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Color Coded Women…

In today’s television media there is a system in place for binary structures just as in the real world. Depicted are men and women, masculine and feminine, white and black. Rarely do we see a character that shows both traits, the gray area. Although, one example according to Russo (2009) is Detective Benson from Law and Order SVU, “Her uniform includes t-shirts, sweaters, slacks and sensible shoes-no heels, no frills, and little jewelry except for what appears to be a man’s watch.” The color choice of wardrobe is primarily blues, browns and black. According to Kress and Van Leeuwen (2002) who I believe is relevant to my post, have theorized:

“The color switch happened because around WWII Nazis marked homosexual men with a pink triangle and so pink became associated with being “anti-masculine” and “effeminate.” In order to maintain strong masculine color coding and education blue previously girlie (think Virgin Mary) colors were traded for pink colors. Parents raised their children with colors according to the connotations that those colors held. Once pink became feminized – it was no longer suitable for categorizing masculine boys.”

Our culture has certain signs and codes which are indications of gender. Pink and Blue are known to mean a boy or a girl, masculine or feminine. How did that come about and who decided these two colors would be put in place for universal acknowledgement? As one blogger posted:

“The color switch happened because around WWII Nazis marked homosexual men with a pink triangle and so pink became associated with being “anti-masculine” and “effeminate.” In order to maintain strong masculine color coding and education blue previously girlie (think Virgin Mary) colors were traded for pink colors. Parents raised their children with colors according to the connotations that those colors held. Once pink became feminized – it was no longer suitable for categorizing masculine boys”

Ok, so we know about the beginning of color matching to gender but what about today? The color women adorn are based stereotypes. Or are they? As reported by Hamad (2010), “The 2004 remake of The Stepford Wives, beleaguered husband Walter Kresby (Matthew Broderick), in an attempt to assert masculine authority, tells his wife Joanna Eberhart (Nicole Kidman), that from now on, he wants her to wear “no more black,” because “only high-powered, neurotic, castrating, Manhattan career bitches wear black.”

Other programs such as Mistresses (BBC, 2008-present), and reality T.V. shows like Real Housewives of Orange County (Bravo, 2006-present) and How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? (BBC, 2006) all seem to color code women (Hamad, 2010). Why separate these women? To show their individuality while according to Hamad (2010), “…ensuring that individuality does not transcend the postfeminist archetype being articulated by the women’s group identity.”

It seems like color coding could be a way of identity management rather than stereotypes. As you can see this is a complex issue. What do you think?

References

Hannah Hamad, H. (2010). Postfeminist Primary Colors: Coding Femininities in Media Culture. Retrieved December 16, 2011, from http://flowtv.org/2010/04/postfeminist-primary-colors-coding-femininities-in-media-culturehannah-hamad-massey-university/#footnote_4_4912

Maglaty, J. (2011). When Did Girls Start Wearing Pink?. Retrieved December 16, 2011, from http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/When-Did-Girls-Start-Wearing-Pink.html#ixzz1gi7brB1g

Photo Images:

http://images.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1088&bih=490&q=detective+benson&gbv=2&oq=detective+benson&aq=f&aqi=g4g-S4g-mS2&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=3030l7529l0l7993l16l15l0l4l4l0l223l1996l0.7.4l11l0#hl=en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=umvrTpGsMNCztwe59L3BBA&ved=0CD4QvwUoAQ&q=orange+county+housewives&spell=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=bc55d08a19a04747&biw=1088&bih=490

http://images.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1088&bih=490&q= =en&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=orange+county+housewives&oq=orange+county+housewives&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=s&gs_upl=0l0l6l133l0l0l0l0l0l0l0l0ll0l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=bc55d08a19a04747&biw=1088&bih=490

 

Just Stand Up!!!

     

 

 

Let’s go back in time for a minute. September 5, 2008. Does it ring a bell? Probably not for most people. Look at the list below of female musical artists, maybe this will help jog your memory:

Mariah Carey, Beyoncé Knowles, Rihanna, Fergie, Carrie Underwood, Miley Cyrus, Carrie Underwood, Mary J. Blige, Sheryl Crow, Fergie, Ashanti, LeAnn Rimes, Nata  sha Bedingfield.

Still not sure? On this date there was an An All-Star Charity Single broadcasted on television called – JUST STAND UP TO CANCER. All of these women came together for a cause. With their collective voices a message was sent out that was loud and clear. These are the strong and extremely powerful lyrics sung that night with a subtext of feminism shining through. It is not only in the lyrics, but also in the actions of these talented women. It is the empowerment of the women, the coming together and asking for help for those who can’t speak. It is a message not to give up on yourself and to remember, “Don’t you know…You can go…Be your own miracle.”

A positive message sent out from women to women. And let’s not forget who wrote the song, Miley Cyrus, a female artist.

My grandmother was struck with breast cancer when she was 52 years old. I was only a child and could not understand the severity of the disease. It spread like wild fire through her body and 6 months later she was gone. As an adult, I spread the word of the importance of breast exams to my friends and follow my own advice. The cause is a good one and the women who brought it up to the public with their beautiful voices need to be commended on a job well done!

Beyoncé: The heart is stronger Than you think It’s like it can go Through anything And even when you think It can’t it finds a way To still push on Though

Carrie Underwood: Sometimes You want to run away Ain’t got the patience For the pain And if you Don’t believe it Look into Your heart The beat goes on

Rihanna: I’m tellin’ you Rihanna/Miley Cyrus: Things get better Through whatever

Rihanna: If you fall Dust it off Don’t let up

Sheryl Crow: Don’t you know You can go Be your own miracle

Beyoncé: You need to know

Chorus (Sheryl Crow): If the mind Keeps thinking You’ve had enough But the heart Keeps telling you Don’t give up

Sheryl Crow/Beyoncé: Who are we to be Questioning & Wondering what is what Don’t give up Through it all Just stand up

Fergie: It’s like We all have better days Problems getting all up In your face

Leona Lewis: Just because You go through it

Fergie: Don’t mean it got To take control, no

Leona Lewis: You ain’t gotta find No hiding place

Keyshia Cole: Because the heart Can beat the hate

Leona Lewis: Don’t wanna Let your mind Keep playin’ you

Keyshia Cole: And sayin’ you Can’t go on

Rihanna: I’m tellin’ you that

Miley Cyrus: Things get better Through whatever

Rihanna: If you fall

Miley Cyrus: Dust if off Don’t let up

LeAnn Rimes: Don’t you know you

Natasha Bedingfield: You can go

LeAnn Rimes: Be your own

Natasha Bedingfield: Miracle

Carrie Underwood: You need to know

(Chorus-All) If the mind Keeps thinking You’ve had enough But the heart Keeps telling you Don’t give up

Mary J. Blige: You don’t gotta be A prisoner In your mind

Ciara: If you fall Dust it off

Mary J. Blige: You can live your life

Rihanna/Carrie Underwood: Yeah

Mary J. Blige: Let your heart Be your guide

Rihanna/Carrie: Yeah, yeah, yeah

Mariah Carey: And you will know That you’re good If you trust in the good

Ashanti: Everything Will be alright, yeah Light up the dark If you follow your heart

Mary J. Blige: And it will get better

Mariah Carey: Through whatever

(Chorus-All) If the mind Keeps thinking You’ve had enough But the heart Keeps telling you Don’t give up

Fergie: You got it in you Find it within You got in now Find it within now You got in you Find it within You got in now Find it within now You got in you Find it within Find it within you Find it within Through it all Just stand up!

Do You See A Pattern? Well I Do…

                                                                                              

I recently read an article on parental control of viewing
television and the connection to children’s eating habits. According to Kim, &
Ochsenhirt (2008), “Much of television programming targeting children contains
a large number of food commercials, most of which promote such unhealthy
options as soda, candy and junk snacks” (Kotz & Story, 1994). Ok, so we
know the media spoon feeds (no pun intended) young girls these mixed messages.
First go out and have a family night or a friends day out by enjoying food from
Micky D’s but, tomorrow remember thin is in. Is it possible that these messages
are then a connection to anorexia? Is the guilt overwhelming young girls
because they love a good Big Mac but, in the back of their minds thinking about
losing another five pounds?

It is definitely a confusing time for young girls. Their
bodies are changing, they deal with being bombarded with commercials and
programing to look thin, wear the right clothes, use this perfume and the boy
will follow you anywhere. You must older than you are, look sexually appealing
and still maintain an unhealthy diet of junk food. I believe these connections
have led to a pattern within our pop culture. Maybe, they have been robbed of
their innocence by imitating the media’s messages. Two examples are, Britney
Spears and Christina Aguilera who the young girls watch on MTV.

Reference

Kim, S.H. & Ochsenhirt,
A. M. (2008). Influence of parental control of television viewing on children’s
attitudes and behaviors of food. Journal of the Northwest Communication
Association, 37, 10-35. Retrieved October 6, 2011, from  http://web.ebscohost.com.library.esc.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&hid=25&sid=0fd601cd-96f4-433d-a1c8-b43420b37c04%40sessionmgr14

Children’s innocence is exploited!

“…creepy
pedophilic undertones of the Love’s Baby Soft line of
the 1970s, but they do make me
wonder why an adult woman would want to
smell like a child.”[1]

                                                                                      

First, I remember theses ads…do you? As a child I had no interest in being a foo…foo girl. All dolled up with makeup looking like an adult woman. I guess I was a rare breed. This was back in the seventies and I was between the ages of six and eleven when the advertising of media was in full bloom at the realization that the sexual content being broadcast was part of a freedom of speech.

Freedom of speech is of major importance to me but, where do you draw the line? Can it be drawn legally to protect children from encouraging them to be more adult like by wearing clothing meant for women or cosmetics to look older. Or in this advertisement where women should wear perfume to smell as a young girl. According to Jordan (2008), “In American society, freedom of speech sometimes comes into conflict with the need to protect children. On the one hand, Americans highly value the First Amendment, which guarantees media makers’ right to free speech. On the other hand, Americans recognize that exposure to much of this protected speech–for example, graphic sex or gratuitous violence can be detrimental to children’s psychological, social, and physical well-being” (p.236).[2]

The exposure to such advertisements can be detrimental to young girls. It seems we as a society are saying it’s ok to be sexual at a young age. They are in the age group of finding their own identity, learning how to be an individual and just beginning to understand themselves as well as, working on self-esteem. Escobar-Chaves and Anderson (2008) commented, “Children and adolescents are exposed to indirect as well as to explicit, sexually oriented media marketing that sells everything from soda to candy to male body products. Still, virtually no attention has been given to the ways in which the sexual content of advertising
may shape adolescent sexual behavior” (p.163).[3]

Secondly, is the child advertisement really geared towards women? The other one I say yes but, she has a lollipop suggesting that she is innocent. I know that when a baby is born that they have a beautiful smell that individuals love. But when did women want to smell like a young girl? Did I miss this memo? Are they promoting the fountain of youth in a bottle? Is it possible that I missed the message of the company that innocence is sexier than I thought? I think not!

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[1]Photograph and quote.
Retrieved September 23, 2011, from  http://pzrservices.typepad.com/advertisingisgoodforyou/sexist_advertising/

Photograph Retrieved September 23, 2011, from

http://images.google.com/imgres?q=1970%27s+love+baby+soft+ads&hl=en&sa=G&gbv=2&tbm=isch&tbnid=fL8CyW4ejaKcyM:&imgrefurl=http://adland.tv/ooh/loves-baby-soft-because-innocence-sexier-you-think&docid=fCk4RyWRWgg69M&w=700&h=972&ei=NyV9TrbZJdOgtgfAxP1V&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1043&vpy=109&dur=2972&hovh=265&hovw=190&tx=100&ty=156&page=1&tbnh=128&tbnw=93&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0&biw=1280&bih=607

[2] Amy B. Jordan, A. B.
(2008).  Children and Electronic Media.
Children’s Media Policy. The Future of Children, 18(1), 235-253. Retrieved September 23, 2011, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20053126

[3] Escobar-Chaves, S. L., Anderson, C. A. (2008). Media and Risky Behaviors. The Future of Children,
18(1), 147-180. Retrieved September 23, 2011, from   http://www.jstor.org/stable/20053123

STEREOTYPES AND THEIR EFFECTS

 

We all have heard the stereotypes of women from the stay at home mom, the simple minded, the bad girl, the dumb blonde, the femme fatale, the weaker sex, the emotional one, the bitch, the sex kitten, the good girl and the list goes on. In the world of media whether it’s in the movies, television or even in magazines, the portrayal of these images mislead our culture into believing what they see to be true. For example, women are used as sexual objects in television commercials to sell perfume. The image might be of a sexy half naked woman in stiletto’s who is almost anorexic looking, yet in the same breath, beautiful wearing perfect make up. This leads women to questioning their own self-esteem, self-identity and also their body image. And what effect does it have on young girls? When you think about it, young girls watch hours a day of television with commercials reinforcing the stereotypical gender messages. As Golombok (1994) commented, “Children may think television presents social reality to a greater extent than do adults, and therefore accept the gender stereotyped information presented as true.” (p. 34).

Marketing plans and concepts will never change. These companies give the public what they want and can make a connection with them on some level. But, I have hope that people will begin to realize that the statement “a women’s place is in the home” is flawed as women have proven to be a great asset not only in the economy but, in society as a whole contributing daily in the home, family and the workplace.

Golombok, S. (1994) Gender Development.New York:Cambridge UniversityPress.