Blog #1

The video Still Killing Us Softly 4, by Jane Killbourne is a reminder for most women that controlling images do exist. Although these images and stereotypes are extreme they appear in pretty much all advertisements in our every day lives. The video by Jane Killbourne truly displays the differences in how males and females are portrayed in advertisements and movies. Women are portrayed as skinny beautiful girls. I feel that you don’t need to be anorexic with a face full of make up to be beautiful but most young girls in today’s society feel that they have to because of what they see in advertisements. These advertisements are selling more than just the product there are trying to promote there are selling an image. I find it interesting that while you may think many celebrities love the way they look in advertisements, they don’t. They feel that the advertisements are giving a false image of themselves and they are ashamed of that. They love what they look like naturally and not they way that Photoshop portrays them to look. I don’t understand what the creators of these advertisements have in mind when they create the “perfect” woman on these advertisements. Do they realize they are causing young women to become something they are not? I hope that one day advertisers will realize some of the damage they are creating.

Another article that really caught my attention was “How Big is Big Enough.” Usually women are the ones spoken about as objects to men but in the television show Sex and the City it is the opposite. Four females are the main characters of the show and talk about men in the same way that men talk about women, which most people would have thought was unusual. This television show draws on the topics of privilege and oppression. The men in this show are ranked based on their class, race, economic status, their sexuality, and many other things. This show portrays that there are many different men in our society and there are different ways to view someone as manly or masculine. 

Also in the readings and in class we discussed the controlling images surrounding men. Men are portrayed as strong and powerful. They are many stereotypes surrounding men. One article that really fascinated me was the article about the Newton school shooting. Most school shootings occur when a white young male is angry. A stereotype for males is to be violent and the school shootings that occurred in Sandy Hook and in Columbine help to confirm this stereotype. But also in a way it makes us believe that all white young men are angry and violent when in fact they probably aren’t. From a young age boys believe they are supposed to be strong and most that are emotional hide their emotions until it is too much to keep inside and they become angry and could take that anger out on their peers with a gun. I feel that men should know it is okay to be emotional and they do not always have to be so tough.

Edited/Commented by Alexis Levy:

I agree strongly with what you had said about the Still Killing Us Softly 4 movie.  I also wonder if the creators of these advertisements realize the impacts it has on people, especially women.  They should definitely re-evaluate their definition of "beauty."  In addition, men shouldn't be portrayed as superior to women.  These thoughts are subconsciously drilled into boys heads starting at a young age and sometimes its effects are negative.  Just like you had mentioned, the article, "Why Won’t We Talk about Violence and Masculinity in America?" discusses how young boys believe that they are supposed to be strong and hide their emotions, which should not be the case.  Releasing those emotions in a healthy way can be a positive thing and they should learn that instead.

Comments from Abby Moran: 

Jenni,

I agree with your statement that controlling images do exist in our society. Because of the images seen in magazines, women believe that it’s necessary to be perfect. However, I believe that there is no such thing as perfect. Everyone has flaws and these flaws should be embraced, not hidden. The Dove Evolution commercial proves that the images of the women portrayed in advertisements aren’t real, they’re photoshopped. You also commented on the issue of weight. In today’s society, we are only taught that skinny is beautiful. I did a psychology project last year about beauty and I focused on the aspect of weight. After the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, twitter was filled with posts about having to go to the gym and not eat in order to look like the women in the fashion show. It’s a shame that this is what our society has come to.