Old School Ads- how I laugh.

This image makes me laugh- but not for joy. I am offended by the stereotype of the man as the smoker who symbolically is represented as a sexual maniac. Side note- smoking and sex? Why? The woman in this image also offends my sensibilities. She looks like a blow up doll. With her wide eyes, protruding breasts and submissive stance- apparently she will follow you anywhere- so long as you blow in her face.
Now, this image could mean just that- blowing smoke in her face.
OR this could have sexual meaning. If I need to explain the cultural term of blow- then you really need to visit urban dictionary.

Essentially- this advertisement says- "Treat her as an object. She will love you."
In the words of my friend Shelby Scott- "Whaaaat?"

Last Friday, I didn't have a lot of time to deconstruct the image of the geisha. So here I go-
First off-while foot binding was more common in ancient China, there are several accounts that tell us that foot binding also happened in Japan. Geisha's are a very accomplished women who were often hired to simply entertain men. Sometimes there was sexual intent, and at others, there was not.
A good geisha was graceful, passive, funny at appropriate times, submissive, cultured, and intent on serving.
Small steps and use of their facial expressions to attract customers were some of the most prominent and proper ways in which Geisha's worked.
I find it ironic that their graceful small steps are mocked. After all, she is tied to a man's shoe. What does this say? My interpretation of it is that it mocks geisha's while advertising them as submissive women. Asian women are already seen as passive members of society- this image further depicts a certain kind of reality. If you had no knowledge of how Asian women are represented, what would you think? "Wow, Asian women really are submissive and decorative."
I have issues with this: Women have no in between. You are either a bitch or submissive. What about a kind and active women? Apparently thats rare? I hate to break it to those ignorant citizens of humanity, but you cannot define women as one thing. I mean, do not get me wrong. Men are often objectified too. But men have the agency to change their status; to fight back. Men can be anything. Why can't women?
This image further enforces Asian stereotypes but also expresses something about the cultural belief of what women are. I have a challenge for you- don't think of WHAT women are; think of WHO women are.

What does this mean? Geisha's have long been a sex symbol- but to strap them to a man's shoe? Sick. Especially because she is in some kind of shoe lace bondage. To me- this says women can be stomped all over and are nothing more than sex symbols. Thank your corporate America.

Thunder by Nuttin' But Stringz

I have fallen in love. Buy their album on iTunes. Best investment ever.

LEE Advertisement

MMkay. Someone explain how Lee, a clothing brand, uses this as an ad. There are no clothes featured. Only lip stick. And cum looking substance. Rhetorically, this suggests that women who wear the Lee brand will sit there with their mouths open waiting for white substance to enter their mouths. Sick. Wrong. Confusing. Can anyone offer any other interpretations?

Sisley. Sisley is a messed up brand. What is this even supposed to be? Women get thirsty while milking the cow? This image is like animal/human pornography. Disgusting. And if you want to get technical- this image looks like the aftermaths of a bad porn scene. What is it with women enjoying white crap all over their faces? I mean really. That is SO degrading to me. I just don't even get it. I mean, I am open to interpretations. Bring them on. I would just like my viewers to look at the rhetorical message that it is sending and embedding in society. Media literacy is needed for those who look at this image and think that it constructs some kind of inherent truth about women.
There are more messed up Sisley ads to come.
- Kendall

Jimmy Choo- do you know what you do?

Oh Jimmy Choo. How the heck do you do what you do?
First off- yes, all girls like to hang out in a trunk wearing hott shoes? NO.
Secondly, I know race is a trickly subject for people, but having the African- American male outside of the vehicle while the woman lounges around inside is not usually a good thing to advertise. I say this because Black males are often advertised as violent and over masculine figures. Granted, he himself isn't being violent, but the ad as a whole has a tone that represents some kind of film noir murder mystery suspense.
In addition to this, the car is in a desert. A desert. A girl in the trunk. A man outside. This does not really make me want to buy that shoe- and I do love Jimmy Choo shoes, do not get me wrong. But really. Oh the fashion world, how you annoy me.

"The Purity Myth"

Jessica Valenti wrote a really intriguing book called "The Purity Myth." She writes about how the United States in particular has a monopoly on what it means to be "pure." Purity is a very interesting topic of conversation in the religious world these days. What with purity balls, purity rings, and other purity rites, there is so much hype about what it means to have purity.
I am a all for people living pure lives that they are proud of. But for me, pure doesn't just mean sex; it is so much more. Valenti talks about how purity has become one with the term virgin. If you are not a virgin, you are not pure. Maybe that's true- maybe it's not. Who the hell really knows. What I do know though is that there is this extreme amount of guilt that women carry. Women are supposed to be pure. BUT sexy. And apparently the two aren't socially constructed in the US to go hand in hand. So women face a major identity crisis. Am I pure? Am I sexy?
I do not pretend to have answers. I think when you claim that you are right about something, you ignore arguments from both sides of an issue. I know several people who think the idea of sexual purity is crap. I know others who think it is essential. The point is, you have to listen and know all sides of an argument. I don't agree with everything that Valenti has to say. BUT she has a lot of good points that make you want to critically look at how women are socially constructed to think and act in this country. She makes you think. So I suggest reading it. At best, if you don't agree with her, you will walk away with a better understanding of the oppositions view.

Thoughts on the Tom Ford Advertisements

So yesterday, I was showing some people the Tom Ford advertisements featured on my blog. Ironically, the men, except Dr. Karlberg, laughed. They thought they were funny and just advertisements. I called my father and he said, "that's just the way it is." THIS IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH AMERICA. Images like these should not be normal. Advertisements often use women as supplemental to a product. They do this to men as well- don't get me wrong. But women already have to fight for equal pay and to be taken seriously. Some people will probably just tell me I'm being oversensitive about these ads. I may be sensitive- and your point? There is still a problem that women are being exploited.
Men are exploited yes. But at the end of the day- men have more power. You cannot deny that. Men have the power to choose their positions as that of the "other" or the "gazer." Women, in most cases, do not. Keep in mind that I am talking about the fashion world right now and not all aspects of life.

Tom Ford Advertisements

First off, what the hell? I mean really. Tom Ford. It is no secret that the fashion world presents women in a warped and effed up way. But really? Using women as sexual objects to sell products is getting old. Seriously. I am offended that men are socialized to see women in this way. I mean most men, hopefully, see more than just my vagina as cologne. One would hope. The problem is that even though they may not consciously see women as objects- subconsciously, they begin to process these kinds of images in to a "normal" part of advertising. This is dangerous. Women often see themselves as that. They want to attract men. Is wearing Tom Ford sunglasses going to get me a date this weekend?
The interesting thing about the sunglasses advertisement is that there was a caption with it that said, "Yes, I want those sunglasses." Think about it.

Welcome.

Essentially, this is my place to convey my ultimate inner nerd. My love of media findings and visual rhetoric are a huge part of my life, but there are few people to actually sit down and chat about this stuff with. I just want a place to put it all out there. So- beware. You may not like what I have to say about the world. SO- don't read it.

A few things to come:

Fashion advertisements- their effect on the creation and construction of feminine identity.

This whole Twilight phenomena

Coffee houses in Bellingham

The "F" word

Stay tuned.