Gender Depictions in Media

Bordo: "Women, for their part, were expected not only to provide a comfortable, well-ordered home for men to return to but to offer beauty, fantasy, and charm for a man to 'escape' to and restore himself with after the grim grind of the working day" (195).

Me: "This element of looking beautiful for the men is evident in many advertisements. The women I've looked at in advertisements are always attractive, young-looking, and dressed up for sexual appeal. Especially when I look at the advertisements from the 1950s that portray housewives not only doing work around the house, but they are always wearing a dress, their hair is styled, and they are wearing jewelry, most of the time a necklace and a ring. However, that housewife aspect is long gone. None of the advertisements I see these days are about keeping a nice, orderly home. Instead, I just see advertisements about how the latest product will make a woman look more attractive and desirable for her boyfriend, lover, or husband. In many of the advertisements where there is both a man and a woman, the woman is often pleased because the man is giving her attention and letting her know that she accomplished something with her looks."

Messner: "Women are sexy props or prizes for men's successful sports performances or consumption choices" (479).

Me: "I do agree that this seems to be what sports advertisements want us to think. While men in advertisements are seen as trying to be the best player in their sport or picking the best brand of beer, the women are always in the background, thin and scantily clad in bikinis, shorts, and halter tops. These women only go to the men who make the highest score or buy the best brand of clothing or alcoholic drinks. They are also the ones who are cheering from the sidelines as the strong, manly players are making a score. Some sports broadcasters use young and attractive women to promote prestigious product brands and to welcome viewers back to the show after commercial breaks."

Bordo, Susan. “Beauty (Re)discovers the Male Body.” Ways of Reading. 8th ed. Eds. David Bartholomae and Anthony Petrosky,Boston: Bedford/St. 168-Martin’s, 2008. 188-205.

Messner, Michael. “Center of Attention: The Gender of Sorts Media.” Introduction. Rereading America. 6th edition. Eds. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, and Bonnie Lisle. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004. 1-15.