Media items related to gender, sexuality and the body - Essay Example

?Media items related to gender, sexuality and the body As human beings, people like identifying themselves and others in exclusionary or exclusionary terms in all realms of life. The final cocoons that human beings resort to in their life, it is a created habit because choices are always in binary oppositions: good versus bad, male versus female et cetera. Gender and sexuality are the two most commonly entities for identity in the society and especially in mass media. Gender refers to cultural constructions based on behaviour, roles and expectations. Sometimes these cultural constructions are based on beliefs and behavioral patterns that are specific to men and women. On the other hand, sexuality is anchored on physical and biological differences that make males and females different. The media use their content with sexuality and gender to influence, educate or inform their audience (McNair 2002). Sexuality in advertising entails the use of erotic or sexual words or phrases, images in advertising to appeal to buyers and increase the chances of selling the product. Analyses of media content indicate that most of the content presented portrays issues relating to gender, sexuality and the body with all of these displaying sexual activities explicitly or implicitly. For example, over 80% of all movies from a cable TV stations have sexual content (Huston, Wartella & Donnerstein 1998). Over 50% of the music shown in the television portray sexual feelings and impulses with minority displaying provocative clothing and body movement that are sexually arousing (Huston, Wartella & Donnerstein 1998). Sexual messages in most television shows are universally presented in a positive light towards gender and sexuality. In most media gender and sexuality has been exploited consciously and unconsciously in media items such as; advertisements, promotions, magazine articles, newspaper articles, blogs, and websites. The gist of this paper is to collect and analyse media items related to gender, sexuality and the body. Blog sexinadsmedia.blogspot.com, 2009, Sexuality in media/advertisement , viewed 18 April 2012, . This is a blog article which details the media use of sexuality in advertising, and it discusses a study carried on the use of sexuality in media. It is now news that sexuality had been used in advertising as early as 1800s when physical attractiveness and sexuality started having a great impact on society. Sexuality was used in advertisements in forms of wood carvings and other illustrations of attractive naked women, from the waist up. In 1885 W. Dukes & Sons Tobacco Company could insert trading cards featuring attractive and provocative women into tobacco packages (sexinadsmedia.blogspot.com. 2009, p. 1). Sexuality has from then proved to be substantially effective tool that can change the sales trend in many companies. The blog article refers to the most striking twentieth century advertisement by Woodbury’s Facial Soap, which was based on sexuality. The history of this company has it that in early twentieth century, its sales were plummeting, and it used a doctor’s face on wrapper as its advertisement tool. Later, the company switched to sexuality advertisements by inserting romantic paintings of, young appealing women, and immediately the sales escalated for the following years. Coupled with these images of sexuality was the sexual slogan “A Skin You Love to touch”, which has attraction and appeal to sexy women (sexinadsmedia.blogspot.com. 2009, p. 1). The blog article agrees with the fact that sexuality is a transforming tool depending on which product is being advertised. The study on the effect of sexuality in advertisements proves that sexy ads attract more people than nonsexual ones. In most sexuality advertising, 51% females are used, and only 15% males are used (Huston, Wartella & Donnerstein 1998). The twist of the writer is the fact that sexuality in general has become a controversial issue in print media advertising especially when the advertisement depict women as subordinate to men, passive and as sex objects. To some extent, these images have insidious effects on women, and they lead them to become sex objects as well as victims of domestic violence. Therefore, ‘sexualization’ makes people or a group of people or individual persons or even an object to be perceived as sexual. In most sexuality advertising, psychologists have it that a person is sexualised in the following ways; Incase a person’s value inheres only from his or her sexual appeal, behavior in a way that excluded other characteristics. Incase a person is carried away by a standard that related physical attractiveness or being sexy. Incase a person is treated as a sexual object for others to use rather than being an independent person capable of making own decisions. Incase sexuality is imposed inappropriately upon a person who was not aware of it by another person, event or phenomenon. Most controversy in advertisements is based on the issue of objectifying especially from feminists who are against women being treated by society as men’s objects of sex. The blog give a basis for the reasons behind sexuality advertisement, how it stated, and the benefits it brings to the advertising agencies as well as business organizations. The fact that people are appealed more by sexual ads brings about a complication and a kind of dilemma on the use of sexuality in advertising. Cultural critics, for instance, posit that inappropriate sexual content, knowledge and behavior has been made available to children and this has led to erosion of morals. This premature sexualization is mostly associated with media’s portrayal of adverts with sex connotations (Albury & Lumby 2010). Research also links sexualization to girl’s inability to develop, unhealthy sexual self image among other negative consequences (McNair 2002). Sexualised young girls have negative self image and unhealthy development because comparing a woman’s body to sexualised cultural ideals disrupts mental concentration (Albury & Lumby 2010). When a girl is sexualised through these media, her confidence is undermined, and her body is filled with shame and anxiety. Sexuality and gender photograph This photo was used to advertise Lolita perfume by Marc Jacobs Company. In this advertisement, a teenager girl is shown seated on the floor with the perfume bottle tacked between her thighs in a sexually provocative way. In psychoanalytic theory, it can be deduced that, the perfume bottle is used as a phallic symbol; an equivalent of a penis. The model is holding it in a position that suggests that she is ready for penetration. This way, the woman has been used as a sexual object by the company selling the perfume. By using the lady and positioning the object at that particular point is to suggest that the object itself is sexually associated with women and that whoever buys the perfume is in the same position with the bottle; the position of having sexual penetration with the lady. This way, gender plays a role in influencing the advert because society has created a culture that a woman is an object of sex. Just the way society has constructed a culture where women are used as means to an end by men, media and advertising agencies are taking this over and use women, like the one in the photograph, as a means to appealing to their customers and, therefore, making profits. The above ad photograph was banned, and the company held that it considered the fact that the length of the lady’s dress, her legs and the way the bottle was positioned implied some sexualisation. The court that banned the ad found out that along with the lady’s appearance, the ad sexualised a child and, therefore, declared the advert to be irresponsible and a serious offense to people (Egan, & Hawkes 2008; Brown, Greenberg & Buerkel-Rothfuss 1993). In defending his position, the photographer marc Jacobs said that the lady involved was in it and that he (Marc Jacobs) thought that the lady could be the contemporary Lolita who is seductive, yet sweet. The perfume is branded Lolita after a character in the controversial novel by Vladimir Nabokov where a middle aged man is sexually obsessed with a 12-year-old Lolita (Albury & Lumby 2010). In this ad, it was argued that the advertising agency intended to exploit the fact that the lady looked extremely young for her age. In gender, it is agreed that there are people who are more feminine, masculine or somewhere around the two extremes (Rosselli & Stankiewicz 2008). In this case, the court held that the lady looked 15, and this is against the law to feature such a young lady in sexualising adverts. However, the lady was older, but she can be considered more feminine by the fact that she looks younger as far as gender is concerned. Looking young is associated with attractiveness and being sexy by the society and, therefore, by the media advertising agencies. For queer theorists, this photo will mean nothing in sexualization and offending anybody. This is because queer theory is about a sexual activity or identity that falls at odds with the normal or legitimate and the dominant (Brown, Greenberg & Buerkel-Rothfuss 1993). Psychoanalysis theory will be used in the interpretation of this photo by the defendants of the dominant culture and the current law to deny the lovers of queer lifestyle their positional rights. The queer materials, which have been exposed to the current generation, are far much beyond a heterosexual implication of this photograph. In the current world where lesbianism and homosexuality is explicitly discussed, this photo will not feature anywhere in queer theory. The fact that the photo will be offensive based on heterosexist point of view of psychoanalysis, it will be at odds with queer theorists whose main project is to explore and contest categorization of gender and sexuality as fixed identities (McNair 2002). In their goal to destabilise identity categories, queer theorists place an individual within a single non restrictive sexual orientation. On the other hand, feminists will view the use of the model and her positioning as not being too different from the object itself. In this view, it is not differentiated as to which object is being sold, the perfume or the lady’s sexual appeal. To feminists, the lady, who is an epitome and a representative of women is being objectified beyond the object itself by being used to sell the object. Although the advertiser may not be aware of all these critical receptions from different views, their main target is for the buyer to be appealed so that the sales increase. Online magazine Article Poulter, S 2011, 'Degrading' Lynx adverts featuring glamour model Lucy Pinder banned by watchdog, mail online, viewed 18 April 2012, . This is an online magazine article reporting on the banning of a series advert meant for promoting a deodorant manufactured by the multi-national manufacturer Unilever. The popular Lynx adverts featured a glamour model Lucy Pinder sent the deodorant manufacturer to the docks for “sanctioning images and demeaning women” which could cause “likely to cause serious and widespread offence” (Poulter 1). In one of the adverts, published in the Lads Magazine, the model was posing almost naked and exposed her cleavage in a number of successive videos. The article reports that Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) found the adverts highly unsuitable and having crossed the line and being offended many. The Lynx Company is marketed by a tongue in cheek humor implying that whenever a man use the product, beautiful ladies will be attracted and will instantly fall in love with him (Poulter 1). However, ASA passed a ruling stating that the company has gone too far following complains from the public that these ads are displayed near schools. For instance, one of the model’s images featured her, in her underwear, bending over an oven door and was accompanied by a text stating ‘can she make you lose control?’ Another ad inform of a poster featured her image taking a shower on a beach with only her bikini bottoms, and it was accompanied by two strap lines: The Cleaner You Are The Dirtier You Get’ and ‘Get Dirty This Summer”(Poulter 1). The two videos for the model are the following; The watchdog ruled that the images were presented in a sexually provocative way and that this will imply that the society is gratuitous and objectifying and degrading women in society. In addition to declaring that the images could cause a widespread offense, the ASA watchdog also held that the language used intended to imply that when one uses the advertised product, he would have uninhibited sexual behaviour. This is a link to a social construction that purchasing the product will connect one to women thus women are treated as objects of sex. However, the article reports that Lib-Dem MP Jo Swinson, defended Lynx by saying that its campaigns carry a theme aimed at helping the youth to be more confident with their opposite sex (Poulter 1). The Unilever Company defended itself by stating that the supposedly sexualised images were not intentioned to cause harm or offense. They said the product was designed for over 17 year’s youth and was popular for using playful, sexy, and other mating game narrative to appeal to their consumers. Therefore, they said that their images were defined to be playful, humorous and sexy and not offensive. In this light, the magazine article tried to address both sides of the argument on the reception of sexualised images. There are, however, adequate defense from both the company and the ASA watchdog which represents the perspective of the public. Feminists would agree with the ASA that by presenting this model sexualising women, the Lynx did this to a representative of women in society. He acceptance of being used in rare clothes and exposing her private parts intentionally is being too cheap and extravagant. On the side of the company, feminists will argue that women are treated as objects because of the implication that when one uses the deodorant, he will have sex with a woman without much ado (McNair 2002). This way, the company exploits the sexuality of a woman through constructed gender values that getting a woman is the end of the road. The society has been made to believe that women are driven by desires, possessions and for this case a deodorant, as opposed to their rationality. This way, the Unilever Company, will increase its sales by depicting a woman as an object and by far offending the society by sexualizing women and children alike. Gender and sexuality theory would see it from the uncle of the society being inclined to sexual images and gender roles for centuries. One construction is that the body is a sexual object and erotic feelings are based on what we see. Since society and its members have believed that sex is enjoyable and refreshing, anyone would like being associated with anything which arouses sexual feelings. In short, sexuality, gender and body are proved tools for influencing people’s minds, behavioral patterns and for this case consumer behaviour (McNair 2002). For queer theorists, the ASA ruling is against the people’s rights of expression at the cost of socially constructed expectations and norms. As much as consumers are well with the Lynx use of sexy images in the Unilever products, this to queer activists would mean a change and a break from the past. This break from the past is significant to queer theorist who believe that society should not be bound by any fixed characteristics and that these images are victims of being odd with the cultural expectations and assumptions. In conclusion, Sexualization, gender and body are controversial issues in the media items and the position on whether a particular item is offending or not depend on cultural orientation and the parameters used by a school of thought. The first blog article in this paper tries to outline the origin of sexualization and how it has played part especially in sales and marketing. Blended with sexuality is the understanding of gender constructions in the society. Many media items are understood differently based on the orientation of the popular and dominant societal members. For instance in the photo analysed, feminists will argue that women are being used as objects or as means to an end by advertising agencies. This use of women and sexualization leads to low esteem, development problems and lack of confidence in women’s sexual life. Feminists will, therefore, use psychoanalysis to analyse the photo so that there is a phallic symbol depicted by the perfume bottle which is held by the model between her thighs. As much as this implies a penetrative action, it also implies that the perfume could lead the user to engage in sexual activity with any woman. For queer theorists, this is not the case because to them, the object is different from the meaning and to add to that breaking from the norm is their objective. The same will apply to the ads by Lynx where a woman’s body is being used and objectified. The use of erotic and almost naked woman, with provocative poses, is at odds with the treatment of woman with dignity. Moreover, use of a woman as an object whose sexual faculties are controlled by the use of a certain product will attract a lot of criticisms from the feminists. Over years, the image of woman has been sexualised more than the image of man. This is a culmination of cultural constructions that women bodies are erotic and sexually attractive. Reference List Albury, K & Lumby, C 2010, Too much? Too young? The sexualization of children debate in Australia, Media International Australia, vol.135, pp. 141-152. Brown, JD Greenberg, BS & Buerkel-Rothfuss, NL 1993, Mass media, sex, and sexuality, Adolescence Med, vol.4 no.1, pp. 511-552. Egan, R D & Hawkes, G 2008, ‘Endangered girls and incendiary objects: Unpacking the discourse on sexualization’, Sexuality and Culture vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 291-311. Huston, AC, Wartella E, Donnerstein E 1998, Measuring the effects of sexual content in the media: a report to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Kaiser Family Foundation, Menlo Park (CA). McNair, B 2002, Striptease Culture: Sex, Media and the Democratization of Desire, Routledge, London & New York. Rosselli, F & Stankiewicz, J 2008, Women as Sex Objects and Victims in Print Advertisement, The Journalism Quarterly, vol. 65, pp. 960–966. Read More