If Women's Roles in Ads Were Played By Men

[Ethereal]

Many have been formed. It's called the women's movement. Perhaps you've heard of it.



Like conservatives, feminists are individuals with their own individual opinions. There isn't a truly uniform consensus on these things. However, I think it's fairly obvious that the general leaning and ultimate direction of the movement is toward a complete rejection of the whole idea of gender roles, which would be my position on the subject.

What does the "complete rejection of the idea of gender roles" entail, exactly?

Not that I ascribe much "official" status to such constructs, but there is something to be said about the sexual dimorpshism displayed by human males and females, is there not?

[Mister D]

Many have been formed. It's called the women's movement. Perhaps you've heard of it.

Yes, that's the movement that keeps talking about men and can't seem to focus on the real problem: the attitudes and desires of women.

[Mister D]

What does the "complete rejection of the idea of gender roles" entail, exactly?

Not that I ascribe much "official" status to such constructs, but there is something to be said about the sexual dimorpshism displayed by human males and females, is there not?

It entails a blurring of the distinction between male and female in a rather paradoxical effort to make everyone a male.

[PolWatch]

It entails a blurring of the distinction between male and female in a rather paradoxical effort to make everyone a male.

no, it doesn't. That was the battle cry of males when the woman's movement first appeared. It was kinda like screams of fear....they clutched their genitals & cringed. Fortunately, most people have realized that the real goal is human freedom to behave as they feel comfortable. If a woman wants to stay home & cook...fine. If a man wants to stay home and raise the children...fine. Its really not an attempt to make everyone stand to pee.

[Ethereal]

It entails a blurring of the distinction between male and female in a rather paradoxical effort to make everyone a male.

I think gender constructs can be artificial, over-generalized, and even psychologically damaging, but there is also some validity to them that is based on evolutionary biology.

For example, a girl whose favorite color is blue is seen as subverting gender roles that assign pink to girls and blue to boys. This is what I mean when I say gender constructs can be artificial, over-generalized, and psychologically damaging, because I don't see much of a biological basis for color preferences. Perhaps there is one, but I don't know how thoroughly elucidated it is.

On the other hand, the aesthetic difference between a male and a female accentuating the small of their backs or their hips does not, in my opinion, constitute an artificially (although perhaps over-generalized) assigned gender construct. This appears to be based on the biological urges and preferences of the opposite sex, not arbitrary social mores.

Ultimately, it's on us as a society to differentiate between substantive and artificial gender roles or constructs. Some are more valid than others, I think, and they should be judged on a case-by-case basis, not embraced or discarded in their totality.

[Ethereal]

My Google search history is going to look very compromising after this thread...

[Redrose]

Attachment 11275

Attachment 11276

These two women are both considered very sexy by both men and women alike. Their body types are totally different though.

Gisele is lean, no hips, clothes look great on her form.

Kim is built for other things.

A male friend says he prefers Gisele, he added he likes "a boyish figure". Makes you wonder.

For myself, my shape, I like a mix of both forms, not too thin, not too meaty.

I think women should look like women and men look like men. Ambiguity, not good IMO.

[PolWatch]

My Google search history is going to look very compromising after this thread...

Its going to produce some interesting ads at the top of your pages! After reading a thread about the Auschwitz trial last week, I got an ad for crematorium services.

[PolWatch]

The different body types desired by society have changed over the years....anyone looking at research about this would probably end up thinking that humans are all schizophrenic! Women have been trying to conform to what the men of their times admire since they first realized that one type or another got more attention.

We have gone from Reuben:


to Twiggy:

[Captain Obvious]

The different body types desired by society have changed over the years....anyone looking at research about this would probably end up thinking that humans are all schizophrenic! Women have been trying to conform to what the men of their times admire since they first realized that one type or another got more attention.

We have gone from Reuben:


to Twiggy:

Sorry, but that first pic...

Women should not look like 5'2 halfbacks.

Or toothpicks. As is usually the case, optimal is somewhere in between.