Sexism in 30 vintage ads

[loosechickens]

I remember looking back at my growing up in the fifties and thinking it wasn't so bad, and then a friend gave me a big stack of
magazines from the 1950s, and as I read through them, I was AMAZED at the sexism, racial stereotypes (or actually mostly complete invisibility of anyone other than white women) in them. I was seeing yesterday's magazines with today's eyes, and it really surprised me.

I just took for granted that I'd be paid less, many fields were simply closed to me, and that I was routinely overlooked in the brains department, and valued far more for my looks than for my quite nice brain. I'm embarrassed sometimes at how passively I accepted the limitations of that time, but it was like the air you breathed or a fish swimming in water, so obvious as to not be noticed.

I wish I could say I'd been one of the ones who fought to change it, but have, instead, to just be grateful for the ones who fought for me, because I was far too passively accepting of my "place" in those days, sadly.

[Miss Cellane]

I heard an interview on NPR recently with a former female ad executive. She worked in the Mad Men era. She has written a book about that era, too bad I don't remember the title.

She said that she wasn't allowed to work on liquor ads (because that's how men seduce women) or cars (women know nothing about cars.) She was put on accounts for womens' products. Women in her office were paid half as much as men because they didn't have a family to support.

Iris, was the book "Mad Women"? I just read an article about it: http://entertainment.salon.com/2012/...s_really_like/

[JaneV2.0]

I remember that Tampax one! I also remember rolling my eyes at it, even as a not-too-worldly pre-teen. "Are you sure I'll still be a virgin?"

Kara

Because your bride price will take a dive if you aren't. (No cattle for you!) Snort.

I couldn't have been born any sooner. I wouldn't have made it.

[Spartana]

YIKES!! Unfortunately gender stereotyping still goes on in todays ads - often times directed towards men. Like many of the Carl Jr's "Without Us Some Men Would Just Starve" ads. One depeciting a guy who couldn't figure out how to fry an egg - let alone get it out of the shell. Lots and lots like that. The one's where the Dad's aren't capable of watching the kids or doing the laundy or boiling a pot of water. Very sexist IMHO - just as sexcist as those directed towards women in the 1950's. And of course there are still soooo many sexist ads directed solely towards women - the newest Diet Dr. Pepper ad targeting men really drives me insane - something like: "Ladies, you enjoying the movie? Of course not, it's only for men. So go watch your romanic comedy and leave this stuff for the guys. this diet Dr. Pepper isn't for girls, it's only for men" Anyways, I paraphrase but you get the point. Funny? yes. Sexist? yes. So many more and getting worse IMHO. I'd like to think we've all evolved from stereotyping gender in such blatent ways since the 50's but in many ways we haven't. Now excuse me as I go do some house work. Because, apparently, I do get cuter the more I do ;-)!

[peggy]

Spartana, you are so right. And the passing of Jan Bernstein today reminded me of it. I never bought those books for my kids because they are so sexist. Yet they are so popular, even today. The mom is ALWAYS right, the dad is ALWAYS wrong, and the kids only seem to learn from moms wise lessons, or dads mistakes. Sure, mom and dad seem to be partners in the family, but the dad is a dolt, and almost childlike. It's subtle, but it's there.

[iris lily]

Iris, was the book "Mad Women"? I just read an article about it: http://entertainment.salon.com/2012/...s_really_like/

I'll bet that was it.

[Spartana]

Spartana, you are so right. And the passing of Jan Bernstein today reminded me of it. I never bought those books for my kids because they are so sexist. Yet they are so popular, even today. The mom is ALWAYS right, the dad is ALWAYS wrong, and the kids only seem to learn from moms wise lessons, or dads mistakes. Sure, mom and dad seem to be partners in the family, but the dad is a dolt, and almost childlike. It's subtle, but it's there.

When you think about it most childrens books - at least the older ones - are very sexist and sterotyping. In pretty much every fairy tale ever written the beautiful princess has to wait to be rescued by Prince Charming even though she could pretty much rescue herself at any time. I mean, did Rapunzelle need some dude to tell her to cut off her hair and climb down it? You'd think she could figure that out herself ;-)! Unfortuantely there are still so many ads, books, etc.. that stereotype and reenforce "proper" behavior of each gender - men are this way, women are that way - and it's rare to see a cross over. Although I did see one TV ad recently in which a man did the laundry - he was dressed as an executioner/torturer who showed how other detergents "tortured" clothes so you should use gentle Woolite :-)! It was written and directed by horror maven Rob Zombie.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/16/bu...a/16adco.html?...

Of course now that I look at the ad above, the hooded executoner COULD have been a woman afterall. geeze, even I'm stereotyping assuming it was a guy. BAD Spartana, BAD!

[Miss Cellane]

When you think about it most childrens books - at least the older ones - are very sexist and sterotyping. In pretty much every fairy tale ever written the beautiful princess has to wait to be rescued by Prince Charming even though she could pretty much rescue herself at any time. I mean, did Rapunzelle need some dude to tell her to cut off her hair and climb down it? You'd think she could figure that out herself ;-)! Unfortuantely there are still so many ads, books, etc.. that stereotype and reenforce "proper" behavior of each gender - man are this way, women are that way - and it's rare to see a cross over. Although I did see one TV ad recently in which a man did the laundry - he was dressed as an executioner/torturer who litterally whip that dirt right of those clothes using Woolite :-)! It was written and directed by horror maven Rob Zombie.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/16/bu...a/16adco.html?...

I was chatting with my 11 year old niece recently and we were talking about books we liked. Turns out we both dislike the Nancy Drew books for the same reason--Nancy is always getting in trouble--tied up, locked up--and is always rescued by a man--her dad, her boyfriend, or some other good-hearted male. Once in a blue moon I think she gets rescued by her girl pals. Yet in the very similar series, the Hardy Boys, the boys may have to rescue their girl friends from the evil-doers, but the girls never rescue the guys.

The message was clear to me even as a pre-teen in the 1960s--even the most empowered woman, with her own car and a certain degree of independence, will still need a man to rescue her when she gets in over her silly little head.

Mom was always puzzled by the fact that I like the Tom Swift books so much better than Nancy Drew. Hey, science fiction, flying labs and space ships and trips to the moon and robots! What's not to like?

[HappyHiker]

We've come a long way, baby! Or have we, when VA wants trans-vaginal exams for abortions??

[The Storyteller]

I don't see we are all that different today.


http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/09/living...ion/index.html

It may sound like some tired feminist rant to anyone who grew up with a smartphone. In fact, women are objectified more than ever, experts say, thanks to a constant barrage of images from all forms of media, many of them connecting products to a pair of breasts and a coy smile.

"The number of images out there means advertisers have a much more difficult time breaking through the clutter, causing the content to be much more violent and sexualized to get consumers' attention," said Occidental University associate professor Caroline Heldman, who specializes in media, gender and race.

"Meanwhile, the research to come out in the last 10 years shows just how damaging this idea of self-objectification is, the idea that your value of self-worth is dependent on the amount of sexual attractiveness you have to the outside world."

BTW, no way those ads are from the 30s. Maybe one or two, but I'm pretty sure we didn't have self cleaning electric ovens back then.