In our modern day society we are given a stereotypical image of beauty for both men and women. The biggest lead to these stereotypical images is media. Men are given the image to be masculine, being a “man“, to be in control and powerful while women are given the idea of having to be “sexy“ and thin to attract a man. Attracting the male gaze is important. She has to put her body out there making it sexually attractive. The same representation of the gender roles and ideals is done through ads that objectify women; but these ads to it better!
The photos we see are touched up to perfection, and are defining beauty. Women try to perfect themselves to fit the definition of beauty but what they don’t realize the image of beauty they are provided with is a false image, it`s impossible. These advertisements are setting women up for failure, according to the images we see on a daily bases we all have flaws. They believe they don`t have the “perfect features“ but every women and man are perfect the way they are. We created a monstrous society, and try to fit into the ideal image of perfection. (Have a quick look at this 37 second video that is the reason we have a stereotypical standard of beauty; http://www.upworthy.com/see-why-we-have-an-absolutely-ridiculous-standard-of-beauty-in-just-37-seconds?c=ufb1
Girls at a young age look up to the actresses or models they see in everyday media who are often objectified and retouched. The advertisements are almost everywhere in their reach. Those women they see don’t look like that in real life, they are given a definition of beauty, and they start objectifying themselves. While boys are given a standard view of being masculine, they follow these trends whether it may be in movies, video games, and advertisements. Both girls and boys are afraid of the consequences if they don’t follow these trends. They will be the so called “outcasts“.
Society, through time has created the concept of being sexual from our drinks, to our clothes, to the products we use. The advertisement business in this time basically makes it sexual or else it won`t sell. Everything we purchase has a sexual side to it considering the way we were introduced to it. If we look at this Low Carb bar shown in the picture below, we are given the message if we eat this product we will have the body they advertise. Tom Fords advertisement for cologne, is giving men the idea that women are attracted to this smell, it lures men into the sexual schema that if they wear this cologne they are in reach and in power over the female body. Dolce & Gabbana`s ads are probably the worst I have seen not only does it objectify women, and show men as the powerful masculine image they supposedly should be, but they make it okay to flash sexual content and advertising rape and male domination over a female body.
This is not what we want to teach our kids or adults. These images are degrading, when people are influenced with the kind of images we are provided with every day, it is then that we have created the monstrous society we live in today. The type of society that always has a “man“ in power, the type that teaches us its accepted to sexually advertise ourselves and get criticized for doing it. We create an image we should follow and whether we follow it or not we are criticized. If a man is not masculine enough he`s not a man, if a women does not look like the advertising images she is not beautiful and when she does follow these images she is criticized and looked down upon in our society. It is the type of society that we look down upon, but yet we promote it by participating. She is not an object; she is a human being!
All images above came from:
She Is Not A Thing 