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.

If you don’t eat this Snickers bar I’m going to smash your bleeping face in.

Get some nuts, fool!

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.

Thus far in American history, the fact that men have escaped an onslaught of advertising for beauty products is a triumph of gender ideology over capitalism. Companies, after all, could double their market if they could convince men that they, too, were unsightly without make-up.

If a company were to try to market make-up and beauty regimes to men, however, their smartest move might be to masculinize make-up. And, this is, indeed, what some companies are doing. Here are some products. Their design is interesting, but their names are the most fun. Some of them are subtle, others not so much.

Studio Five Sport and Sun Tone Enhancer (or, as the ladies say, blush):

MensGroom Time Fighter (we call it anti-aging cream):

Male Species Power Face Mask (when you need a power face to go with your power tie):

4VOO Distinct Man Confidence Corrector (because you’re going to need confidence when you go on your mission):

Ener-C After Shave Mission Balm (Is the shave itself a mission or are you going on a mission after you shave? And, is it impossible?):

Ken Men Battle Scars Healing Anti-Inflammatory Repair Cream (I guess you need this post mission):

Studio 5ive Double Stroke Cream Mascara (get it?):

Ken Men Cream Me Face Base (oh come on!):

Ken Men Blo-Job Bronzing Powder (you’ve got to be kidding!):

Also interesting is the Aveda marketing for hair and skin products aimed at men.

The products are called Pure-formance:

Notice the scruffiness of the men in the images, the dark blue-grey-black colors, and the use of nature. Below you can see the design of the products: brown, orange, grey, and sage colors with angular shapes (on a blue background, of course).

The first two paragraphs of text:

It’s a biological fact: men are different. Their scalps are thicker than women’s and on average produce twice the level of oil. This can make men more prone to sensitivity, dryness, itchiness, irritation and redness.

The Aveda Men collection is tailored to men’s essential need for high-performance scalp and hair management that’s easy to use.

So men are different than women. This is simply biology. They are more: “thicker” and “twice.” And, of course, no matter what it is, it must be “high-performance.

NEW! Mordicai points us to Man Glaze:

NEW! (Jan. ’10): David B. let us know about On the Job, a line of lotions targeting men. The line includes hand lotion, cleaner, and “armor,” which isn’t lotion, it’s a polymer glove.

NEW! (Feb. ’10): Andrea let us know about dznuts, a “high viscosity chamois cream” marketed to men as a way to minimize chafing while riding a bike:

Ladies, you can buy a shirt that designates you as an Official Applicator:

What Andrea found interesting is that, despite the name and logo, the product isn’t actually for a guy’s testicles at all. As the product description page says, it’s to prevent saddle sores in the perineal area…something both men and women have, as it turns out. But the creator apparently thinks the “for men only” marketing scheme–in which women aren’t riding bikes, they’re taking care of men who do–will be highly effective, because it costs twice as much as similar, but non-gendered, products.

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.