Text:
With Tactel you can make a statement for all to see. The incredible range of tactel fabrics create imaginative, distinctive fashions. All with a luxurious soft touch and feel. Look for Tactel in today’s leading designer collections.
We don’t get it. Is there even something to get? Discuss.
The fact that botox can be marketed with the phrase “freedom of expression” testifies to fact that there is no need for advertising to include any truth whatsoever.
Text:
Don’t hold back! Express it all! Express yourself by asking your
doctor about BOTOX Cosmetic. Millions of women already have.
This is called the Bitchcruiser:
You can find a lot more pictures of it here and there’s one for sale on ebay (thanks to Laura L., who found it on feministing.com, via).
NEW: Audrey D.E. sent in this image of a pole-dancer alarm clock from a catalog:
The text:
Your guy will really “rise and shine” to this entertaining alarm clock. A pole dancer twirls around the pole to music and flashing lights. What a way to wake up!
Thanks, Audrey!
This is a cover of Vogue featuring LeBron James and Gisele Bundchen. Notice the postures: LeBron as the hulking, angry black man, and Gisele as arm candy. Apparently this issue has a whole section on “the World’s Top Models and Star Athletes.” Hmmm, I wonder what the gender breakdown is?
Notice also the way in which the image reproduces the famous King Kong imagery:
Here is a link to an MSNBC segment on the cover.
Thanks to Carmela Z. for sending this image along!
NEW (Jan ’10)! Ruth D’R. and a reader-who-wishes-to-remain-anonymous sent us this (highly photoshopped) photo of Kanye West and Lady Gaga, one of the images in her “Fame Monster” CD liner notes. Some argue that it, too, reproduces the racialized King Kong imagery in which a black man (threatens to) ravage a white woman:
Some may think that this is a reach. But I think her nudity, plus the symbols of primitivity (the plants, the erupting volcano, and even the khakis) clearly invoke animalism.
Sarah says she walks by this image (found here) on her way to the subway and it “unnerves” her:
I concur.
Would it be going too far to suggest that the goblet of wine simultaneously stands in for an ejaculating penis and a weapon drawing blood? And, if that isn’t going to far, then aren’t we all seriously disturbed right now?
Thanks for the suggestion Sarah!
I guess this is what sexism used to look like (before it looked like this and this and this and this and this):
These Folgers commercials are doozies:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VprIbx4QkPc[/youtube]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnjjkgIO3Ck[/youtube]
Thanks David P. for sending us both the ad, found here, and the commercial!
* I stole the title of this post from HeatherShow.
Lisa Wade, PhD is an Associate Professor at Tulane University. She is the author of American Hookup, a book about college sexual culture; a textbook about gender; and a forthcoming introductory text: Terrible Magnificent Sociology. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
This is a doll Mattel put out as part of the Barbie line a few years ago. Her name is Midge. Apparently she is Barbie’s long-time friend. If you notice, Midge is pregnant. Her belly opened up and there was a baby inside. The line Midge is part of is called Happy Family.
This is Alan, Midge’s husband, and Ryan, their son. Midge and Alan were married in 1991, according to Mattel.
This is the whole Happy Family line–Alan and Ryan, Midge and baby, and grandparents.
The pregnant Midge doll was quickly pulled from the market because of protests that Midge might be interpreted as a single mother. Mattel argued that Midge and Alan had been married for years, but conservative groups argued that since she was sold separately, girls could get the wrong message and think she wasn’t married.This is Jewel’s new video for her song “Stronger Woman.” I can’t figure out if Jewel thinks that all women are essentially the same (in the sense that we need to throw off patriarchy) or that contemporary American women are superior (and all women, then and now, should aspire to be like us… oh yeah, and by “us” I mean young, gorgeous, thin, white, blonde women who “love” themselves). In either case, I don’t like it:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaXr2vGDQwk[/youtube]
Click here if the video doesn’t load.
Lisa Wade, PhD is an Associate Professor at Tulane University. She is the author of American Hookup, a book about college sexual culture; a textbook about gender; and a forthcoming introductory text: Terrible Magnificent Sociology. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
