Gender Relations

So, with the Superbowl on it’s way this Sunday, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding some of the ads that are going to be displayed or not displayed. In my previous post, I mentioned CBS’ involvement in showing anti-abortion ads for the group Focus on Families. A little update of that effort : CREDO (the organization involved in the petition to pull those ads) have gathered over 120,000 signatures, which CBS is very aware of, but choose to ignore. Regardless of your stance on the issue, it is hard to feel sympathy for CBS’ hypocrisy with their “No-Advocacy” policy, when they start banning other advertisements that may promote certain lifestyles they do not wish to align themselves with.

Now, I have come across two specifically that really benchmark what kind of game is being played at the superbowl this year (pun intended). Even with the number of people that watch the Superbowl, football is largely a masculine sport with male followers. With that being said, I think it sets the stage for the two banned ads (I am sure there are more) that came my way.

ManCrunch

ManCrunch, which is an online gay dating site has had their ad refused by the powers that be. Now, there is already a little controversy with this ad in general. The signs in the back, the displeased friend, etc. Although there are multiple interpretations, I would say that having a football related , gay ad would be a good ad to run, regardless of some of the negatives. I think the ad breaks the gender barrier of saying that masculine, football-loving men are, indeed, gay as well. Take from the ad what you will, but the ban is very obviously one of gay nature (and im sure the image of very tough, football-loving, men shunning their heterosexual nature isn’t part of that AT ALL). The thing to consider here is the mash-up of gender and sexuality. Even though these men are retaining their masculine qualities (being strong, etc.), their masculinity is instantly stripped once they are gay. It’s an interesting and ironic measurement of gender studies to see how those two can be separate, then closely tied in specific circumstances.

GoDaddy

This one has surprised me. GoDaddy is notorious for very sexist, over the top, sexualized advertisements (FOR WEB HOSTING!). Just last year I switched my hosting to DreamHost because I did not agree with Bob Parsons’ take on women, the industry, and advertising. I didn’t want to support such blatant objectification of women. That is why their latest ad can only dictate the humiliation of effeminate acting men. In the ad, Lola (an ex-football player), built a business as a clothing designer. Of course, Lola is very “gay acting” (effeminate), and even though effeminiate does not equate homosexuality, I think it is implied in this ad. I am not sure the intent GoDaddy had with this one. Danica Patrick has been their mascot for quite some time, and she is in her full suit (sometimes she’s barely wearing anything), and narrating the story of Lola. I’m not sure if they were TRYING to sell limited images of gender (how a masculine man can become feminine with the snap of selling clothing — hint : selling clothes does not make you snap your fingers and lisp) or if they were trying to get the gay vote (if they were, they need better marketing consultants). Either way, it’s fail, so it is good this is pulled off the air, but in the same time, the reasons for it being pulls are also for the wrong reasons.

Now, between the ManCrunch and this ad, both gender and sexuality for men take a beating, as well as women’s right to choose abortion as an option. I am not sure how in 2010, we are regressing so much, but apparently the marketers are pulling out all the stops on this event.

I don’t watch the superbowl (as a male!), but I wish I did , so I could boycott the event. I really am excited to see what ads actually air, and then the final release of the rejected ads. If you have any other gender/sex related banned superbowl 2010 ads, let me know! Also, let me know your thoughts on the ads!

This is an image I saw some time ago, and have had it saved on my computer (I am trying to update the site more frequently!). I was just logging into my Yahoo! E-Mail account, when I saw a relatively disturbing image!

The image is clearly showing a mother and son. Yahoo! is implying that she will be getting updates about her son (who looks like he could be on his way to college), but he doesn’t look too happy about that (don’t use Yahoo!?). My main concern with this image is a simple one. Why can he not be happy? I am sure tons of teens relate to the overcaring mother who wants to know what their child is up to all the time, and it kind of annoys them, but he looks like he is about to throw her onto the other side of this ad. Now, just because gender is what this blog is about, I think this simple ad that is advertising e-mail is overly aggressive, portraying a young black man (double stigma!) as stone-cold and emotionless while his dear mother reads about how he had chicken nuggets for lunch (it’s a pretty big secret).

Not to go too far down the over-reacting road, but Jackson Katz talks a lot about the portrayal of black men in media in his film Tough Guise. When black men started getting roles in Hollywood, they were often playing roles of gang members, abusive husbands, or crocked cops. Although we’ve come a long way (some of this taking place in the 80s and 90s), there are still subtle hints of it throughout culture (and at times not so subtle hints). If you haven’t seen the film, do so, it is one of my favorite gender critique films!

My point here is a simple one. Why does Yahoo! not take the high road. Maybe they are going for stoic, cool, son who’s mother has an more vested interested in her son than he does in her (which is also a typical family dynamic), but in this time, with advertising so rampant (especially on the net), why perpetuate this. It’s funny because if the ends of his lips were about 2 degrees pointed upwards each, I wouldn’t have even second guessed it, but when I am logging in and see an “angry black man”, I look over, then try putting together this whole puzzle! I’d like to think i’m overreacting, and you probably think I am, but watch Tough Guise a few times and you’ll see what I am talking about. These are not end all to be alls, but it’s something worth considering.

I was browsing the internet today  when an ad for “The Special K Challenge” popped up. I decided to click the link because I am looking for a decent diet right now. I figured, “cereal is good, maybe I can lose some weight eating it!”. What I found out, is that the cereal world is no place for a man. You see, cereal is a sacred and feminine tradition. For centuries, men ate steak and potatoes for breakfast, while their desperately seeking thin wives ate a very balanced breakfast of fruit and Special K. Now, there seems to be marketing campaigns in the cereal world : Kids and Health. We all know that the average dieting housewife doesn’t really care about the Trix Rabbit or Lucky the Leprechaun, but they do care about the health factor. That’s why Kellogg’s targeted the women (men don’t want to lose weight).

As I journeyed to the page, I didn’t think anything of the rotating collage of women on the main page.

It wasn’t until I went into the “meal planning” section, that I looked back on the main page (to see if there were any men). This little message is what prompted my inquiry.

Isn’t it obvious! I NEEDED TO LOSE THIS “BABY WEIGHT”. After my wife got pregnant, I just binged all the time, so I ended up gaining all this weight! For real….!

Although all the other one’s could apply to men, my feeling with starting off with “Lose Baby Weight” (how is that different that just “lose weight” or even “Kick-start an even better me”?) they were implying these choices were for females. Although men do care about how they look on their wedding day, there is a lot of pressure for women to “fit into their dress” for the wedding, which is not even a critique because as a society we are constantly finding reasons we need to be thinner (like the options above). Also, i’m not sure the motivation relates to the meal you are eating (so why ask? getting personal, are you developing a special relationship with me Special K?!).

So, the next time you are in the cereal aisle, REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE! If you have recently had a baby, get Special K. If you are a 10 year old, get Lucky Charms, if you are a man, go 3 aisles over, the Hungry Man breakfast meals are waiting for you!