Sexism

LAT1963

No, this isn't a thread to fight about gender roles--I'm not trolling for outrage here. I'm just struck this morning by some of the things I see on ads on TV that are either encouraging, discouraging, or prompt questions that I think can promote civil discussions.

We all have different experiences in moving through the world and I'm curious to hear about the ones that differ between the genders, whether actual experience or depictions.

Here's what prompted me to start this thread and I hope gives you an idea what I mean.

1) Duluth trading company ads. When they show women, the women are always doing very practical type things, and I find this really gratifying. For example their ad for their 'no tug tank'. Women are painting and fixing things around a farm (as rural women do--in general farmers have to know how to do *everything* on their own and gender is no exemption). So I really like that ad, it's affirming of women's capabilities, and promises a product that eliminates one of life's little annoyances that is usually below mention but yeah, you know, if you think about it, it really is annoying.

Because there are still a lot of ads (especially fashion and makeup ads) that seem to want to make us women feel insecure in order to get us to buy something. Seriously, 5 years ago did any woman *anywhere* really worry all that much about her eyebrows beyond some occasional shaping (except those who lost theirs entirely for medical or overtweezing reasons)? Now it seems like a make-up company-driven obsession to make us all eyebrow-insecure so we'll stencil them on with this or that brand of eyebrow paint. Companies create a psychological insecurity so they can patch the insecurity with a product. Patching rather than fixing assures repeat customers.

2) The 'don't mess with my discount' ad from progressive, in which a dude in an amped-up car (mustang? )stopped at a light says to the progressive customer dude in a small sedan, "wanna go bro? wanna go"?", as an invitation to drag race. To me that's sort of a stereotype of high school boys, but in the ad its between adult men. I have not personally seen that sort of thing in the real world between adults. Is that *really* part of the male experience in the US or is that just advertising hyperbole? (I've been alone since my 20's so I don't have a live-in dude I can ask.)

mtndewme

There's a ad I hear a lot about a dad having superpowers to change clothes pink but can't change them back. It's told from his young son's point of view. The product is some washing detergent I think. I hate it every time I hear it. I think it's sexist against men like, haha they can't do laundry! Idk if this was relevant to what you were looking for.

seltzermint555

I know what you're saying. There's just so much of this, it's hard to even pin down specific instances when the media (especially advertising) is still essentially a big stereotype parade 24/7. I try not to take it too seriously or give it too much of my attention.

However, I definitely appreciate it when I happen to see an ad (such as Duluth Trading you mentioned above) that goes against all the typical stuff we're used to seeing. I also like it when brands show women of childbearing age in situations that don't involve children. There's nothing wrong with portraying mothers (of course!) but it's so tired to me when every woman between age 21 and 40-something is shown as a harried soccer mom. Ugh. And then any woman over 40 is shown doting on her grandchildren. Women have so many other roles.

My husband is a little annoyed with some of the stuff too, like men often being shown as tailgating bacon lovers who are clueless around the house. It's just tired.

vanityy99

Just a couple days ago a 16 year old died in U.S custody at migrant boarder patrol. He was sick and died in his own blood in a cell with tin foil as blankets.. literally. they didn’t help him.

I don’t care about this pettyiness you’re posting about.

seltzermint555

vanityy99 wrote: »

Just a couple days ago a 16 year old died in U.S custody at migrant boarder patrol. He was sick and died in his own blood in a cell with tin foil as blankets.. literally. they didn’t help him.

I don’t care about this pettyiness you’re posting about.

The OP didn't say this is the foremost issue on her mind. I'm sure we can all agree that these tragedies are much more important.

LAT1963

seltzermint555 wrote: »

vanityy99 wrote: »

Just a couple days ago a 16 year old died in U.S custody at migrant boarder patrol. He was sick and died in his own blood in a cell with tin foil as blankets.. literally. they didn’t help him.

I don’t care about this pettyiness you’re posting about.

The OP didn't say this is the foremost issue on her mind. I'm sure we can all agree that these tragedies are much more important.

This. Other than calling or writing our government reps if they are Republicans to ask them to vote for removal of Trump from office, there is very little we on this website can do to rescue the children currently held hostage by the Trump administration.

So in the absence of ability to take meaningful action in this moment upon some of the big issues, we can keep the big issues in mind while dealing with the petty ones. It's called multitasking.

PS: If you don't like what is happening in the US and are a citizen, show up to vote, and when you vote, pick anyone who is not a Republican. The GOP no longer represents conservatism, it is behaving like an organized crime ring. The only way to fix the situation is a) take away their power and b) replace them. That means at least 1 cycle that is Democrat-dominated because it's virtually impossible to replace a corrupt incumbent by primarying them with someone clean, due to name recognition and power-inequality between incumbents and challengers (plus a corrupt incumbent will cheat and in a primary the primary challenger doesn't have the resources of a party to back him/her). You have to take them out in one cycle and then replace them with a clean conservative in the next. On the 'bright' side (from a conservative point of view), most Democrats who run in conservative districts will be moderate conservatives rather than true liberals, because that is the character of the district they live in and would represent. They are members of the same community you are. So if you need to put one in office for just one election cycle you'll probably emerge with your conservative values intact.

Now I ask folk to go back to the main thread idea to discuss gender stereotyping as you've seen or experienced, in a civil manner, and not succumb to this attempt at thread-jacking.

vanityy99

op hijacked her own thread. All that trump talk was unnecessary. I was just making a point about how I personally feel about the topic.
My comment had nothing to do with the op.

seltzermint555 wrote: »

vanityy99 wrote: »

Just a couple days ago a 16 year old died in U.S custody at migrant boarder patrol. He was sick and died in his own blood in a cell with tin foil as blankets.. literally. they didn’t help him.

I don’t care about this pettyiness you’re posting about.

The OP didn't say this is the foremost issue on her mind. I'm sure we can all agree that these tragedies are much more important.

thongguy23

So I have always been considered as a “feminine” male. From the tight clothes, my choice of underwear, the fact I’ve had my hair removed by laser, I do all the cooking in cleaning in my house hold, I do not watch a single sport on tv, I can go on for days. People assume I am homosexual due to my non traditional role and complete opposite of what people consider masculine. Which who cares but it would be nice for the world to catch up to the fact that we are all people first and gender has nothing to do with who and what we are. Sexism happens both ways and it’s getting very old

LAT1963

Vanity--Don't like the thread, don't read it. Problem solved.

LAT1963

thongguy23 wrote: »

So I have always been considered as a “feminine” male. From the tight clothes, my choice of underwear, the fact I’ve had my hair removed by laser, I do all the cooking in cleaning in my house hold, I do not watch a single sport on tv, I can go on for days. People assume I am homosexual due to my non traditional role and complete opposite of what people consider masculine. Which who cares but it would be nice for the world to catch up to the fact that we are all people first and gender has nothing to do with who and what we are. Sexism happens both ways and it’s getting very old

Yeah. those expectations are arbitrary social construct. 'feminism' is freeing everyone to be human first. (sadly the term itself has become somewhat limiting because the word references female-ness--but 'humanist' was already taken)

psychod787

I am the Patriarchy, Coo Coo Ca Choo! lol

LAT1963

seltzermint555 wrote: »

My husband is a little annoyed with some of the stuff too, like men often being shown as tailgating bacon lovers who are clueless around the house. It's just tired.

ROFL. Love your description of how men are stereotyped!

psychod787

I am the last bastion of "safe" people to make fun of without consequence. White, hetero, middle class, middle aged, male......

Vikka_V

I hate the "man cold" ads - it insults me for men. And *kitten* that, I get "man colds", I wallow when I'm sick.

ythannah

I'm old enough to remember car ads when the only female who appeared was one in a slinky cocktail gown draped seductively over the hood. At least now women get to be viewed driving them. Although, as Seltzermint says, usually women are portrayed hauling around a pack of kids, extolling the virtues of the sports equipment storage capacity.

Don't get me started on cosmetics advertising. I'm particularly insulted when companies use a 24 year model to try and sell me some anti-aging potion. Although Cover Girl is noteworthy for featuring some that are actually beyond middle-age. And the ads for male grooming products (beyond razors) are gaining ground, which is a sad commentary on marketing trends to make both sexes insecure about their appearance.

I'm with "individual first, gender second".

jacktherower

Toxic masculinity is rampant in our society. The end. Look at the peloton commercial

LAT1963

jacktherower wrote: »

Toxic masculinity is rampant in our society. The end. Look at the peloton commercial

The peloton commercial made me look at the Echelon website. 🤪😅😂

JustSomeEm

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