MOTHERS OR WHORES Recap

Hey gals,

Yesterday we had our aptly-named by yours truly "Mothers or Whores: Women in the Media" presentation, one of the kick-off events of Women's Herstory Month. Here are some thoughts/notes that were raised from the commercials which we viewed. You can find the links below:

• DODGE COMMERCIAL - Man's Last Stand

1. Man as the "underdog" in contrast to woman as the victim in society image
2. Lack of reciprocity in relationship -- why is it a "duty" to do things for a wife, or listen to a wife? Why does all responsibility fall on the man? Who says?
3. All this for a CAR? Not even a "masculinized" one, either. What's the deal?
4. Who says guys want only cars anyway?
5. What about women - labor, childbirth, periods? Oh, that stuff's easy in comparison.

• Megan Fox Motorola Commercial

1. Woman as an object in the male gaze
2. Women as dangerous, sexual and alluring creatures
3. Gay man - or bisexual - looking at Megan Fox as a sexual object? Denies their sexual reality
4. Men come off looking as idiots, easily distracted by feminine charms
5. Phone was not being sold, but Megan Fox sure was -- she even had a model to replace her thumbs, which were sexualized

• DOVE - Comfortable In Your Own Skin Commercial

1. Stereotypes about men - Challenged or Reinforced? Satire or Serious?
2. Heteronormative expectations for marriage
3. Physical strength - climbing the rope in gym, opening the jar for women, going out in the dark without being afraid
4. Performative nature of Masculinity - a failure to perform masculine duties
5. Dove --> a way to be yourself when you're not under the burden of gender expectations? or a way to be gendered and still feel secure?

• Bud Lite Book Club Commercial

1. Female and Male spaces
2. Male invasion and domination of female space, handing out the beers, hitting on the women
3. Double-edged sword: sexualizing the women in an academic space, while also making the guy look like an idiot who only cares about "the game" or beer, very typical
4. Racial Hypersexualization of the "Latina" woman who strikes up a conversation with this dumb man. What's up with that?
5. Females = boring, nagging people who ruin men's fun
6. Beer = social lubricant to hit on women that are not your wife.

• GoDaddy Danica Patrick Commercial

1. Should be about her as a powerful female in a male-dominated sport, right?
2. Not.
3. Two women, homoerotic scene. Lesbianism in the male erotic gaze
4. Encourages the "I can be sexy too" mentality in young women
5. GoDaddy - even the domain is suspicious

• CONCLUSION

A gendered reality is perpetuated in the media and is unfair for both genders and reinforces stereotypes that discourage healthy relationships and communication and instead begins a war of the sexes, in which women are sexually powerful, sexual objects, or simultaneously both, while men are the "slaves" of women, while at the same time able to control and dominate through their performance of masculinity.

A reminder that our TAKE BACK THE NIGHT PLANNING meeting is open to all clubs and will be held next week 7 pm Wednesday, Kimmel 909. We hope to see you all there as this is a very important event!

Shahida