I'm no feminist, but...
This thread has been closed and archived.
This discussion is public.
Original Post
There's this commercial on tv and it drives me crazy and I need to vent. It's a laundry detergent commercial. First it shows two little boys outside playing in the mud, having a blast. Then it shows a little girl and her mom inside, happily doing laundry.
When will we get to a time when it's no longer okay to promote such blatant gender stereotypes? I have YET to see a man doing laundry in a commercial.
I mean, I understand all the sociology behind this, and all the marketing research, and the fact that women DO buy most of the laundry detergent in the world... But come on. This is just a small example of a larger issue that is and will continue to be self-sustaining unless something radical happens.
What kind of lessons are we teaching our kids? Boys, go make a mess; we girls will clean it up.
I could go on...but I won't. :)
Posted at 10:59pm Apr 16, 2007 EDT
Responses
what about the quiznos (I think) ad where the 2 girls eating subs, one says real women want meat....I laugh every time. Women admit to eating and enjoying it, or do women like sex? Either way, it's a nice departure from the 50's mentality!
Posted at 11:26pm Apr 16, 2007 EDT
stelladesigns says:
Letitiah, I understand....I just haven't come across many feminists in my lifetime and they few that I have met had hairy legs etc, so I guess it is just an image that is stuck in my head. I by no means pretend to be a worldly knowledgeable person.
and I definately don't want to offend you or any other feminists in anyway.
----
don't worry, i'm not not *not* offended. I just think that women generally ought to open their minds about what feminism really is and means -- like farafield says.
feminism is a positive thing, and it comes in many forms. just like women!
Posted at 11:27pm Apr 16, 2007 EDT
I think some politically motivated people somehow made feminism = abortions, had by women who, had they had the child, would have been bad mothers who worked at their own careers and put some nice man out of a job, or something.
Posted at 11:28pm Apr 16, 2007 EDT
HelixHandworks said this:
"If they use sexy women to sell cars to men, couldn't they use hot men to sell laundry detergent to housewives? Not that I promote sex in advertising, understand...just breaking gender stereotypes."
It reminded me of a gag gift I got a couple years ago. It was a calendar with the them "Extreme Ironing!" Super hunky guys in bizarre areas, mostly nekkid, and ironing. Hilarious.
***
On a mere serious note, stereotyping/profiling commercials piss me off, too. Those that perpetuate stereotypical 'situations' do as well, and one that made me angry enough to contact the company was for Diet 7up.
Boyfriend/husban comes home from getting light groceries. Brought home generic for diet 7up. GF/Wife gets huffy and says, "soandso husbands gets diet 7up for HER!" and mopes. He tries to make nice, offers to go out and get the 'right' stuff. She acts as if he BETTER go get her some.....
As IF. That BS is disgusting. PuhLEASE.
Posted at 11:28pm Apr 16, 2007 EDT
"It's self-sustaining. I see no end in sight. And that is immensely frustrating to me."
but I think things are geting better all the time. Normally I not exactly the optimist in the room, but I actually AM optimistic about the state of feminism in the world!
I took a human resources class and it was really quite amaazing to learn about all the laws and acts that have been passed regarding sexual harassment and equal rights... just in the last couple of decades. All the sexual harassment training that most workplaces have to endure may sometimes seem silly, but it does help to build awareness.
squirrelgirl said, "used to have a stash of old Playboy mags from the late 60's and early 70's. You would not believe how sexist some of those ads were.
One (that I still have) is an ad for mens shoes. It's got a woman laying her head on the mans shoes... the headline "Keep her where she belongs"... yeah... I think we've progressed some."
no kidding! Things have progressed, definitely. there's no way that would be okay today. Don Imus was just fired from a longstanding position because he called some chicks "nappy headed ho's." Do you think he would have been fired for that comment 10 years ago? 20 years ago?
It's all so complicated, really. With every change we gain some and we lose some.
----------------------------------------
"I'm all for chivalry. It shows respect for women. AToo many young boys (and men for that fact) who have no idea how to show respect."
----------------------------------------
another good point squirrelgirl. is good old fashioned chivalry such a bad thing? I don't know. Judging by how women were treated decades ago, it seems maybe chivalry had some kind of dark underbelly...
aliana said, "I would still rather do dishes than change the oil".
Me too. I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with guys doing 'guy' things and women doing 'womanly' things. Sometimes that's just how the chips fall and it's what we are comfortable with. Is that so bad either? I don't really think so.
A decade ago women were pressured to 'have it all' and work full time while someone else cared for their children. Today it seems lots more women choose to stay at home. It's not a bad thing of course; for some, it's the best choice, it's what they want.
I'm optimistic. It seems to me like there are less and less rules, and everyone is a lot more free to do their own thing as they see fit. Technology has helped so much, because people aren't confined to a desk at their 9-5 job anymore. People telecommute, have their own online business, work from the road thanks to cell phones... there is so much more flexibility today.
i don't mean to try to turn this into a political discussion, but... I think in general some of our darkest days are coming to an end. I think we have no where to go but up!
i have to tear myself away now before i ramble more. i get so worked up about women's issues. My bf has learned NOT to bring such things up. :-)
thanks for bringing this up though, it's so interesting to read everyone's thoughts on this!
Posted at 11:37pm Apr 16, 2007 EDT
I AM a feminist and I stay home with the kids and do nearly all the housework. That's what's wonderful about being a woman now (well, for most): the freedom to choose your life.
Posted at 11:44pm Apr 16, 2007 EDT
there is also this other commercial sweeper bla bla something....the woman vacuums with that thing, and the husband is sitting on the sofa, his legs are on the coffee table, and the wife needs to vacuum the area between the sofa and the coffee table, well, guess what, the guy doesnt even move!
too many deodorant commercials are targeting women as well, cuz they are the ones who need to smell nice for the men! i hate that too....
lol
Posted at 11:47pm Apr 16, 2007 EDT
I agree with Zerkah and Letitiah...
You can be a feminist AND shave! :D
Posted at 11:51pm Apr 16, 2007 EDT
www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=5724193
Posted at 11:53pm Apr 16, 2007 EDT