What are your views on the nature of representation of women in print advertisements?

Question

Do these images empower women or they are stuck on past images?Do they represent reality or not and why?I would like your answers in order to answer my dissertation's question which has to do with the representation of women in ads published in consumer magazines.Thank you.

Answer 1

I think you should do your own work.

Answer 2

the images pressure women to alter (enhance to them) their actual appearance in order to be liked. They do not represent reality because we don't all have make up artists, lighting and then a graphic designer to photoshop our flaws away. Add this to the fact that even p**n is airbrushed and ofcourse the result is going to be that all women now hate their bodies, their face and their skin. I am amazed at the amount of women who cant face a man naked with out their fake tan on. Its depressing and I am not sure what to do about it. I am a size 14 and the media makes me feel like I am too fat to live, too fat to be valued as a person and too fat for any nice clothes.

I reckon in this day and age even Marilyn Monroe would be given c**p for her flaws, which is unacceptable. Women are care givers, and to empower a women, is to empower her community.

So far the only way i have figured out to stop this mass media raping of a womens natural appearance is to not buy the magazines. And I support women like me who feel the same, as well as trying to make some sense in the heads of those women who are stuck in the search of perfection.

Answer 3

To me, they range from disgusting and stupid all the way to refreshing.  I guess we humans will always be stuck in the past to some extent.  As Paul Drake said to Perry Mason once, "It's human nature, Perry, you can't change it."

It is as if we try to change, we try to rise above our nature, but then we are always dragged back by the law of the jungle, the call of the wild.

Answer 4

A D&G ad from a few months ago showed a scantily-clad woman lying on the ground while about six half-dressed men stood over her, one of whom was posed as if he was about to rape her. Empowerment? I think not.

Answer 5

Look at Meg's answer. It's the media's fault. Nothing to do with women except that all females are obsessed with the way they look and so the media as a whole portrays women exactly as they purport themselves.

The problem is that ugly women don't get the same attention from men and so non feminist women resort to surgery and feminists resort to blaming men.

Answer 6

I think we should have more naked women in adverts, definitely....especially ones with big bangers and tight butts. Preferably more Cadbury's Flake adverts too...I like those a lot

Answer 7

Unfortunately the media has taught women and men that women are more valued for what they look like than who they are. Looks are not the thing that will empower a women to reach the goals she seeks in her life. The current portrayal of women is also seen to be contributing to many eating disorders and esculating plastic surgery statistics through placing to much importance on thin and a certain sterotyped look. These images contribute to low self concepts and men seeking the wrong things in relationships.  

Answer 8

Women are empowered to do something about this negative image but fail to do so because they themselves (I believe), like them. They have false ideals about themselves and as a girl myself can't see they difference between what is actually good looking to the eye and what has become the false norm.

Answer 9

Considering that most photos these days are photoshopped they certainly present an unreal representation of women.