Reply #306: different point [View All]

[thesquanderer]

re: "How often do you see men being portrayed 'submissively'?"

I don't know how often I see either gender being portrayed submissively, I assume men less often than women... but also, I do not assume that every sexually suggestive portrayal of either gender implies submissiveness, which is part of why I can't quantify my answer to that question in the first place. Regardless, I don't think that has anything to do with what I was trying to say.

Let me see if I can clarify: There appears to be an argument being put forth that objectification of women in advertising leads to objectification of women in "real life." I'm not saying that's not true, but, apart from there being something of a "chicken and egg" scenario there, I think (a) advertising objectifies both genders; and also (b) that objectification is not necessarily a trait in humanity that needs to be eradicated; rather I think it is worth considering that it is something which might have its place, and maybe the goal should be to restrict its manifestation to where it is appropriate, rather than eliminate it. Sure, men and women both may want to be admired for their brains or personality.... but sometimes I think people of either gender are actually happy to be admired for their more superficial traits, too, and even, in the proper context, objectified. Is that necessarily so terrible?

However, I do understand and see the relevance of your other point, that since the genders do not have total social equality, objectification of the genders may not be totally equivalent either.