Saturday, November 5, 2016

When we look around, we always see ads. If you ask me, it all probably started as Propaganda. From there, when women were needed to help men to substitute for their positions, propaganda was used to encourage women to help the men. Here are some of the most famous propaganda used. Sexist Propaganda


However, after the World War was over, people no longer needed women’s help, so unfortunately, it turned into something of more an object. From the first reading we did in class, John Berger’s Ways of Seeing, women was always taught to change and appeal their appearance to men. The gazes of women’s were meant to appeal to men, to make men notice them. This objective then carried on today, where we have ads that are solely for the purpose of appealing to men and demeaning women. We start from this Hardee's Ad about food in the 1940s to a Kitchenware ad in 2009! 
in connection with 
Shoe Ads in the 1960s:
The ads of these women tell of all the stereotypical traits that everyone describes today. All these ads to sell shoes or a women's gaze or even worse - a man's behavior towards women. These ads have so much influence on every one because that's what the media has led us to believe. From Kilbourne's reading, she states that "The aspect of advertising most need of analysis and change is the portrayal of women. Scientific studies and the most casual viewing yield the same conclusion. Women are shown almost exclusively as house wives or sex objects.” (122,Kilbourne) In order to become somewhat of an accepted women, you have to be a housewife which only objectifies women to make sure that they are someTHING only men can admire. These advertisements show nothing of a women in control of her life, but rather a male who has the authority over her life. 
Unfortunately, the world of advertisement has become so harsh that it has become an influence for the younger generation too. Kilbourne, in another reading has stated that we accept boys for how they look, but boys expect a specific appeal of beauty about girls. (124, Kilbourne) Take a look at these ads with young children. 
vs the most recent one 
These ads are there to provide a more mature appeal of these children to the public, yet already sabotaging their thoughts. 
I can continue to rant on and on about sexism, because it has become the popular culture now for women to appeal themselves to others, to appeal themselves and try to make themselves as beautiful as possible. The media's portrayal of beauty is solely based on these sexist ads. However, there's another issue that comes to mind when it comes to popular culture - racism. 
No matter how many times we say we're trying to fix racism, it still does exist, not only in America, but in the world. 
BUT, BEFORE I SAY ANYTHING, let's take a look at this first. 
and the most famous recent one Jessie Walters
and the Bounceback

Most of the advertisements today and whatever goes on TV, you see that the racism is clear. The first known racist association that started was the start of KKK. The racism against non-white are taught to kids from a young age. Children learn that if your'e white, you get more priviledges! So, the idea of wanting to be white, of NEEDING to be white was "learned" by all the non-whites. 
But do you see the connections and similarities between all these ads? All these ads attach a product that lures the inner desires of a person and attaching it to a "social cause or problem". Alternative styles are definitely needed for improvement in the sexist, racist comments that everyone goes through. The history begins with the male gaze, but what would it be like if the male gaze never existed? Where did the idea of male gaze start from? Maybe we can share the idea of a gathering instead selling women. "If you want to achieve your dreams together, let's grab dinner at Outback Steakhouse!" Sounds like a fun idea! Maybe the idea of dramas and tv shows can change the way people portray women and race. But instead of using body parts to show of, why not use portrayal of clothes on models that just seems like a normal hangout, not a I'm ready for hookup "normal" hangout. We can possibly start by portraying only individuals, instead of the part that appeals to everyone. Maybe we can break stereotypes that already exist. Instead of showing surprise when a women can't open a ketchup bottle, we can show how strong a women can be, show all the potential that a person was born with. Like my mother and father always says "Everyone has eyes, nose, lips, so why is one inferior than the other? We're basically all the same." 




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