Advertising and image : To what extent do advertisements reinforce female gender stereotypes?

2009/2010

Advertising and image
Before any discussion about female gender stereotypes in advertising, it is important to be clear on the difference between sex, gender and sexuality. And it is important to define what a stereotype is. Helen Macdonald (2003) gives good definitions: * “Sex refers to a person’s biological sex : whether they are male or female * Gender refers to the role or behaviors a person has been socialized into according to their sex, whether they are masculine or feminine * Sexuality refers to a person’s sexual preference: whether they are heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual.”
And she explains that “The issue of gender is not static. […] In our society there are certain attributes and behaviors which are seen to be more appropriate for one sex than the other.” (Magazine advertising and gender , 2003). For example women should be feminine, submissive, weak, passive, intuitive, emotional, communicative…and like different things as men, for example shopping, make up, relationships etc. All these things are stereotypes because it is received wisdoms. And according to Helen Macdonald “these stereotypes exist, because they are easier than getting to know every man and women in the world personally. Advertisers are especially prone to using stereotypes to sell products for the same reason.” So we know that stereotypes already exist and are used by advertising to sell products, but to what extent do advertisements reinforce female gender stereotypes? The society is in perpetual evolution, it is why certain stereotypes should disappear. However it would seem that the advertising play a role in the obstinacy of the stereotypes. We shall thus study the influence that the advertisements can have on the perception of what has to be a «female gender ", then we shall wonder about the reasons which drive the advertisements to maintain these