In today's society, there are many ads throughout the media that suggest the objectification and dehumanization of women. Not only, are women objectified, but men are as well. Women are pictured in especially ads for men as objects. In some ads for beer and even food women are seen as the object being advertised. In an advert for a type of beer the woman was pictured with her body from the chest to the waist as the beer bottle being held by a man's hand. This picture is shown at the right. This is showing the empowerment that men supposedly have over women. Showing woman as objects leaves them looking powerless in the first place but to have a man holding the "object" in his hand shows much less representation for women. Like in the picture below, the women has a picture of a car over her face. This is dehumanizing her and objectifying her. The picture has the words the ultimate attraction written over it using the women as the supposed attraction but as the BMW. Showing women this way tells men that it is okay to treat women like objects. When I showed my boyfriend the picture of the beer shaped as a womens body, he thought it was funny. Most people do think these ads are comical or a "good catch". Why would we objectify the women when women are already very much so objectified in everyday life?
Women are shown in many fashion ads as being dismantled or using violence. A lot of different types of ads also do this. The picture to the left shows a fashion ad with a woman dismantled in multiple pieces. As always she has the jewelry, the makeup, and the high heels on in the ad to prove the femininity.
Yes, men are still objectified in ads. Honestly, how often do you see men objectified or dehumanized in ads? I came across one interesting ad that pictured a women leash walking two naked men.
(Pictured below). For both genders we do not see their faces, we just see their bodies which is what the media mostly focuses on. The woman is shown with heels and tight clothing to show her femininity and figure. The men are naked and show the muscles they both acquire. This picture could be taken in two different ways. Yes, this is sort of showing empowerment for women but it also shows empowerment for men. Although these men are on leashes it looks as though they are slightly pulling the woman along. They still have dominance in this picture even though they are being represented as dogs.
I could go on forever about each ad that is shown throghout the media, but that would take an awful long time. The question I always wonder is, who actually started this whole trend to objectify and dehumanize a human being in the first place? How does that make someone want to buy a product? We all know why they objectify women during men's ads, in order to gain their attention and have them focus on the "important" body parts of a woman. According to these ads, men only need to pay attention to women's bodies, their breasts, their butt, and especially their figure. What can we do about his objectification and dehumanization? We are human beings. We are not objects. We are not animals. So why refer to us as one? For the proof of empowerment? I'm sure that can be shown with less violent ads and more postive ones. Today's society has began to these ads in the media as "normal" so most people don't think anything of it.
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