Jean Kilbourne

This is just a thought I had about the essay that just never really came up during the class discussion. I was thinking that yes, advertising has become an especially obtrusive way of using women and turning the perception of women any way the advertiser wants to. However, I found it interesting that throughout the 1900’s women have strived to get equal opportunities, and to be seen in the public and to not be shut down by society. The sexual revolution in the 60’s, women wanted to show off their bodies and not be ashamed. Well…the times now are just an exploited version of what women wanted in the first place. I just think it’s funny that in ways this is what women wanted, we wanted to show off. Advertisers are just showing real life in a blow out of proportion way. Women continually use their sexuality to entice men, or manipulate; however when that is put up on a billboard all heck breaks loose. I’m not saying that I don’t get offended or think that exploitation of women in advertising is right, and I do believe that in some adds there are connotations of sex, abuse, violence, and what not, but I do think the people viewing the media especially women have kind of asked for it. We got ourselves here. There is no blame but look back in history and see how it dictates how we live now.

If possible I might want to explore this phenomenon further in a paper if the topic comes up or is able to be used. I would like to research how women have progressed in advertising and society in general.