This was the image that caught my eye when I was looking up images of culture jamming and women's health. This t-shirt is sold by a popular chain in the united states. I find it hard to believe that an image like that would be put up with in today's highly outspoken media world. That no one in the company's advertising department flagged this image as offensive is even more astounding.
The feminist movement which happened over thirty years ago was to irradiate the idea of women as the "silent stay at home wife and mother" that is written about in papers like Betty Freidan's "The Problem That Has No Name". Therefore to see images today that reflect that unwelcome ideal are surprising and unwanted.
The point of this entry is to reference how feminism is still being caught, whether it is done in a positive manner or not. In this case, it is on the negative side, where males continue to hold power over women.
** the text reads "Enjoy the Silence" and in parenthesis under neath "drawing of girl with tape on mouth"
~ Rosebud
Great photo (in the sense for critiquing). This is a total representation of the hierarchical state we live in still today. Who is making these decisions, who has the final say, and essentially who is in power? I think most women, identifying as feminist or not, would protest against such offences. We as consumers cannot be oblivious to the realities behind supporting such ridiculous products. Buying this not only supports the companies aggressive and violent view point but choosing to display this on your body associates you with this gross propaganda.
ReplyDeleteMany would argue that because women have progressed so much through the feminists waves that all of their issues have subsided and they have no basis of any real argument of gender inequality anymore (also including sexism, ageism, ableism, racism as well). Images, views, beliefs, and text such as this t-shirt put into reality that yes, there has been ground breaking movements and boundaries pushed back but in no means are things perfect. We've come a long way as the underprivileged gender but that does not suggest all issues have been eradicated and we are now living in a neutral, egalitarian environment. Here's hoping we, in our generation, are able to embrace and be apart of this one day.
ace55kg