Week 4 women in Ads

In this picture, it appears that the man is being aggressive with the female.  She looks like she is trying to pull away and he is the stronger more dominant in the relationship.  Also, the picture is not showing the female’s face, which makes her appear as a non-person and unimportant.  The female is also wearing a sexy outfit and they seem like they are about to partake in sexual activity.  This brings up the concept we talked about women always being sexual, and always seeking a man to pleasure her.


In the second picture, a man presses the woman against a wall.  She is extremely skinny and seems to have no choice in the matter.  The man is again showing dominance and violence toward the women.  Also, like the first picture, it is a sexual picture suggesting women are always sexually driving.   The unrealistic body image is also shown in this ad. 

This is a positive ad for many reasons.  One is that the woman is not stick skinny and shows a more realistic female body.  The woman is also African American which is a positive movement in creating equality.  The woman in the ad is also older and has wrinkles and other things that shows her age but she is not ashamed to bare it all to make the point that beauty has no age limit.  

 

LEARNING MODULE TEN

Learning Module 10 LIVE LEARNING MODULE due 4/18 by NOON

Pick one of the following events to attend during the Ladyfest activities and submit a 3 paragraph blog entry with your reflection, grounded in course content.

FRIDAY 4/15 1:00 pm – Screening of PBS’s In The Life episode featuring KIN4LIFE, followed by Q&A with Nor & IQ of KIN4LIFE – ten Hoor 125

SATURDAY 4/16 10:00AM – Old School Consciousness Raising Session lead by Melanie DeMaeyer (one of the author's we read this semester) – Chloe’s Cup - 2117 University Blvd

SUNDAY 4/17 Noon-6pm – Attend one of the workshops at Alabama Art Kitchen – 2626 University Blvd

Noon – Ladyfest Zine Workshop – Learn about the history and importance of zines and help make a zine for Ladyfest Deep South 2011.
3:30PM – Vagina Monologue Workshop – If you’ve ever heard of the Vagina Monologues, then this is the arts and crafts version of that. Come create your own!
4:30PM – Herbs Health for Women – This class is a very broad, general, and beginner friendly exploration of plant-based medicines for women. Local, Abby Hall Luca, will cover several herbs and herbal formulas/ preparations for young through post-menopausal women. No knowledge of herbs required!

For more info please visit the following social networking sites for Ladyfest Deep South 2011.

Tumblr
Facebook
Twitter

Learning Module 9

wrc.ua.edu/sexuala.cfm

 

LEARNING MODULE NINE
Due Sat. 4/9 by noon
 What would you do to end sexual violence at the University of Alabama? 

Using your articles for this week, write 1-2 paragraphs demonstrating your understanding of the social systems and social conditions that support male sexual violence against women and other men on college campuses.  Then in 1-2 paragraphs, build upon the “Feminist Frat Boys” article and reflect upon some possible forms of action/activism that you and your peers (as well as the larger University system) can take to end sexual violence on the UA campus.

Preventing sexual assault: Tips guaranteed to work! September 22, 2009

 

Please distribute this list.  Put it up in your place of work, in your university’s library or wherever you think theymight be read:
1. Don’t put drugs in people’s drinks in order to control their behavior.
2. When you see someone walking by themselves, leave them alone!
3. If you pull over to help someone with car problems, remember not to assault them!
4. NEVER open an unlocked door or window uninvited.
5. If you are in an elevator and someone else gets in, DON’T ASSAULT THEM!
6. Remember, people go to laundry to do their laundry, do not attempt to molest someone who is alone in a laundry room.
7. USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM! If you are not able to stop yourself from assaulting people, ask a friend to stay with you while you are in public.
8. Always be honest with people! Don’t pretend to be a caring friend in order to gain the trust of someone you want to assault. Consider telling them you plan to assault them. If you don’t communicate your intentions, the other person may take that as a sign that you do not plan to rape them.
9. Don’t forget: you can’t have sex with someone unless they are awake!
10. Carry a whistle! If you are worried you might assault someone “on accident” you can hand it to the person you are with, so they can blow it if you do.
Thanks to Feminist Law Professors!

Learning Module 8

Learning Module Eight
DUE SATURDAY 4/2  BY NOON

Look up some of the videos discussed in this week’s readings.  In two paragraphs, discuss what it means to "flip the scripts" of hetero-masculine sexual dominance? How does this also relate to re-appropriation and counter-appropriation?  Who has the power to set the patterns for dominant forms of representation in the music industry and Why? (use “intersectionality” in your analysis)

Next find a couple of videos that demonstrate what you would consider to be empowering to the women (and men) involved in them (as well as those viewing them), especially in relation to what you observed and learned from the film Dreamworlds 3).  Provide the name of the videos and in 2 paragraphs explain how female artists are using their messages, language, bodies, etc. toward greater gender empowerment?

BRAINSTROMING--Group 4

Group Project Brainstorming -- Group 4

BRAINSTORMING--Group 3

Group Project Brainstorming -- Group 3

BRAINSTORMING--Group 2

Group Project Brainstorming -- Group 2

BRAINSTORMING-- Group 1

Group Project Brainstorming -- Group 1

EXTRA CREDIT!

Due Sat 3/26 by noon

In 2-3 paragraphs, please reflect upon the following article and place it in conversation with this week’s readings on globalization and women’s labor.  What is the importance of labor unions here and abroad?  Why are they particularly important for women laborers?  How do union concerns here in the United States relate to union concerns in the “developing world”? (hint: consider free trade agreements).  Can you imagine unions being a point of transnational solidarity for workers?  Why?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brigid-o/from-the-triangle-fire-to_b_839023.html

ALABAMA ISSUES!!!!

http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-the-prosecution-of-pregnant-women-as-drug-labs-in-alabama#?opt_new=t&opt_fb=f

Blog 7

LEARNING MODULE SEVEN

(Due Saturday by Noon)

Read the Heterosexual Questionnaire and take the time to answer the questions for yourself.  Now read the following prompt and critically reflect upon the following questions.

This morning when you awoke from a night’s sleep, you became aware that society was no longer as you remembered it. In fact, it had universally made a 180-degree turn in sexual orientation and the world you remember as being a comfortable environment for heterosexuals like yourself no longer accepts people like you. You don’t want to return to isolation, so you must deal with the situation, and do it right now. But now you don’t fit in. Homo-erotic love is the required standard. Heterosexuals are moral outcasts. They are widely thought to molest children, and the marriage of your partner that you have looked forward to for several years will not be legally recognized. Procreation takes place in test tubes and hired wombs according to accepted procedures, and couples like you and your partner are considered hazardous to population growth. You turn on the TV news, only to see a demonstration on the courthouse steps by anti-heterosexual activists shouting ‘heterosexuality is sin’ and ‘ban the straights.’ A sense of doom envelops you as the truth sinks in. You have a cup of coffee and sit down to think about how you will deal with the situation.” What do you think? How will your life change? What will happen to your relationship with your family and friends, now all gay? Will you allow others to know that you are straight and risk the consequences? What might they be? How do you decide to deal with the situation? Why?

In 2-3 paragraphs, write some key insights drawn from BOTH of these exercises, and how it felt to answer the questions.  Use course readings to discuss ways to navigate through this oppressive situation and how you see the world changing if homophobia was abolished.

Please Note: If you do not identify as straight, feel free to adjust this prompt in a way you see fit.  Either examine and explain how you would feel as a part of the dominant privileged group, what you think would be different, or explain how things are for you now not fitting into the dominant category.  If you identify as bi or fluid in some way, feel free to discuss this as not having a category and how in either situation bisexuality/fluid sexuality gets left out.

PostSecrect.com

There's a website called PostSecrect--some of you may have heard of it. Pretty much it's a website of ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrects annoymously on one side of a postcard. The following link was one of the post cards sent in this week and deals with the topic of last week. Just wanted to share it with you all.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL89S7PHQ3Rp5t9Db6MKArk-nyKLbVOtJCeqFRG9m139h6xXIoc3TM6jZ-rKVhxeNZRAkVWlguMrskTNiEReRpEb5VuahQDiV59VPSquKpZXDJRfj7S6jS19mm5Jni552Qev2YEtWlKVNI/s1600/pp.jpg

Learning Module 6

LEARNING MODULE SIX
Due Saturday (2/26) by noon

After reading the essay, “And So I Choose,” by Allison Crews place her discussion of “rights” in conversation with the article you read for class this week, “Beyond Pro-Choice vs. Pro-Life?”  First (2 paragraphs), in your own words, please describe why each of these terms are in fact problematic or limiting to our larger discussion of reproductive rights.  Why were each limiting in Crew’s reflection?  What does a “reproductive justice” paradigm offer instead?  Second (1-2 paragraphs) reflect on the recent arguments surrounding legislation addressed to congress (see links below).  What do you think is at stake in politicizing women’s bodies and reproduction?  What would a reproductive justice argument look like in response to this legislation?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/18/planned-parenthood-fundin_n_825258.html?ref=fb&src=sp
http://reproductiverights.org/sites/crr.civicactions.net/files/documents/Center%20for%20Reproductive%20Rights%20Testimony%202%2014%2011.pdf

Learning Module 5 (Redo)

LEARNING MODULE FIVE (REDO)Due Wednesday 3/2 no later than Noon

Imagine you are participating in a conversation with the Combahee River Collective and, in a consciousness-raising group, you read the following article.  Using the Combahee River Collective Statement and what you have learned in the past weeks, discuss a black feminist perspective to this issue (In 2-3 paragraphs).   How would the Collective approach the issue, especially with regard to privilege, interlocking oppressions, “the personal is political”, and a critique of the limitations of dominant feminist and anti-racist approaches to hierarchies of inequality.  What new perspectives might they offer?  Be creative…imagine you are sitting at the table with them!
http://www.theroot.com/views/recy-taylor-symbol-jim-crow-s-forgotten-horror

Learning Module 5

LEARNING MODULE FIVE
(due Saturday by noon)

Imagine bell hooks joins the Combahee River Collective and in a consciousness-raising group reads her article “Straightening Our Hair”, and shows the film clip “A Girl Like Me”.  Based upon your readings for this week, discuss a black feminist perspective to this topic.  How would the Collective approach the issue, especially with regard to privilege, interlocking oppressions, “the personal is political”, and a critique of the limitations of dominant feminist and anti-racist approaches to hierarchies of inequality.  What new perspectives might they offer?  Be creative…imagine you are sitting at the table with them!

http://www.understandingrace.org/lived/video/index.html

LEARNING MODULE 4

(Due Saturday by NOON)

1)    Choose three examples from either the White Privilege Checklist, the Male Privilege Checklist, and the Black Male Privilege Checklist, or the Heterosexual Checklist (Katz) that made you think about your own privilege in a new way and tell us why (1 paragraph)

2)     Now make your own checklist (5 items) and explain why these are privileges using the week’s readings and lecture.  Explain key facets of the systems of oppression (gender, racial, heterosexist) that exist to reinforce these privileges in your life (2 paragraphs).

3)    Go to your section’s wallwisher link for “Gender Microaggressions” (on E-learning).  Post an example of a gender microaggression.  Then post the message that this microaggression sends (this is a required posting and will count toward full credit for this learning module!)

"The dominant group is damaged even as it receives huge benefits. You pay for the privilege and the cost is enormous.”~Tim Wise

Part 1:

The first picture is an advertisement for Nicoderm CQ. Most advertisements for nicotine gum or patches all tend to have the same "Quitting is tough, but cancer is worse" message, but this one is geared specifically towards women. The message is now more like "Quit smoking or you'll lose your looks." The ad even says "The Beauty of Quitting," and displays a picture of a lovely woman (thin, light-skinned, and conventionally pretty) who we can assume has taken steps to "prevent the damage" smoking might inflict upon her otherwise flawless face by using this product.

There's no message about health; apparently now the number-one danger associated with smoking is not stroke, emphysema, or cancer, but ugliness. This ad presumes to know what women care about, and it is not having a healthy body. According to this ad, the only health benefits that a woman who quits smoking has to care about are the ones that show on the outside, the ones that make her prettier. She must aim not for healthier lungs, but healthier skin. She should care about her true assets (i.e. her looks) because long-lasting beauty is a much worthier goal than long-lasting health, right?

The next ad is almost entirely comprised of text, but the message is just as warped as the one in the previous picture. This is obviously an ad for a jewelry store, but it is not aimed at women. The ad assumes that men will be buying the jewelry, that they have both the money and the authority to buy diamonds. What goes unsaid is that a woman won't be buying jewelry for herself, that buying jewelry is what a man does to bribe or cajole a woman into a certain mood. Buy a girl a diamond bracelet and she'll be all smiles, right? It doesn't matter if you backed over her cat, just bring home something shiny and all will be forgiven. This implies that women are shallow and easily swayed by material goods. The tone of the ad is sarcastic; the implied "Because we all know how women can be, flighty and easily swayed," is missing from the ad.

Part 2:

When I first saw this ad, I thought it fit the typical "pretty skinny white girl" requirements, but then I looked more closely. "We all walk in different shoes," is the message that accompanies the picture. And though the woman in the picture might look like your typical pretty skinny white girl, you only need to read further to see that this woman is not average: she is in fact, a "paralympic athlete, actor and president of the Women's Sports Foundation." And then comes the Aha! moment: Those aren't her real legs, they're prosthetics. This ad doesn't say "Look at this disabled woman, isn't she beautiful?" It says, "Look at this beautiful, strong, AND accomplished woman, who is also physically challenged." This ad might not completely defy the beauty myth, but it is a step in the right direction. I think it's admirable that Kenneth Cole is promoting "non-uniform thinking," even if it seems more like a fashion-y pun than a modus operandi. But I do believe that this ad, which is just one part of a larger campaign that features models of various racial and ethnic backgrounds, levels of physical ability, sexual orientations, and political leanings, is a step toward seeing more positive and empowering advertisements in the future.

Part 1: The first advertisement sends the typical message to women: “use this product and you will be skinny and have a man.” We all know that this is not true especially with a high sugared product such as Pepsi. Pepsi, if not used in moderation for most people, causes weight gain and a serve out break of acne. I’m

not saying it’s a bad thing because our bodies are made the way they are supposed to be but the image contradicts itself. Also, the advertisement says that by drinking Pepsi the consumer will be “up to date and smart.” I have had a lot of soft drinks in my day, but none have made me any smarter or given any more knowledge of current events. Maybe if the cans came with articles out of the Wall Street Journal I could see where it could be true, but until then it is just false advertisement.

The only reason I even saw the second article was due to how little the model’s waist was. It did not make me want to buy her jeans, but instead give her a hotdog. This type of advertisement is the reason so many women and girls are developing eating disorders. There is no way in the world anybody could be that skinny and still be healthy. This picture gives off the impression of “Hey. Want to wear these cool clothes? Then you need to be as little as me.” I hate to break to Ralph Lauren, but if that is the only size they are selling, then they are about to lose a whole lot of business.

Advertisements like these paint such an unrealistic picture. The reason it is so hard to make it in the modeling world is because there are so few people that are actually like this. If advertisers put “real” women into their ads, I think it would help woman discover that they are beautiful just the way they are.

Part 2: This ad was put out by

Seventeen magazine and I think they should be applauded for their efforts. They are showing that most people in there magazine are not real, and for young women to stop trying to be like them. What I do not understand is why put the models into the magazine? Instead of putting one ad in about how none of these women are real, why don’t they put a real woman in every ad? Either way, it is a small step into helping show women what true beauty really is and a small step is better than a step backwards.

Ads

The first ad is for


belvidere vodka.It is degrading to women in a couple o f ways. Its insinuating to the audience that if you have a woman drink this vodka, something such as oral sex may occur.
The second ad is showing a man spanking his wife in a add for a certain coffee. It's related to a woman having an affair, and the many spanking her and punishing her for it. It's showing a mans dominance and somewhat of domestic violence, all over a coffee brand.

Ads

In theses two images

In the first advertisement, the woman is being told that by using Coppertone Suntan products while tanning, the product will make her look younger and prettier than she did the previous day before using it. It also boasts that it will have you looking like a Native American. The explicit message in this ad is that the woman on it is already young and supposedly “beautiful” but if they continue to use their product they will continue to look that way with healthier skin and a more desiring complexion. It’s obviously directed right towards Caucasian women. The implicit message is that not only will the complexion be looking Native American, but it will give the user a darker, not as pale look as they once had before. Also, in the bottom left corner, it is a smaller image of a little girl topless getting her swimsuit tugged on by a puppy. I guess that poses the idea that now that the little girl is all grown up and topless that men will start approaching her, especially with the help of her new tan.

In the second advertisement, a woman is pictured on the front of a magazine for International Lifestyle, with a dog on top of her licking her neck, while she is lying on a bed dressed in lingerie. Obviously this image screams “SEX”. The dog is portraying a man but in a dominating way because he is on top of her and she has her head turned. Because of the setting, it looks as if they would be people of the higher class who enjoy having a good time. The image seems to be sending out the message to “Live life on the wild side”. The woman is young with hardly any aging lines at all and is seen as the perfect super model.

Both of these advertisements reinforce the beauty myths that women should look young, thin, and attractive. In the first image the woman would look more desirable, healthier, and younger if she used Coppertone Suntan products. In the second image the woman is seen as living an upscale lifestyle enabling her to do wild and crazy things only if the man is present and going along with her

.

In society today we are constantly being told that beauty is a lighter skin toned woman who is thin and attractive. This advertisement displays women of different races and of different sizes advertising Bravissimo’s line of bras. The women look happy, healthy, and appreciative of their bodies even though all of them have large breasts. They are proud to show off what they have grown into and are embracing the fact that they are women. If I were to create an advertisement, I think I would use older women and men who look very natural. They would be happy to have aged and proud of who they’ve become through the years.

Advertisements

When flipping through a magazine or newspaper, or even driving down the street, people can learn a lot about societies views on gender are. An overwhelming amount of advertisements objectify women and exhibit male dominance. Although the media and advertising industry attempt to show society how men and women should be have some aren’t affected by it. Within these three specific advertisements there are several differ degrading issues that are references to women.

Over the years, women have been so consumed into what they look like. Being “skinny” is some people’s definition of beauty. Advertising agencies generally use young, white, skinny, and attractive girls to promote a product. By them doing this it makes it seem in order for you to be beautiful you must be skinny; however, very few women are this size. Over the past few years, plastic surgery increased, and eating disorders became more of a problem. In this particular advertisement, Ralph Lauren uses a very thin model to show the message of “skinny is beautiful.” The comparison of the two photos shown is very extreme. Although some women will look at this and strive to be this size, other women will be somewhat disgusted by how extremely thin she is. Focusing on the female physical appearance is what causes the amount of women with eating disorders to increase. Nearly one-tenth of young American women and one-fifth of female American students are on some form of a diet because they are trying to mimic the “beauty” image that advertisers are presenting to society.

Men are often seemed to be more dominant over women, and some advertisements portray to people the roles that gender play in society. It is rare that a woman is the dominating figure over the male in advertisements. In this specific advertisement, the male is positioned in front of the female and she is behind him. Also, it speaks on how women are supposed to be the “household providers” (such as the cook, cleaner, etc.).

While the previous advertisements bring into effect the myths of beauty and normative gender, this specific advertisement works against them. This advertisement shows that not everyone is so consumed in the “ideal” image of beauty. Also it shows that everyone is not extremely thin. The description on the side gives the advantages of having a big butt and how proud this individual is because of it. I would include this in my own advertisement to get the attention of a different audience and to show that it is ok to have curves and be confident with your body.

Advertisments

PART 1: The first ad I chose was the tailored suit ad, which was supposed to show the audience why they should buy a tailored suit. However, how they portrayed the ad was saying that men would get gorgeous girls falling all over them. The explicit message in this ad was that they picked a beautiful woman who had a low cut shirt on that would attract guy’s eyes while flipping through the magazine. The inexplicit message in this advertisement is not only that a man can get a woman while wearing a tailored suit, but a women’s vulnerability for a man. This ad reinforces the beauty myth that every girl should be thin and light skinned; this model obviously was both of these things. In this ad the male looks like he is the dominant figure just by comparing the two models outfits. The male looks like he is going to work, while she looks like she is just hanging around all day.

The second advertisement that I thought was appropriate for this blog was the one for post its. The ad shows a girl and a man the next morning after sleeping together the night before. The explicit message in this ad is that the man obviously sleeps with some many women that he had to write her name on a post it so he could remember the next morning. The inexplicit message in this ad shows how “easy” a woman can be, she doesn’t care that she is sleeping with a man who can’t remember her name. The beauty myth this ad reinforces again is the thought that women need to be thin with blonde hair. The male dominance is shown in this ad because it is assumed that the woman is the vulnerable one in the ad.

PART 2: After going through many Google pages, I finally found an advertisement that went against all the beauty myths. This Dove ad shows a older women who I proud to show off her body, even if it isn’t a perfect model size. Even though he is not clothed the purpose of the ad is to show women not to be insecure of their body. The message on the billboard “Does Beauty have an Age Limit?” it lets the public know beauty isn’t only defined by how young you look. If I was to make my own ad I would put a typical Latino mother, she would show the world that she can do whatever she wants no matter of her gender or size.

Advertisements

The first advertisement I found was for a Detour protein bar. The picture on the left is a heavier woman holding a candy bar. The female on the right is a skinny beautiful woman holding a protein candy bar. The advertisement says "There's candy bars and there's PROTIEN candy bars". I think the implicit message in this advertisement is saying that if you eat candy bars you will look like the woman on the left or. Or if men eat candy bars they will have to date women that look like the one on the left. But if you eat the Detour Protein bar you will look like the woman on the right or for a man date women that look like her. This ad directly relates to the beauty myth readings by using a skinny, white, blonde woman that men desire to have and that women might desire to look like.

The next advertisement that I also thought related to what we are talking about in class is the BMW ad. This advertisement is promoting used automobiles. It says "You know you're not the first" and has a young looking girl who seems to be naked. The implicit message in this advertisement is that you know you aren't the first to "own" a used vehicle. By using this woman in the ad they are relating a used car to a used woman. They reinforce the man being dominant in a relationship by "owning" a used car, or this used woman.

The Under Armour advertisement works against reinforcing dominant myths of beauty by having not only Asian Americans in the ad but also a man and a woman. They aren't really trying to target a certain gender or race they just want everyone to buy their product. These advertisements do not really bother me and it does not matter what gender or race the people are who are in the advertisements. I can see where some women would get offended by certain advertisements even though I don't. I think they did a good job with this advertisement because they are saying that anyone can buy their product and they aren't discriminating against a gender or race. If I was creating an advertisement I would use similar ideas like the Under Armour one.