This was published by Ms magazine a feminist magazine publisher in 2014
I think what this cultural artifact says about gender is women are objects. Women are meant to be looked at and used instead of valued. It says that women are to be kept beautiful and maintain that beauty as well as hyper-sexualizing women. It also says that women are to be feminine in their attire choice, hair as well as a stance. It notes that others are a beast like that they are unable to control themselves when they see women and promotes the male gaze. It also shows how there is sexual harassment in the workplace and it is the women's fault for distracting others. It attempts to reinforce the traditional ideology of females because it is reinforcing the traditional rules of feminity since its focuses are on beauty and how a woman acts and is supposed to look like using their products.
I feel that this has been one of the same rhetorics I have seen my whole life through pop culture for the topic of women. I feel more often than not women are meant to use traditional femininity values. which are to be distracting with beauty and to maintain that beauty and be feminine in clothing. For me, it has impacted because for many years since I was socially constructed to think I need to fit the female standard and conform to it. I did find myself more insecure cause I could never fit the standards, not until recently, I don't abide by the standard since I am not okay with it. I do catch myself sometimes when I am beating my self-much of not being feminine enough but I realize quickly feminine is what I want and perceive it to be and I identify myself no one else.
As mentioned this was published by ms magazine ut originally posted by a hair company in the attempt to sell hair product. the original intent is to reach women who wish to fit the beauty standard of hair initially, silky smooth and no frizz. And then to make sure they feel with this product they will have a body as such and get attention from their peers that they will notice everything else about them. Ms magazine republished it to note the issues behind this ad. For Ms. Magazine readers the audience is feminist, womanist, and social justice activist usually at younger ages. This has come out within the last five years and is pretty accurate in today's ads being released by companies. Although we see a shift in social justice-centered ads and more gender neutral without hypermasculinity and femininity highlighted in main components in ads, there are still companies to this day publishg ads like such to make a profit.
I agree with your blog regarding growing up and trying to fit in. As a child, my mother would always tell me to make sure my hair is done properly. What is properly? A guy could just wear a hat and be done with it, but it a women is running late, she better walk in the room looking at her best. I do not understand how advertising need to show females as sex object in order to sale their products. Why can't they just focus of the object that is being sold rather than females being objectified for a profit. I believe if the item that is being sold can't stand alone, why sell the product? We need to come together (famales and males) and protest and stop purchasing products that disrespect women and use them as sex objects.
ReplyDeleteWell said Brittney. Following with what Angie was speaking about, I can also relate. I know that the majority of females today in fact would agree that they in some form growing up experienced these situations and circumstances. For women, we struggle with expressing ourselves through times of sickness, struggles and disadvantages because it is in these times when we would like to be our version of ourselves however the society that we live in refuses to allow us to do so. Why exactly is that? I almost feel like by continuing to follow these unspoken rules we are just enabling this awful cycle and mentality to persist on through generations.
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ReplyDeleteHi Brittney, I definitely agree with you women are viewed as objects, like if they are meant to be maintained a certain body shape, and how they look. This hair product is basically saying your hair will be noticed now if you use the product, because males only see women as objects that look the way they want to. I always grew up seeing all my brothers never do their hair and I always had to because then I wouldn't look proper, I don't agree that women should be treated this way, if they want to do their hair that's great and if they don't that's also great. It shouldn't be viewed as a bad thing that women don't do their hair it's their choice.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with what you are saying. I know that enhancing ones beauty and accepting ones gender and not backing down is a type of feminism that has been promoted by some public figures, but in the end all that really does is reinforce the gender binary social construction that traps people in the first place.
ReplyDeleteHi Brittney, first off I really liked the cultural artifact that you picked out. Second your first sentence really stood out to me, when you said, "women are objects." I see that a lot through many advisement, not only this one so I really thought it was a powerful thing to say. They are trying to sell hair product, yet a woman butt is the main object of the picture. Also I think the fact that they're basically telling women to do their hair for work, so that part of our bodies will get noticed as well. Basically everything in a women body is an object for men to look at.
ReplyDeleteHello Brittney,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your post in relation as how women are viewed as objects. The moment a woman walks through a group of men they are being judged because of their beauty or curves. This advertisement is representing hair but the woman is being exposed by showing off her legs while her dress is tucked under her underwear. Getting a glance at this advertisement the first thing you look at is her bright underwear being exposed, until you read the actual ad that it is representing hair. Males are able to wake up shower, get dressed, and go. In contrast with women, we are suppose to get ready as in applying some makeup, wear certain clothing, and this ad is saying how we are suppose to have nice hair being down. As women, if anything is being sold in an ad women are always exposed through their body. Women are always seen as an object because of the way we are represented, but I also see this in women they are willing to expose themselves in certain ways but everything is for consumerism.