Quote:
“They say that it is no coincidence that as women are achieving greater social, political and professional equality, these magazines symbolically relegate them to subordinate positions as sex objects.” (Network, 2010)
Reaction:
I was shocked by this quote, not because I didn’t agree with it, but because I didn’t realize it sooner. More often than not, women are treated as objects in commercials, magazines, and other various media outlets, instead of human beings who have taken great strides in becoming equal to men. Now, I’m not a feminist, but I do agree that men and women are equal. Moreover, I believe that women are stronger than men in a sense because of everything we’ve had to push through in order to get where we are today as a group. It makes me sick to think that men try to reduce a woman’s role in life to nothing more than a sex object.
Reference:
Network, M. A. (2010). Men's Magazines and the Construction of Masculinity. Media Issues.
Related Resource:
Below is a link that talks about the construction of masculinity in men and how there is a difference in femininity. I would mainly focus on pages 4-8 of the text. It talks about how men are called “sissy” or “wimp”, if they do something that is socially considered feminine.
Courtenay, W. H. (2000). Constructions of masculinity and their influence on men's well-being: a theory of gender and health. Retrieved September 13, 2011, from sociology.osu.edu: http://sociology.osu.edu/classes/soc635/heimdal/Readings/Courtenay%202000.pdf
You're too young to remember but there used to be a cigarette commercial that's slogan was "you've come a long way baby". Even though we have come a long way, it's not near far enough. Even on magazines that are considered women's magazines and are published by women, women are made to look sexy and young.
ReplyDeleteI find it disgusting that some Men's magazines promote being a bachelor, to not participate in household duties and opt out of helping to raise a family. I believe that this creates a false perception to men that are having difficulties in relationships and it gives them an easy way out.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mary Jo's comment. It seems that most media images of men seem to treat traits like compassion as being "weak". They promote selfishness and looking out for number one as desirable characteristics.
ReplyDeleteIn some ways I think men have it worse than women in the media. Masculinity is constructed so more narrowly then femininity.
ReplyDelete