rather, I see some bill being introduced that may bring up the same debate in Australia.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Sex Change Hospital
There is a new show on the WE network called Sex Change Hospital. I came across this show when I was watch Amazing Wedding Cakes and a commercial popped up for this show. I became curious about the show (obviously I knew what it was about), and I went on the website to gain more information about the show. I decided that since I have not seen the show, I should read the blogs that the people in each show wrote. A lot of the blogs are meant to help those who are going to have a sex change operation cope and adjust to their new life. For instance, one person was a male and became a female. While a man, she was married to a w
oman and had a son. Her one blog described how her son is handling the transition. She hopes that this can help those people who have children and want a sex change.Then I read some of the comments. On her first blog (and on others' first blogs) a person commented that she is "the worst kind of person out there." After deciphering the horrible grammar, I came to the conclusion that this person is a closed-minded person who does not accept people who are "different." I think that since this show is on the air, it may give transgenders the ability to be heard and accepted. The show is intended to show others that people who have a sex change operation are "interesting, normal, productive people who happen to be transgender. Their stories are real, and it really comes forward. They're just looking for acceptance and continuity between their spirits and their bodies." (1)
Hopefully, people can see that others struggle with their gender identities and that it does cause stress on their lives. Although Gender Identity Disorder is a classification in the DSM-IV, those who undergo surgery (and those who do not) feel as though it is not a psychological condition, rather it is written into their DNA. Whichever view people may have- psychological disorder or not- they should be accepting of transgenders. After all, they are people just like you and me.
Reference:
(1) http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/tvguide/387306_tvgif11.html
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Women Portrayed in James Bond Films
The media plays a huge role in portraying women in movies. The media has shaped our way of thinking and ways we should portray women. In the beginning of the semester in our discussion about the decades, we focused on how women are seen on TV and in movies. TV shows such as the Brady Bunch and Green Acres has shown women as housewives or background characters while the main focus is on the male and his experiences at home, at work, and hanging out with friends. In movies, the women also are in housewife positions or the beautiful but vulnerable damsel- in- distress waiting for the strong male character to come rescue her.
Today, those characteristics are still shown in hero movies such as Spiderman, The Incredible Hulk, and Iron Man.
I read an article on Yahoo's entertainment website that discussed the huge debate over the new female role in the James Bond movie, "Quantum of Solace". The character Camille has played the opposite role of a typical "Bond Woman", one that is "tough, independent, and modern."
In the movie, she has a dangerous mission, in which typically the dangerous missions are all focused on Bond, and this time unlike all the other Bond girls doesn't sleep with Bond. On the other hand, critics are demanding for more sex and commented that majority of the women in the other Bond movies contributed little to the popularity of the movie itself. A feminist writer even said "These films were attempts by men to keep women in their place and to ensure they still ironed their shirts".
I think that this film is great example of breaking down the women stereotype of the past and showing its audience that women to can do dangerous stunts and be independent (for a film series that is 46 years old). Especially in a movie such as a James Bond movie, where the only purpose a woman has is to be beautiful, seductive, and sleep with James Bond. This can also connect with our discussion comparing the Mary Tyler Moore Show and Sex In The City. They all focus on independent women and their lives outside of the boring household. They heavily contribute to the gender change in society today by eliminating male dominance and promoting power for women.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Greetings
A phenomenon between genders that has been around for a while and still exists today is the way that genders greet each other. These greetings further enforce the gender roles and stereotypes that our society is based on. When men greet one another they typically pound fists, firmly shake hands, or give aggressive hugs that seem to affirm their masculinity. When women greet each other they kiss on the cheek or lightly hug to keep in line with their girly appearance. If two men were to kiss each other on the cheek when they greeted each other, some may think that was "gay" or if two women hugged each other accompanied by a firm pat on the back they may be stereotyped as acting "butch".
When men and women greet each other there are different rules for different situations. If it is a business situation or they are meeting for the first time, only a handshake is appropriate. If they have met before or are old friends then a hug and/or kiss can be appropriate. These seem like simple guidelines to follow but if a situation arises that is out of the norm it can seem very odd. For example, if while meeting for someone for the first time they give you a big hug and kiss it would be impolite and maybe even construed as rude. These guidelines differ across different societies and if unknown problems could arise. Pop culture tends to enforce these guidelines and ways of behaving and keeps them in our society.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Gender Exploitation in Alcohol Ads
As we know, the media has a big influence on society and our pop culture. Essentially, media provides us with actual models of behavior and creates ideas or “norms” for society through social constructs. These messages or models which media sends out can also reinforce a person’s or society’s existing beliefs and attitudes about something, which brings up the question talked about in class “does the media shape us or do we shape the media?” I believe it has to do with both. I feel that a big contribution to the way media shapes us is through advertising. I have noticed that alcohol advertisements have underlying attitudes and messages which communicate cultural values, which in turn, shape the way we think and interact within society.
There has been a noticeable increase in the use of sexual appeals in alcohol advertisements. According to a study by S.C. Jones from the University of Wollongong called “Beer, Boats, and Breasts: Responses to a controversial alcohol advertising campaign” the increasing portrayals of sexuality in advertising began in the 1980s and has continued through the 90s to today. Women are found to be partially dressed or even nude in advertisements, especially those of alcohol. Ultimately, the advertisements have become degrading and demeaning to women.
In alcohol advertisements, women are being used as objects. Their bodies are being used to sell products, ultimately for the pleasure of the opposite gender. Advertisers use techniques such as objectification, which displays someone as a service rather than a person, and dismemberment, which focuses an ad solely on sexualized body parts. The alcohol ads are only focused on a woman’s sex appeal which can insinuate to society that females are only worthy of their sexuality, thus possibly also expressing that females are less intelligent than males. These techniques and ads convey to society that women are not complete human beings. They are being objectified to sell a product (alcohol) which is aimed mainly towards the opposite gender.
Not only are these ads demeaning and inappropriate portrayals of women, but they are also shaping the females of our present popular culture. The majority of female models in alcohol advertisements are thin, young, and very attractive, which realistically, is a small percentage of women in society. According to the study I read, women feel like they are “constantly exhorted to emulate this ideal, to feel ashamed and guilty if they fail, and to feel that their desirability and lovability are contingent upon physical perfection” (Kilbourne, 1995).
There are also many female stereotypes represented through alcohol ads that girls are seeing and imitating in today’s society. For example, some stereotypes include the “bimbo” who tends to be the sexualized girl, always flirting and giggly, the “party girl” who always looks stylish, is fun, outgoing, confident, and the life of the party, and the “man eater” who tends to be a bit older and gets what she wants from men by using her sexuality. Girls in society look at these advertisements and feel that they have to dress “scantily clad” or act sexy in order to get attention, attract men, or look “cool”.
Alcohol ads are just an example of how social constructs of media can affect society, but ultimately, I think that through these alcohol advertisements it is clearly shown that the media plays a huge role in shaping our lives.
http://tissuebank.co.za/UserFiles/T.Nowosenetz(1).pdf
http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1074&context=hbspapers
Women & Football Games
I recently attended a Philadelphia Eagles football game and began to notice the role females played in the sports event to be various and intriguing. It is not generally noticed, but there are many types of women spectating and involved in the production of the show that is an NFL football game.
I couldn't help but notice the young woman sitting in front of me at the game. She was wearing expensive cowboy boots, jeans, and a pea-coat. She had fake nails, long straightened hair, and metallic blue eyeliner on and did not cheer once during the entire game. I wondered why she, or her male friend, would spend a couple hundred dollars (which they did because they were asked by the people to their right) on a ticket to watch a game she clearly did not want to attend. The seats had be occupied during the previous game by two young women wearing the smallest McNabb jerseys I've ever seen with bleach blonde hair.. again not even slightly interested in the game.
I guess this is the stereotypical role when play when concerning sports. Many guys, and girls alike, assume girls don't want to watch football and drink beer but instead get their nails done or go shopping. This role, although supported by many of the women I've witnessed attending football games, is also more often than not contradicted. The woman sitting right next to came out to watch her Eagles play even though she was significantly pregnant and kept having to run to the bathroom. The same woman attends a few games a season and cheers her heart out for her team. Another older woman proudly wearing her new Samuel jersey was screaming the Eagles fight song at the top of her lung, an obvious long time, die hard fan of her team.
Although women like these show that women can be just as into their team and cheer for them perhaps even harder than their male counter-parts, the NFL does its job at supporting the bleach blonde, football ignorant image many people hold. One of the cheerleaders for the Eagles attended my high school and she is not allowed to leave her house without looking her best, she's not allowed to color or cut her hair in whatever way she wants, and she's not even allowed to wear her hair in a pony tail in public. The same girl, and all her fellow cheerleaders, annually poses naked for the Eagles cheerleader calendar (a page of which is even hanging on the door of a student is Norsworthy). I wonder if you asked any of these girls what pass interference or encroachment was if they even know that they were football terms. These girls obviously just mold women into the beauty pageant, sports illiterate mold the true female fans are trying to fight. I mean, these cheerleaders aren't at all necessary, just ask the Steelers.
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