Monday, March 26, 2012

Even Music Doesn't Escape Stereotypes

For class this week we were suppose to pick a song, or clip from a movie, that had to do with gender, race or ethnicity. So, since I listen to music all the time, I decided to go with a song that had to do with gender.

I chose Beyonce's "If I Were A Boy" because the song is about role reversal. Throughout the song, she keeps saying if she were a boy she would be better and would treat the women she was with with respect. However, in the video she plays the role of the "man" but treats her significant other with the same disrespect she feels women feel from their men. It's like she wants him to know how she feels when he treats her like that.  Take a look.


My back up song was also about role reversal. I chose Lonestar's "Mr. Mom." I chose this song because the father in this song lost his job and his wife is now going to go to work while he stays home and takes care of the kids. He thinks it's going to be a cakewalk, but quickly finds out that his wife does a whole lot more then he gave her credit for. I think this song takes the traditional gender roles and completely turns them upside down by showing that maybe the grass isn't as green as we think it is on the other side.

Music, like everything else, isn't free from stereotypes. As these videos show, the gender roles being portrayed in these videos fit pretty perfectly into our views of the opposite gender. With Beyonce, you have the guy who cheats on his girlfriend, and with Lonestar the incompetent dad who can't take care of his kids, or do the housework right. Go figure.

To end on a positive note...here is some Lady GaGa, who just wants everyone to love themselves just the way they are :)


Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Advertising At Its Best

So...Advertising. We've all seen it, heard it, read it, tried to ignore it but for some reason it always seems to get through. That catchy jingle, or that racy ad...it just makes a permanent stamp in your mind. Whether you want it there or not.

One thing about advertising that I hadn't really noticed, or paid attention to, was how women are portrayed in ads. Especially print ads. This week we were shown examples of ads with women in them, although not necessarily for women, that showed women in less than a great light.

Every print ad page we were shown, showed women either:
1. dismembered: meaning, the ad was focused on the woman's butt, legs, breasts, you name it. This is degrading to women because the advertiser is trying to sell their product, but instead of focusing on their product they focus on a part of a women that they think will draw an audience in. Which I guess is the point, but can't they find some other, non-demeaning way to do it?
2. subordinate to the male: The woman can be below or behind the man. Gazing up at him lovingly and being ignored. This is ridiculous because it makes a woman who sees this think that they 1. need a man and 2. he should come first. Yeah, maybe a long time ago, but not now. Women need to be independent, and I think many are for the most part nowadays, so why show women like this. Aren't we suppose to be equal...but us equal in ads!
3. sex object: This one kind of explains itself. Women have, for a while now, been seen as sex objects to men and for men. I think this one, out of all of them is the most annoying. It doesn't make any sense why there has to be a half naked woman, or a woman trying to act provocative in an ad. There is just no reason for it. It makes women, and especially young girls think this is ok to act this way, and be treated as an object and not a person, and it's not right, at all. 

Advertising has a long way to go to even things out, but what sells, sells and unfortunately that's sex appeal mainly from women.