Demeaning Images of Women in Advertising and Other Media - Essay Example

Demeaning Images of Women in Advertising and Other Media 0 Introduction Feminine have befallen in the 1960s, and they commenced to rebuild their images nowadays. However, women have influential jobs, properly-run homes, and utter offsprings today, but they could not still reach the zenith (Spare). The issues that are bombarded to feminine are their demeaning images in advertising and other media. This issue is one that, if not the worst, is a detrimental concern that gradually inculcates public demeanor into the majority of women. They may be some issues that also affect the whole being of human, but the general public generalizes everything that they perceived resulting to more altering images of feminine. For instance, numerous issues nowadays are not just associated to state regulations or open differentials, but also to some constituents of the community, biology, altruism of anticipations, and the media. To converse them, feminist must go beyond the regulatory policies or the spreading idea of patriarchy--integrating connections with those in the environment and commence to dismount the degrading effigy of women (Spare). This paper seeks to deliver the rationale of choice of the issue, delineate the paradigms that degrade the effigy of women by providing some exemplars, depict the implications regarding appropriate protest to acknowledge the alterations in the issue of women, and finally, a concluding statement about the overall scope of the paper. 2.0 Rationale of Choice Amid all of the feminine issues that may include gender inequalities, sexual harassment and assault, and reproductive liberation rights, only one thing that has gotten to be the most talked-about issue. One issue that describes a detrimental and generic impact to the majority of women is the demeaning images of women in advertising and other media. In particular, the issue before was not about the concerns regarding depicting the differences between men and women, but about depicting women differences among other women (Lorde, qtd. in Stern 4). However, the issue of restricted images of women in advertising commenced through Goffman’s 1976 book entitled Gender Advertisements (Baym, Fetterley, Millet, Russ, qtd. in Stern 2). The production of such effigies emerged in themes generated by men. Women images are fitted to the generic cluster of women, and images were manifested similarly by all the viewers. This leads to the notion that universal images of Western women are captured through the perspectives of men (Firestone, Lakoff, Russ, qtd. in Stern 2). This has opened to the idea of analyzing the gender role representations (Courtney and Whipple, Gilly, qtd. in Stern 2) in advertising. The main problem that arises is the dominance of men themes for the representation of women across the media (Bakan, qtd. in Stern 2). In the 1960s, Kassarjian commenced to study the blacks in the American advertisements (1964-1965) (qtd. in Stern 3). By the 1970s, the development of the study rose as minorities began to depict the differences between white and black customers (Sturdivant, qtd. in Stern 3), specifically in the issue of inequality. Blacks were associated significantly to menial employees, indigent, and community problems. Some pundits acclaimed that the “exclusion of racial minorities” in the favorable representations had a leveraging impact on minority youths, leading them to feel disjointed to the community (Kern-Foxworth, qtd. in Stern 3). 3.0 The Paradigms and Exemplars Some paradigms of old and recent demeaning representations of women in all forms of media are presented in this section. However, it must be noted that even if women are the subject of this matter, there can still be misrepresentations that involve the opposite sex in portraying these degrading images of feminine. One of the oldest degrading women advertisements was done by a cigarette company that utilized slogans such as “blow in her face and she will follow you anywhere” (Matt). A cigarette brand, Tipalet was advertised having an image of woman with a man that blows his smoke onto her face. This calls the attention of feminist as this kind of advertisement might affect those women who never got the attention as they have grown up (“Tiplaet Cigarette”). Source: “Tiplaet Cigarette” Moreover, another paradigm is the Bennigan’s advertisement of a woman, with her breast exposed, grasping a plate that is full of baby back ribs, and the advertisement sets it “oh baby back ribs” (Pantelides). The message of the advertisement clearly sets forth to gender inequality and vehemence against feminine. That is because the image represents the dissolving of human dignity according to Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies (MIGS). Aside from that, ethical issues have also been violated because the advertisement is considerably an offense to the majority of women and, at the same time, boosts sexist stereotypes on their value and function in the community. Advertising should pay respect to human dignity and must exclude differentials, involving gender inequality (Pantelides). Source: Pantelides Further, Lynx’s “Unleash the Chaos” campaign has also degraded the images of women. Its reckless advertisement has showed a number of women coming from the ogin to chase for a strong macho who is holding the brand and spraying it on his body. Aside from the fact that women are degraded as they have been symbolized as liberated (Rachel) women that are chasing for one guy. The image also manifests exposure of women body, which violates the human dignity. This would suggest that women are lured just because of the scent of their partner, and it is not the passion that drives them to such things. It could be manifested as degrading for almost women as the advertisement concisely depicts lowness of women. Source: Rachel More and more deodorant commercials have been receiving complaints about sexual desires that utilize representation of women. In Paras Pharmaceutical’s Set Wet Deodorant advertisement, it depicts a man utilizing the deodorant and a feminine adhesive to the man in an ardent manner of desire. A spectator also has utilized the deodorant and soon a feminine is manifested coming from his back taking off her suit and becoming adhesive to the man as argued by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). The advertisement is in no doubt a violation to human dignity; demeaning the images of women through advertising medium (Pant; “Deodorant Ads”). Source: “Deodorant Ads” Furthermore, in the world of films, Hollywood’s representation of Blacks is one that is degrading the morale of every Black citizen, especially Black woman. Hollywood constantly supports demeaning images of blacks. Black men are given roles with low-image on screens, such as portraying a Black prostitute women (“Black America”). Another one is the music video that shows degrading representation of white and black women wearing only lingerie (Hazel). That clearly implicates that Black are intensely represented as indigenous in the world of advertising and other media. 4.0 Implications Protest from the feminist clusters can be extremely significant to influence the majority in discouraging the usage of demeaning images that pertain to women. One of the best ways to achieve this is organizing a symposium to raise individual or cluster’s perspectives and concerns. That symposium should tackle on something that studies the issue of women and strengthens the status of women. In Canada, one organization intended for women has been active in contending women issues. This organization names itself as the Canadian Teachers Federation Women’s Issues Symposium. They tend to unify in one purpose--annihilate the detrimental degrading issues of women (“Media Advisory--Teacher Leaders”). That is the paradigm of an entity that manifests constant presence even in the altering world. However, the implication for these demeaning images to be annihilated entirely in the world of media is integration primacy. Minority clusters should integrate with other small feminist groups to generate a stronger organization that could sustain its power over these discriminative approaches. First and foremost, these groups should be formed to lend an ear for small-scale clusters and individuals. Accumulation of such complaints from these groups must be recorded, and evidences must be tangible. The complaints from them will then be generated into a more influential mean of promoting women value than they are before (Kennedy). In this way, the organization does not just have a grip on the policy issues on human rights, but also affecting the electoral concerns. That is filling the media with appropriate people to manage the whole industry. From this scheme, the annihilation of degrading images of feminine can be achieved. As the result, women will live in inequality and confidence. The media should support women, and everybody, to carry themselves with confidence, credence in oneself, and feel beautiful in their own way (Calimutan). Furthermore, out of all issues regarding women, the issue of degrading representations of media is the optimum detrimental concerns. It requires no confusion that media, nowadays, uses technology to emphasize what it wants to show. The perverse effect could be widespread because media connects every corner of the world into one. That is how media play itself as the concern. Remember that the next generations will still be able to perceive these demeaning images. Although the government can impose fine or legal actions regarding the widespread or misrepresentations of women in any form of media, there will still be footprints that leave traces into the next generation. Given that, media gradually kills women reputation, and the only mean to deplete the issue is integration of minority and feminist groups. 5.0 Conclusion Some say that women evolved. Well, women have not evolved because they are what they are since then, but it is only now that their presence becomes fascinating. However, with this positive view, women issues have become detrimental. The media are delving these women figure into immoral representations. The public is the principal recipient of the media, and they have each other’s perspectives. In the modern world, other may manifest it as being natural and contemporary. However, it should not be forgotten that there is no issue of time when pertaining to human dignity. Human dignity should be preserved, and a fraction of the modern media policy must be amended. Works Cited “Black America: To be Controlled or To Take Control?” ThyBlackMan.com. Thy Black Man, 30 May 2012. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. . Calimutan, Shara Mae. “Barbie Girl.” Creative Media Label. Level Playing Field Institute, 28 Jan. 2012. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. . “Deodorant Ads Create A Stink.” Firstpost. First Post Business, 22 Aug. 2011. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. . Hazel. “Brew Music: B.O.B.--’Camera [Video].’” Witches’ Brew Online. Witches’ Brew Online, 8 May 2010. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. . Kennedy, Heather. “Equality groups make case against sexism in UK media.” Women’s Views on News. Women’s Views on News, 24 Jan. 2012. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. . Matt, Stone. “Ads that degraded women.” Its Guy Code. Its Guy Code, 8 Sept. 2012. Web. 22 Nov. 2012. . “Media Advisory--Teacher Leaders From Across Canada to Gather In Winnipeg for National Symposium on Women’S Issues.” Canada Newswire. Canada Newswire, 7 Mar. 2012. 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