Advertising

Post # 3

Advertising is a way to get consumers to buy a product by creating images and commercials. The images that are created are there to provoke a consumer to make them think that it could be them in the images, if they buy that product. There’s a deeper meaning to these ads, there’s sexism and racism, but we are so conditioned to this society that we look past it and just see it as sexy and pleasing to look at. When we constantly see images that convey the same messages, we grow accustomed to it and try to be like the women or men in the ads.

Fragrance and cologne advertisements are good examples of the sexism. There is far more sexism towards women than men. They feature women in fragrance ads as sexual beings you want to be, revealing clothing, perfect hair and makeup. In cologne ads, that are geared toward men, the male is either dominating the woman and they look like they are about to get it on, or you just see the woman in the buff with a little bottle of cologne in the image.

What does this say to the females? Women read magazines, and they see these ads constantly. Do we have to keep up this idea of what sexy is in order to keep our man? Women are using their bodies to sell on a greater level than a man and it’s because women are there to be looked at. From the chapter Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema from Laura Mulvey she says “ Women displayed as sexual object is the leit-motiff of erotic spectacle: from pin-ups to strip-tease, from Ziegfeld to Busby Berkeley, she holds the look, plays to and signifies male desire.” Advertisers know that and they use that to continue to have women in fragrance ads for male and female because unfortunately, it sells and money makes it all go round.

Although this behavior is lucrative for companies, they don’t take in to account the younger generation that will be affected by it. Teenage girls rely on magazines for what’s trending, what to wear and  how to look. By putting these images out there of women, they will grow up thinking this is how they should be. From the Jean Killbourne chapter, Cutting Girls Down to Size she says that advertising is “one of the most potent messengers in culture that can be toxic for girls’ self-esteem”.  I remember myself as a teenager, and being influenced by others or what I see. As a teen, you don’t know any better. As a society, we should be a little more cautious as to what kind of information we feed our younger generation.

Racism is also another problem that I found when examining advertisements for fragrances. It was hard to find African Americans in the ads, unless you are Beyonce, Halle Berry, Nicki Minaj or Alicia Keys, literally. That, in itself, doesn’t represent the different types of African American women, these three women are all lighter skinned African American women. I think advertising leaves out a big population of women. They represent these women because they are already in the public eye and I rarely see other African American women in these ads.
 
Advertising images are used to sell a product but in return we’re buying into the sexism, and racism that goes with it. Advertising is a powerful force that continues to be used in the same way. We need to be aware of what is being put out there, rather than trying to make as much money as we can. If not for us, our  younger generation, where media has become a huge part of our society.

Here are just a few ads that I found:

                       Scarlett Johansson selling some Dolce and Gabbana to that man in your life

Kate Moss for Men, I mean Calvin Klein

                                              Tom Ford and the fragrance holder

                                                   Beyonce for heat

Minajesty

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Works Cited

Kilbourne, Jean. "The More You Subtract, the More You Add." Deadly Persuasion: Why Women and Girls Must Fight the Addictive Power of Advertising. New York, NY: Free, 1999. N. pag. Print.

Mulvey, Laura. "III Women as Image, Man as Bearer of the Look." Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema. N.p.: n.p., 1999. N. pag. Print.

Post 4: Alternative Media

CBS News anchor Julie Chen before and after plastic surgery.

Women in the mainstream media are sexualized and objectified purely as part of the phenomena that exists to please the male gaze. An example of the male gaze at work is news anchor Julie Chen. Initially told she wouldn't have a career in news because she looked "too asian", Julie Chen had to resort to plastic surgery to alter her appearance to appease the masses. This is one of many examples how we still don't live in a post-modern society, and any "triumph" for gender equality is really only allowed as long as it pleases men in some way or another. Men newscasters are allowed to wear suit and ties and remain conservative, while women are having to wear different dresses every night that is assembled by a team for every newscast. You can have the weatherman but if the gender changes, the meteorologist gets demoted to the weathergirl.

With the internet, alternative news allows the possibility of truly unbiased gender representation since anonymity is a huge factor of the internet. Blogs and tweets offer ways to deliver news without needing an attractive face to sell it. Traditional television views are dropping, and more and more people are relying solely on the internet as a medium that delivers all content.

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Daily Show on Facebook

A year ago, I had the opportunity to attend a taping of The Daily Show. The guest that day was Malala Yousafzai. Her story was very unique and inspiring and is a excellent testament that you can only oppress for so long until eventually change will be a warcry. I remember being amazed at the fact that not only was she breaking conventions in Taliban controlled territory, she even survived being shot in the face several times. Despite all this, she still advocates for female education and her efforts were acknowledged by being rewarded with a Nobel Prize.

Post 5: Kathryn Bigelow

Director Kathryn Bigelow directs her crew.
The Hurt Locker (2008)

In trying to brainstorm what female artist or director has had some sort of presence in entertainment, Kathryn Bigelow is one of the few I can say that I thoroughly enjoy. She has made several blockbusters throughout the years like Point Break, The Hurt Locker, and Zero Dark Thirty. She also became the first woman to win Best Director for The Hurt Locker at the Academy Awards. She has also recently focused on the illegal ivory trade industry in which elephants are being slaughtered to extinction in order to sell the ivory to black market funded terrorist groups. I am focusing on The Hurt Locker film.

The movie was filmed in Jordan, as close as possible to the Iraqi border in order to get as much of an authentic location for the story as possible. This is very noticeable in the movie because the environment doesn't look like a Hollywood set, it looks very middle eastern, including the extras. The movie follows a team of U.S. Army EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) technicians counting down the last days of their Iraqi deployment. After the team suffers a casualty from an IED that was detonated remotely, they receive a new arrival to the team, Sergeant First Class William James. The movie then immediately focuses on James and the tension that not only comes from his team, but from the work environment.

A lot of the movie's shots are extremely artistic and detailed. From the rising sand that is propelled from a bomb explosion, to the faces of the EOD technicians being covered in sand and insects, the movie looked like a very real Iraq war. Another huge factor of the movie was the insane amount of tension that came from the bomb scenarios. The movie begins with a bomb scenario and all the team does is constantly observe and scout the area for potential security threats. The movie doesn't let up from the tension that comes from the possibility of death at any second, and that's how I would imagine a combat deployment to Iraq would've felt like.

The movie was met with almost universal critical praise. Noted film critic Roger Ebert even listed it as #2 of the best films of the decade (2000's). The movie won six Oscars, one of which was for Best Director, and Kathryn Bigelow became the first female director to win the award. This achievement is a great proving point that will allow women to effectively state that great storytelling isn't limited to one gender. Hollywood can take great notice from this, and take more chances with women directors to tell great stories in their way.

Kathryn Bigelow creates a complex character with Sergeant James. His work ethic clashes with the conventional ways the team is used to peforming. I connected with this movie because I have had past co-workers in the Navy that were considered reckless and irresponsible like James, but they were also highly skilled individuals, and I always admired that trait that people had where they were so extremely good in their job, they were able to afford to be a little unprofessional.

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Daily Show on Facebook

Works Cited:

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/sep/08/entertainment/et-hurt8

http://www.rogerebert.com/rogers-journal/the-best-films-of-the-decade

http://wildaid.org/lastdays

Post 3 - Advertising - It All Comes Back to WSCP

This "accidentally racist" add from SONY shows you just how
insidious White Supremacist Capitalist Patriarchy is.

Most, if not all current advertising reinforces White Supremacist Capitalist Patriarchy. What is disturbing is how seemingly oblivious some people (including those that actually make the images) are to this very fact. We as a culture have been so shaped by this institution, and it's tactics have been so clever that unless we take the time to examine what's being thrown at us, the deep undercurrents of White Supremacist Capitalist Patriarchy may go unnoticed.

The purpose of these images is to sell you things that you don't need by making you think that obtaining them will make your life better. The cosmetics to make your skin look flawless (which is impossible), the clothes to make you look sophisticated and rich. But what they're also selling you is the belief that to be worth anything, you must subscribe to the beauty ideals and societal conventions that have been established by the WSCP. If you are a woman, you must be thin, fair skinned, have long hair (the lighter the better), wear makeup and know how to apply it well so that you are beautiful at all times. You must also always wear heels that "make your legs look hotter" and make sure you have the mini skirt to match, all in the effort to be sexually desirable to men.

This is all the while you're being bombarded with images of food telling you just how "sinful" and "delicious" something is. "Sin" is equated with the desire for nourishment and pleasure. And so, while Bradley Cooper can joyfully dig into a quarter pint of iced cream wearing nothing but a suit and a smile, you're forced to hid inside of the refrigerator (congratulations for being small enough to actually fit inside) and savor each of the three small scoops of iced cream that you painfully measure only to purge after the guilt has overcome you.

This is precisely why and how little girls develop unhealthy body image and self esteem after being exposed to advertisements showing them how women act around food, what they look like (impossible standards of beauty that has been augmented by makeup, tailoring and of course, photoshop) and how they dress. It makes girls and women feel less than, just by virtue of being themselves. So many fall into the trap and buy things to change aspects of themselves in a vain effort to become something unattainable to begin with. That's how capitalism wins. Degrade people and then offer them hope to sell them the products that you make. It's positively evil.

If we are going to counter this narrative we need to first call advertisers out on their transgressions and ask that women's bodies not be subject to the ridiculous manipulation that is afforded by photoshop. Makeup should also be minimal, if there is any at all. Diversity needs to be a priority, not only in terms of race but also ethnicity, body type and level of attractiveness. Being ugly is not a crime. Being average is does not make one mediocre. If we are to fight the manipulation of people through image, we need to place images of real human beings forth to show that the representations of models and movie stars that everyone is becoming used to simply do no exist in the natural world. And they sure as hell have no positive use in the world.

Works Cited:

Kilbourne, Jean, "The More You Subtract, the More You Add." Deadly Persuasion. Simon & Schuster, Inc, 1999. Kilbourne, Jean, "Beauty and the Beast of Advertising." Media & Values. Diana George & John Trimbur(Eds.), (1999) (pp. 178-184). Cortese, Anthony Joseph Paul, "Constructed Bodies, Deconstructing Ads," Provocateur: Images of Women & Minorities in Advertising. Rowman and Littlefield, 2008.

“Feminist Manhood”, by Bell Hooks, an inclusive solution

My final project is on Feminist Manhood. This is the title that Bell Hooks gave to one of the readings we had in class. I have decided to work on this subject because I see it as an inclusive solution to some of the problems of oppression in our society. This solution uncovers one dominator, patriarchy. As Bell Hooks says, “… men were not the problem, the problem was patriarchy, sexism, and male domination” (109).

This affirmation, as I see it, is an invitation. Most men, we are expected to hold on to very defined and strict role in society outline by patriarchy. One of these definitions of manhood asks men to oppress women. As men, we are expected to delimit and control women’s life so that we, men, can control most of the resources. In other words, it seems as though we have the need to reduce the competition for this resources. Furthermore, patriarchy extends this power of control and divides men into race, thus only a determined race group may have access to resources and benefit from them.

As Hooks says, “patriarchal culture continues to control the hearts of men precisely because it socializes males to believe that without their role as patriarchs they will have no reason for being. Dominator culture teaches all of us that the core of our identity is defined by the will to dominate and control others … In the dominator model the pursuit of external power, the ability to manipulate and control others, is what matters most. When culture is based on a dominator model, not only will it be violent but it will frame all relationships as power struggles” (115).

The author also explains that, “patriarchal masculinity teaches men that their selfhood has meaning only in relation to the pursuit of external power; such masculinity is a subtext of the dominator model … before the realities of men can be transformed, the dominator model has to be eliminated as the under laying ideology on which we base our culture … Clearly, ending patriarchy is necessary for men to have collective liberation. It is the only resolution to the masculinity crisis that most men are experiencing” (116).

Therefore, men have set expectations in a patriarchal society. Men are hurt when we refused to comply with oppressive roles. We, men, are also hurt if we don’t fit in the racial parameters defined by patriarchy. We, men, need to think outside patriarchy and work in partnership we women so that we can have the opportunity to discover our true self and have a fair chance to success.

Flyer: cover and last page

Flyer: inside pages

The following is a like to an article about male celebrities that are thinking outside patriarchy:

9 male feminists of 2013

Work cited:

• Hooks, Bell. The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love. New York: Atria Books, 2004. Print.

Women in Rock Music

Joan Jett, Stevie Nicks, and Courtney Love are some of the many successful female rock musicians that have had a pivotal role in shaping the rock music genre.

Part of my presentation is on women in rock and the petition I created to urge Gibson Guitar Corporation to feature more women in their advertisements. Before I present the petition, I wanted to play this video I made highlighting the women in rock music. Women in rock music have had a pivotal role in the genre by not only redefining gender stereotypes in society, but also influencing a large amount of listeners and musicians and adding diversity to the music as well.  One of rock’s early female success stories was Janis Joplin, who helped pave the way for future female singers. The 60’s era had a plethora of experimental and influential bands challenging and breaking down barriers, which would strongly influence future music.

In a post-modern society, all male dominated industries must be reassessed to encourage participation from all genders. In the music industry, women rock musicians have been critical in the development of the genre and have impacted and influenced other musicians and listeners to further progress the genre. Because the music industry is dwindling in size and profit, it is extremely critical for companies that manufacture musical instruments to advertise their products to appeal to as big of an audience as possible, to keep creating an interest for the next generation of music makers and keep the genre alive. By getting Gibson's attention to the petition, a possible change to feature more women with their products would result in more sales from women, and more music being created from a more diverse customer pool, renewing and invigorating the music industry which will result in a renewed and reinvigorated music scene.

I created the petition on change.org because it is a popular platform that enables anyone, anywhere to start a petition, mobilize support, and win change in anything from local concerns to global issues. I also created a facebook page to promote the petition and hopefully support other calls to action in this subject matter. I hope that by at least raising awareness, I can convince others to see how important it is to keep an interest in music alive and influence the music industry's decisions in broadening their appeal to a bigger audience.

Movie link:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/y0n6gl7larvx990/Women.mov
Link to Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GuitarWomenPetition

Link to petition: https://www.change.org/p/gibson-guitar-corporation-more-women-guitar-advertisements

Blog 4 - Alternative Media - Gertrude Press

It goes without saying that the media is consistently bombarding women with images of what they should look like, how they should act, how they should feel, and most importantly in capitalist society, what they should buy. Mainstream media has found spaces for women to operate within easily placed constraints, such as the news outlets which are notorious for not allowing women to anchor certain shows due to lack of “gravitas.” Pay inequity is a given.

In creative media, women are systematically discriminated against both behind the scenes and in the limelight. While certain authors like Suzanne Collins and J.K Rowling have had great success that contradicts long established discriminatory trends in publishing there are still vast inequities. One of the biggest is seen in the LGTBQA community.

The creation of alternative media to uplift the voices of marginalized people is a crucial part of community building, education, and a staging ground for practicing craft. And an organization that I recently learned of does just that for creatively inclined LGTBQA peoples. Gertrude Press is a non-profit organization established to showcase and developing the creative talents of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer-identified, and allied individuals. The organization publishes a journal twice a year called the Gertrude Journal, in addition to annual fiction and poetry chapbooks that allow LGBTQA people to share stories, poetry, and art "without limitation on subject matter or background."

Taken from their press kit: The journal maintains a contemporary focus that is encompasses all areas of life—from the mundane to the exotic.

Named after the prolific writer Gertrude Stein, the press was created in 1998 by writer Eric Deheloy to fill the void in providing publishing opportunities for queer writers and artists. Apparently, it's also one of the only journals to feature all identities and genders in the same issue. Activism is at the core of it's identity and it is actually been used as required reading in some college curriculum.

As a collector of chapbooks (another form of alternative media akin to zines), I had learned about the Press at the CUNY Chapbook Festival and it instantly became enamored by the books they put out.

I highly recommend that anyone interested in art and writing support this organization by buying something from them.


Works Cited:
"Connie on Katie and 'Gravitas': 'It's a Chauvinistic Word'" New York Observer. N.p., 02 Apr. 2006. Web. 20 Dec. 2014. Crum, Maddie.
"Are Book Publishers To Blame For Gender Discrimination?" The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2014.
"The Status of Women in the U. S. Media 2014." Women's Media Center. Women's Media Center. Web. 14 Nov. 2014. . Perry, Melissa V. "Crooked Room." Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America. New Haven: Yale UP, 2011. Print. Hooks, Bell. Reel to Real: Race, Sex, and Class at the Movies. New York, NY: Routledge, 1996. Print.