2012 Recap: Top Ten Sexist Moments In The Media

Well, the new year has approached and many media outlets conducted their 'best of 2012' series on various issues that took place during the year. Interestingly, Huffington Posts complied a 'Top Ten Sexist Moments In The Media' . I have to say that it was a great list that examined how women were represented in the media in 2012. I commend Dr. Levey for sticking to the social and political issues that dealt with women- those are the most important in my opinion.

There were a few that caught my attention, such as the story about anchorwomen Jennifer Livingston who responded to the comments that she was 'too fat' to be an anchorwomen. I remember when the story was in the news and was so angered by it. Its so unfortunate and sad that were are so inundated by labels and projecting this image of what it means to be feminine. Livingston who isn't considered to fit the mold of a typical anchorwomen responded beautifully to the comments and kept her head high. Don't we live in a society where our differences should unite us, isn't that what makes each and every person unique? As the new year approaches, why do we still put women down because of there size and not focus on their intelligence?

I applaud Livingston her for her comments, and even though this was one of the top sexist moments of 2012, it was a moment where a women overcame sexism and stood up for herself.

Resources: Huffington Post

The Girls On Film: Actresses Taking The Male Role in Recreating Popular Motion Picture Films

The Girls On Film is a great blog that recreates scenes from popular films that primarily consist of male actors. Currently, the web-series has created about 8 short films from films such as, No Country For Old Men, The Town, Star Trek and Fight Club (the clip above). It think this a great series and brings a great point to the table about the amount of lead male characters that are in motion pictures. Furthermore, its all done in good fun!:) From a Goffman perspective, I really like that this webseries is conveying females who do not conform to typical female gender roles. I think this series is positive for women and isn't targeting men, but its message is that we can play these characters just as much as you!

My Digital Story: Examining Gender Inequality In The Workplace

My digital story examined how female characters are portrayed in the media, but I also felt like it was important to bring it to a more real world stance. I conducted an interview with a women and asked her how she defined feminism, her experiences and opinons on occupational sexism.

I created the video through iMovie and found the images on the internet. I must say, it took a long time to create but I am happy with the results. In the future, I would like to add a movie clip to the video. In particular, I would want to find a clip from shows that portrays gender inequality in the workplace. What I had in mind was a clip from The Mary Tyler Moore Show; however I don't own this show on DVD.

Gender Coded Toys: 16 Ways The Toy Industry Is Stuck In The Stone Age

The Buzfeed's, 16 Ways The Toy Industry Is Stuck In The Stone Age, complied a list of gender coded advertisements that were considered to be sexist and fueled gender stereotypes. The photos that were complied are extremely interesting, and I encourage you all to check them out by clicking the link above! I discussed a while back in a post, You Can Only Play With Easy Bake Ovens?, on how toy industries market their products towards girls and boys and what their messages have to say. Personally, I don't have a problem if toys are marketed in a feminine or masculine manner. I do have a issue when their message conveys sexist gender roles and stereotypes that are marketed to both sexes.

These two photos struck me the most. Its unfortunate the stereotypes and sexist messages that are conveyed in these photos.

Huh? The boys laptop has 50 functions, and the girls laptop has 25?

Photo Credit: The BuzzFeed

Of course its no surprise that gender roles are carried on into adulthood, and there is nothing wrong with that; however the products in each individuals basket is filled with gender stereotypes.

Photo Credit: The BuzzFeed

Resources: The BuzzFeed

The Stepford Wives are Very Much Alive and Well

The Sundance Channel released a list of top ten films that deal with the theme of 'war on women'. I highly encourage you all to check out the list, but one of the films on the list that caught my attention was The Stepford Wives. The film centers on a couple who move to the suburb of Stepford, which appears to be perfect and safe. The woman of Stepford are seen as perfect housewives who never have a stray hair out of place and are always submitting to their husbands. The main character Joanna, realizes that this 'perfect' town is not at all what it seems and that the woman of Stepford are created into robots so their husbands can control their every move. Of course, this is a very satirical depiction of female gender roles and oppression, but there is an important message to this story.

According to Krugoyoy- Silver's, The Cyborg Mystique: "The Stepford Wives" and Second Wave Feminism, the message of The Stepford Wives addresses how the role of the housewife is  unrealistic and oppressive. Krugoyoy-Silver states, "The robots in The Stepford  Wives  conform to cultural norms of feminine appearance not merely through their slim bodies (because, after all, human Bobbie and Joanna are slim themselves) but in their overall appearance. After their "transformations,"  Bobbie's overalls and Joanna's pants disappear, replaced by ruffled aprons and dresses. Bobbie begins to wear makeup, curl her hair, and wear a "padded uplift bra."

Please keep in mind, this film is a little outdated, but there is some truth to this feminist critique. Krugoyo-Silver suggests the housewife is viewed as a dominant role in the media and we give into these images. Look at how woman are perpetuated in the media and individuals buy into these products or fads. This image of femininty may have transformed since 1975, but the oppressive nature of these females roles are still very much apparent in todays culture.

I find it very interesting to examine Bravo's The Real Housewives Series. These woman have it all, they really don't work, some of the have cosmetic enhancements preformed to delay the aging process, and are always look perfect. Furthermore, all they really do on the show is hang-out with their girlfriends, party, and take care of their kids.

Derenzo's feminist critique on the show discusses how these women are a modern day Stepford wife, "The simple construction of the show reinforces the ideals of patriarchy with the male figures as leaders of the family, and with the women and children financially depending on their earnings.  As most of the women do not have full time jobs, or jobs at all, their financial well beings are dependent on their spouses’ success.  The male financial dominance then grants them extended control over the women limiting their activities and outside interests.  However, the women rely so heavily on their husbands’ money that they are accustomed to living the cushioned lifestyle of a housewife predicated on their husbands’ control."

]

Resources: The Sundance Channel, The Stepford Wives, Anna Krugoyoy Silver,  Giovana Derenzo

Sexists Ads From the Past

I wonder if these companies that released these ads are now thinking, "Wow, this wasn't a great move on our part." The following ads in the slideshow above were taken from the article, "The Outrageously Sexist Ads of the Mad Men Era That Companies Wish We'd Forget." I would suggest that advertisements today are just as sexist. In my previous posts, I have discussed that today's advertisements are very sexual in its content and present women as sex objects. However, the content in these ads are extremely different in that a lot of these ads are centered around women in the home. 

Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique comes to mind when I see these ads. Friedan called to action the representations of women and how a women's role as a housewife was oppressive. Friedan discusses these representations of women in the media, "The perpetuation of housewifery, the growth of the feminine mystique, makes sense (and dollars) when one realizes that women are the chief customers of American business. . . . the really important role that women serve as housewives is to buy more things for the house." (Friedan, 1963: 197) Friedan furthers her argument in that businesses give into this type of marketing towards women, because women were socialized into being a housewife at a very young age and this role is viewed as feminine, "By portraying housekeeping and other "feminine duties" as the ultimate goal of the modern woman, "ads glorify her ‘role’ as an American housewife–knowing that her very lack of identity in that role will make her fall for whatever they are selling" (Friedan, 1963: 219)

The biggest question that comes to mind is would one consider current advertisements just as oppressive? Here are two advertisements with women as the main subject. Which one (or both) do you think is sexist? 

The First Ad is from a 1960s Xerox Commercial.

The second ad is for a GoDaddy.com commercial which was aired during the 2005 Superbowl. 

So what are your thoughts?

Resources: Business Insider, Betty Friedan's, The Feminine Mystique

13. Prezi Presentation: Feminist Thought in Popular Culture

Feminist Thought in Popular Culture on Prezi

For the Prezi assignment, I wanted to focus on feminist thinkers that critique popular culture. I examined Betty Friedan, Bell Hooks, Sut Jhally, and Jean Kilbourne. Then, I included video clips associated with these feminist thinkers. I found Prezi a little difficult to work with, but after tinkering around with the program for a while, I finally got the hang of it. Prezi is definitely a refreshing program to use rather than Powerpoint!