Download Dehumanized Women in Advertising: Creating an Environment for

Gender in Advertising: An Environment for Violence
Sexual assault is often mistakenly considered a crime of passion. In fact, it is not a
sexual crime at all, but a crime of violence and power. Advertising and other media tend to take
the same approach to sex and sexuality - it’s less about relationships and intimacy and more
about power and control. This approach can be seen in images of blatant violence, but also in
attitudes toward gender roles and stereotypes. The average American is faced with at least three
thousand advertisements every day and encounters other media almost continuously.1 The
images and ideas with which we’re bombarded have a powerful impact on our own ideas and
opinions. Media that present sexuality and gender in a skewed, narrow way can contribute to
and reinforce an environment for violence.
Looking at examples from advertising is a good way to examine images of sexuality and
gender because advertising reflects other media in its effort to engage consumers. Stereotypes
are often reinforced in advertising, including
concepts of men as violent and women as
valuable only for their looks. In a magazine
advertisement for Diesel Jeans, a woman in
revealing clothes with disheveled hair poses
vulnerably. The background is made up of a repeated image of a man pointing a gun, an intense
expression on his face. This type of image, a powerful and dangerous man juxtaposed with a
defenseless woman, can contribute to our ideas about how men and women should be.
Sometimes actual violence is depicted in advertisements. A company called Bitch
skateboards created a logo portraying a cartoon version of a male figure shooting a female figure
in the head. This is a particularly blatant example of an idea that is usually communicated more
subtly. Advertisements often use images that are meant to appear sexual but actually resemble
acts of violence more than anything else. Ads for Kikit jeans, Old Spice deodorant, and Sisley
brand clothes all feature men and women in poses that could easily be violent, but we are meant
to understand that they are passionate and enjoyable. In the Old Spice ad, “NO” is even printed
in large letters over the image of the man leaning over the woman. The line between violent and
sexual is blurred.
The relationship between sexuality and violence can be further
confused when rape and sexual assault are downplayed or twisted in
some way through advertising. This is often an issue with alcohol ads,
considering the important role alcohol often plays in date rape. Ads
with copy like “If your date won’t listen to reason, try a
Velvet Hammer,” or “Liquid panty remover” trivialize the
connection between date rape and alcohol by leaving the
violence aspect unmentioned. However, it doesn’t take
much analysis to relate the copy to sexual assault, especially knowing that between one-third and
three-quarters of sexual assault cases involve alcohol consumption by the assaulter, the victim, or
both.2
Another strategy to avoid violence but imply a subtly violent sexuality can be seen in a
JCPenney ad featuring a woman in red lingerie. The copy reads “Contrary to popular belief, red
doesn’t have to mean stop.” The ad is trying to sell underwear
to women, trying to conjure up a feeling of sexuality that will
encourage them to purchase a product, but the similarities to
their copy and the idea that women somehow deserve sexual
assault, are “asking for it,” is hard to ignore. Another ad for
Fetish scent includes the line “Apply generously to your neck so he can smell the scent as you
shake your head ‘no,’” suggesting that ‘no’ is really meant to tease and tempt, not to express
genuine displeasure or fear. Deemphasizing the serious issue of a woman’s “no” being ignored
can lead to confusion about consent. It’s easy to see how these ideas could influence someone to
ignore a plea to stop, or even convince a woman that she doesn’t have the right to say “no.”
Advertising bombards us daily with images and opinions. It is essentially impossible to
avoid, but it is not impossible to handle intelligently. Analysis of advertisements can help you
understand the meaning behind them and what they are really trying to sell you - an idea, a
concept, a belief about people and how they should be treated. Some may argue that
advertisements are not meant to be taken seriously, but in a culture where gender roles are often
stereotyped and skewed enough to damage human relationships, anything that contributes to that
dangerous environment should be wisely considered. Informing and educating are invaluable
tools in the anti-sexual violence movement. The more people are aware of their surroundings
and what they are exposed to, the better equipped they are to make smart decisions about what to
believe and do.
The images we see, words we read, and attitudes we take in all contribute to our own
ideas about the world. It is our choice what to do with the media we encounter - take it at face
value and accept it without question, or examine it a little more closely and make an informed
decision about its validity. Individual advertisements are not likely to transform someone’s
attitude or twist their character so that they are comfortable with violence - it is the accumulation
and persistent presence of alarming advertisements that can influence us slowly and
surreptitiously. Awareness of the deeper meanings conveyed in many advertisements can limit
their influence and help us create our own ideas about gender, sexuality, and violence.
Advertising can be considered a reflection of our culture as it works to attract consumers.
If that is the case, we have reason to be concerned. The world portrayed in advertising is not
safe for women and encourages men to be violent. It limits each gender to specific roles and
stereotypes. It does not appreciate the intimacy of relationships, instead focusing on power and
control through sexuality. While it is important that we fight against the media influencing us in
negative ways, it is more important that we fight against a culture that does not appreciate the
importance of each of its citizens. This is an environment for sexual violence, and we cannot
stand by as long it persists.
Notes: This paper was initially inspired by the Media Education Foundation’s film featuring Jean
Kilbourne, Killing Us Softly 3: Advertising’s Image of Women.
All pictures are used with permission from The Gender Ads Project. Created by Scott A. Lukas,
Ph.D. Created in 2002, South Lake Tahoe, CA. <http://www.genderads.com>.
1
2
Jean Kilbourne, Can’t Buy My Love (New York: Touchstone, 1999) 58.
Kilbourne 274.