Women vs. Men

What is the first thing you think when you see this ad?

Maybe you're thinking, look how tough this woman is! She is standing like a man to use the bathroom. I think this advertisement is trying to show the woman as man's equal, because she can do her business the same way. However, their method for exuding that message is flawed. They attempt to justify woman's equality by putting the woman in a man's place. I think this subtly affirms the idea that men are superior and the "dominant ones" in society because it is suggesting that women can only be considered equal to men, or "strong", if they mirror men, or take the exact same role. So, while some may argue that this picture is a "step forward" for women I would say that it is not. One picture that I think has lack exposure, especially in the past, has been a figure of a woman in the household that is strong. Now, as there are more portrayals of single mothers, this is changing, but there has been a "time lag". This lag is described by Gaye Tuchman as when the mass media's representations of society are not up-to-date. You see, for many years there have been strong women in society, intellectuals, artists, mothers, who have done well f or themselves without the help of men. However, it has taken time for media to embrace this picture of women. A picture where women are not dependent on men; a picture where women can still be "in the home" and yet that does not have to be a "lower" place.

This "time lag"creates a sticky situation because of, what Tuchman calls, "modeling". Modeling is when girls, for example, use the media as their guide to society. They use media to define their beliefs, behavior, etc. So, when women, young girls in particular, see these advertisements that are not in sync with reality they are not being prepared for the "real world". Also, women will continue this cycle because they are "modeling" the roles they think they are suppose to play in society.
So, there is definitely a link between media's portrayal of women and the actual roles/perception of women in society. Unfortunately, this link does not usually produce positive results. Some say that the depiction of women has come a long way because it used to be that all women were represented as house-mothers. I agree that in the "real world", yes, women have many more opportunities and they are asserting themselves. However, the present amount of advertisements, and other mediums of the media, that objectify and belittle women is astounding. The images today may not be as blatant...

,or maybe they are...but whether a message is subtle or not, it can still be received.

Erving Goffman, a sociologist, conducted a study on advertisements with human models in the 1970s. His findings, on the different ways men and women were portrayed, are very interesting and maybe even disturbing because many are still true today!

Here are some examples that I found just the other day in a few women's magazines:

"stance subordination"

Goffman says, "this can include a 'head cant' or tilted head as well - another sign of submission"
Also, if you notice in this particular picture the woman is standing in a way that is slightly leaned back that suggests instability. Meanwhile, a shadow of a man seems to be watching her as though she is a show. In other words, she is merely entertainment; here the woman is just a sexual object.

"tactility"

Women tend to hold things lightly and men with a tight grasp, as demonstrated in this picture. In addition, in this photo the women goes as far to be almost leaning on the man for support. All these small elements send a big message that men are stronger and more independent than women.

Gaze

Goffman states that, "women's gazes are generally diverted," and this lack of presence in the ads scenarios suggests that the women are absent from the situation.


Mouths

In the next two pictures you will notice that the women's mouths all seem to be slightly open. Also, the majority of them have their heads tilted.

So, these messages from the 1970s still seem to exist. The ideology that women are inferior to men is not as forthright as before, but the media is still sending it. Be warned; many questions are coming...
But if this is not the true picture of women in reality, than what is?
What images of women are being underepresented?
Do you agree, are advertisements still suggesting that women are sexual objects that are below men, or has this changed?
What does this say about reality?
Have we reached equality yet? Will we ever?


Who leads now?

Sincerely,
Cristi