Sexism In the Modern Day and Age
Sex sells.
Is this the reason why despite the feminism movements and demand for equal rights, women are perceived as sexual objects - both in music videos and advertising?
I'm not average girl. Having said that, I'm a bit of a tomboy I s'pose. And I'm all for equal rights for males and females.
But despite these radical movements, from people such as Germaine Greer in Australia, females are still seen with a traditional role. Thankfully, this is less common. Women value their careers, and do not rely so much on their husbands if they are not married.
What made me write this blog? I hear you ask.
Well, there is a number of things.
Music videos.
So you've all seen a Justin Timberlake or Pussycat Dolls video? Probably. The women are dressed with barely nothing, and admired by men for their physique. Yes, I know I sound like a middle aged, grumpy old woman despised by these new trends. I apologise in advance. Just sometimes, these things annoy, even disgust me.
Do you find the Pussycat Dolls song "I Don't Need A Man" ironic? I do.
Or the fact nearly naked women are dancing around Justin Timberlake while he sings is just wrong?
I do.
Advertising
So, you see an ad on TV. Men dressed casually, drinking beer, while yet again women are in bikinis or something similar. What is this ad for? Men, beer or women? Your guess is as good as mine.
So, we see that us women are used in a variety of ways. Yet again, I must apologise for my bluntness over the whole ordeal, but this is something I feel strongly about. But what happened in a geography lesson yesterday topped this entire attitude off.
Our teacher organises a trivia game on geography: Girls vs. Boys
The boys begin to win. They become overly excited by this, whooping, laughing at us and the usual.
But when one particular...jerk...begins yelling stupid things across the room, I have an urge to give him a good kick up the - well, you get the idea.
These things were yelled:
"Ask girls about the kitchen - and then boys about the sophisticated stuff."
"Girls are retarded. They know nothing."
"How about you spell: MAKE MY DINNER."
"Woohoo! GET BACK IN THE KITCHEN, WOMEN!"
"Have a cry, girls!"
This is no joke. These things were actually said.
Worst of all: Some girls on my team actually laughed
Needless to say, I and a few others were furious.
Now I know; not all boys act like that. Let's get that out. There are just a few I have met who act like this. In no way am I dissing the entire male race. I just felt entitled to express this deeply concerning issue.
Will equal rights ever be gained for all?
Is this the reason why despite the feminism movements and demand for equal rights, women are perceived as sexual objects - both in music videos and advertising?
I'm not average girl. Having said that, I'm a bit of a tomboy I s'pose. And I'm all for equal rights for males and females.
But despite these radical movements, from people such as Germaine Greer in Australia, females are still seen with a traditional role. Thankfully, this is less common. Women value their careers, and do not rely so much on their husbands if they are not married.
What made me write this blog? I hear you ask.
Well, there is a number of things.
Music videos.
So you've all seen a Justin Timberlake or Pussycat Dolls video? Probably. The women are dressed with barely nothing, and admired by men for their physique. Yes, I know I sound like a middle aged, grumpy old woman despised by these new trends. I apologise in advance. Just sometimes, these things annoy, even disgust me.
Do you find the Pussycat Dolls song "I Don't Need A Man" ironic? I do.
Or the fact nearly naked women are dancing around Justin Timberlake while he sings is just wrong?
I do.
Advertising
So, you see an ad on TV. Men dressed casually, drinking beer, while yet again women are in bikinis or something similar. What is this ad for? Men, beer or women? Your guess is as good as mine.
So, we see that us women are used in a variety of ways. Yet again, I must apologise for my bluntness over the whole ordeal, but this is something I feel strongly about. But what happened in a geography lesson yesterday topped this entire attitude off.
Our teacher organises a trivia game on geography: Girls vs. Boys
The boys begin to win. They become overly excited by this, whooping, laughing at us and the usual.
But when one particular...jerk...begins yelling stupid things across the room, I have an urge to give him a good kick up the - well, you get the idea.
These things were yelled:
"Ask girls about the kitchen - and then boys about the sophisticated stuff."
"Girls are retarded. They know nothing."
"How about you spell: MAKE MY DINNER."
"Woohoo! GET BACK IN THE KITCHEN, WOMEN!"
"Have a cry, girls!"
This is no joke. These things were actually said.
Worst of all: Some girls on my team actually laughed
Needless to say, I and a few others were furious.
Now I know; not all boys act like that. Let's get that out. There are just a few I have met who act like this. In no way am I dissing the entire male race. I just felt entitled to express this deeply concerning issue.
Will equal rights ever be gained for all?
agreed.
i hate it, 2 of my friends (both are guys) said.
"Oh the cat cat dolls suck, just mute the tv and have barely clothed girls dancing around to nothing".
It.
Makes.
Me.
Sick.
Casper is not amused, June 24th, 2007 at 04:59:06am
The women in those advertisements and videos are there with their own free will. If they dont feel like toys (or maybe they want to?) you cant possibly say whats the best for them. Feminists who go around saying that such stuff disgrades women are clueless because women actually do those things with their free will. I am all for equality (I mean check out my Riot Grrrl blog), but I wont go against some girls if they want to do it that way. A Croatian actress did a beer comemrcial in a bikini and she is a beautiful women with a career, a single-mother and all those other things feminists support. She did the commercial because she got paid for it and cause thats what sells beer obviously.
I agree with the rest of what you wrote, some guys just make women feel worse and less worth and those women allow it. We do have rights, we do have a right to speek, but what are those rights to us if we dont use it? Women have to get emancipated more.
worn-out astronaut., June 23rd, 2007 at 07:00:00am
Two words: I agree
Couldn't have said it better =]
just_call_me_dookie, June 22nd, 2007 at 10:53:32pm
Equal rights will never be gained for all. There are way too many racist and sexist wackos out there that have the power to influence more things that will keep us from all being equal.
tre4prez08, June 22nd, 2007 at 08:52:02pm
Uhm... I agree with you on everything. Just because we dont have a penis, doesnt mean we're not equal. Further more, as much as women are the fairer sex, we are also the strongest. We go through so much; pregnancy and periods, etc and men dont get sh*t.
In advertising though, a guy in the ad is selling the product with 'you could be like this'. A woman in a bikini is 'look at this cos Im hot and Im holding a beer!' Basically, the whole concept of advertising is to sell the product and a dream. That doesnt make it right, thats just marketing.
And the lads in your class are tossers. Nuff said.
AndTheCowSaidMoo, June 22nd, 2007 at 10:03:20am
You should have seen the way that guy was directing it at me - like he knew he was pissing me off.
Sometimes, ignorance is not bliss.
The Brightside., June 22nd, 2007 at 06:39:52am
woah... they said that? oh f*cking hell, if that happened in my school id beat the f*ckers up... im only good enough to do that when i see red. im not even a tomboy XD jeez, whoever said that would find themselves with black eyes broken noses and footprints on theyre balls.
and when i see the catcat dolls i think theyre so low... pathetic. but hey, if guys are so awesome, why does the female form enslave THEM so much? huh? i think being sexy holds us at an advantage sometimes. f*ck tho, im pissed at the kitchen comment... the only time id cook for HIM is a poisoned pizza!
Lyddy r teh Snaily, June 22nd, 2007 at 05:31:56am
Its nice to keep trying. I understand the struggle. I'm usually the one to speak out and call the guys up on the actions telling them it was a load of crock what they did. None of the other girls care so the guys do nothing. But still if we didn't try what would be the point? the human race thrives on moving forward. Just keep faith that it'll get better if our generation does SOMETHING.
Screw It, June 21st, 2007 at 09:49:37pm