I'm a Feminist! Now, What?

The first advertisment is for a men's cologne. The bottle is strategically positioned to keep the ad from being too risque for public consumption while also insinuating that the man wearing the fragrance can take the bottle's place in private. Because the woman is portrayed in an extremely sexual position, only part of her body is visible. This ad most likely would have never made it to publication, at least in the US, if her entire body, including face, was shown. As long as just a part of her is shown, she is not really a woman, so it becomes even more societally acceptable to treat her as nothing more than a sex object. Miley Cyrus was in a similar position (she was standing instead of lying down) while clothed and giving a performance, and there was a great public uproar. Granted, this was partially because of Miley's status as a role model for young women. However, young girls often see ads like this, and not many people are vocally upset about that. Also, the model here perfectly conforms to standards of beauty. No hair is visible, her nails are perfectly manicured, she is fair-skinned, and she appears to be thin. This advertisement sends a message not only about what the ideal woman is, but about what the ideal man is. Tom Ford is for men, but it is only marketed to a select group of men. It is implied that gay men are not "real" men, at least according to these marketers, because this advertisement for a men's fragrance does absolutely nothing to show that these men are included in their target consumer group.

This second advertisement, for Dolce & Gabbana, shows how rape culture has become so prominent in society. In fact, it was banned in Italy because it was believed to promote gang rape. There is nothing in this woman's facial expression or body language to indicate that this is a consensual act that is about to take place. This thin, fair-skinned, fashionably-dressed woman wearing make-up has absolutely no power in the situation portrayed here. The strong, muscular man is literally holding her down and the look on his face implies that he sees this as just another benefit to being a man. Look closely. It's not about pleasure for him. He's not smiling; he just looks like a predator about to devour his prey. The other men are also all in stances of power, and the looks on their face are looks of hunger. They see nothing wrong with what is about to take place and are just going to stand by and watch or even join in. The placement of the woman on an elevated surface is reminiscent of the times when women were sacrificed to the gods on altars. Here, though, it is the men who are the gods.

Both advertisements are heterosexist. There is no acknowledgement that gays or lesbians exist. These ads are also extremely gendered. The men are all muscular, toned, and in control, and the women are thin and vulnerable in a sex-charged manner. Transgendered and androgynous people, or even people who just do not quite fit into the stereotype, are another of the groups isolated here. Yet another group isolated by these ads is anyone without fair skin. Though the models in the ads are of ambiguous ethnicity and thus may not be white, they are certainly not obviously of a different ethnicity either. People of color, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, etc are all conspicuously absent. Also, only the young and thin are shown.

This Miller Lite ad, on the other hand, combats heterosexism and gender roles. It is still conspicuously minority-free, and it, too, only showcases the young and thin. A gay couple, whose relationship appears to be one with an equal power dynamic, is portrayed just casually drinking a beer. Unlike many portrayals of gay couples, there are no signs here that their relationship or the individuals in it are somehow other. If either of these men were standing on their own, one would not automatically assume they were gay because the advertisers were careful to avoid falling into the trap of using just another stereotype. Not all gays are flamboyant, and not every gay relationship imitates the male/female dynamic of the stereotypical heterosexual relationship. This ad does not try to answer the oft-asked question "Well, who's the man, and who's the woman in your relationship?" Instead, it very clearly says, "We are both men." The word play in the copy is also very clever. "Great to see you out" is a comment that would make sense for someone to say at a bar or a party or wherever else they happened to be drinking, but it also has a greater significance to the gay community. It's Miller Lite's way of explicitly stating their support, rather than just having a picture of a gay couple. If I were to create my own advertisement, I would ensure that any relationship portrayals were both realistic and respectful and be mindful of the fact that not every person fits into the stereotype. A wide spectrum of people needs to be represented - people of varying gender identities/expressions, race, color, sexual orientation, age, size, etc - without it becoming about their differences. A good ad needs to portray a variety of people in a way that brings them together, not just in a way that continues to separate them. Showing differences doesn't make anything better if it is only done in a way that reinforces the belief that differences are inherently bad.