At one of the school presentations today, a student asked “Isn’t it more relevant to have a Girl’s Rights presentation like this in one of the countries where early marriage and other issues are happening…how is a “Because I Am a Girl” campaign relevant here in Canada?” I told to her that in my travels, I have met young ladies that lived below the poverty line yet somehow seemed so confident, self sufficient and comfortable to express themselves in creative ways. During my trip to a Plan site in Surabaya for example, I met the most beautiful girls that used drama presentations they put together themselves, to express issues that were pertinent to their community such as teachers trying to date younger female students and the hardships of finding sustenance while dreaming of the possibilities in the big city.  In contrast, my time working in the music industry in L.A. has led me to meet some very pretty women that are all Hollywood hopefuls constantly doubting their appearances, remaining miserable about the state of their bodies and playing down their intelligence in order to appease others. I find it mind boggling that these women in such fortunate circumstances are less satisfied with themselves and their lives than girls that struggle to pay for school, books and travel great distances to get basic needs. What are some of the reasons for this?

One reason I started to uncover was, of course, the media – Here in North America we are perhaps more consistently bombarded by advertisements and ideals devised by someone in an office with a specific agenda. Surely in this day an age, we have made leaps and bounds in gender equality and representation of women in mainstream media. Let’s take a gander shall we?

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BE SEXY AND STUPID

Most men DO ask is she pretty not is she CLEVER. I believe this is still the case today. The talent or intellectual prowess of a female is rarely celebrated in media and advertisements. I’ve noticed that even commercials targeting females (ie: tampons, soaps, cosmetics, shampoos) girls are depicted as giggly slumber party soul mates that twist one another’s hair and celebrate the ideals of feminine demure behavior. Recently the Miss USA 2010 pageant came on while I was unwinding from a day of shows, and I was horrified at the answers that most of the contestants gave to well thought out questions. There is of course nothing wrong with being pretty – but why must we celebrate the combination of pretty and stupid? With over 50% of the world’s women and girls illiterate…ladies if you can read and write, celebrate your education and independent thoughts.

HOUSEKEEPING

Most house work is still considered “Women’s work“. I thought about this statement at one of the presentations as we traveled through some more conservative towns in Canada – would it be offensive to some of the kids or even the teachers by upsetting what has come to be see as the cultural order of things? There are a slew of ads 1950s and beyond targeting women to do their jobs properly by purchasing a particular appliance or pleasing their husbands by keeping the house extra tidy. I wondered how this even became a cultural norm, then stumbled upon another more recent Hasbro ad marketing a “Rose Petal Cottage” to little girls. Start them young…and celebrate the joys of doing laundry, cleaning, taking care of babies and punctuated with “Taking care of my home is a dream, dream, dream…” (Last I checked laundry, cleaning and changing a poo ridden diaper was not my idea of a “dream”.) This commercial continues “Little girls, realize your dreams of growing up to do household chores!” Whoa, keep those aspirations high little girls…there’s no glass ceiling in the go-go world of homemaking.

DRIVING

The cliche that women are ALL bad drivers is notorious. A tag line from a 1960s VW beetle ad notes that “Women are soft and gentle, but they hit things”. Some of the best drivers I know are women! A more recent magazine ad depicts a women in a vulnerable position, hair up in Geisha girl fashion with man claw marks on her back. Dude…seriously?

BARBIE

“Barbie’s small and so petite,
Her clothes and figure look so neat…”

The ad that launched 150 000 000 eating disorders. The 1st Barbie ad aired during the Mickey Mouse Club and marketed as the “teenaged fashion model”. They were in fact some of the first toys to employ TV ads – and today 3 Barbie dolls are sold every second. Today Barbie is responsible for over 80% of the manufacturer Mattel’s profits.

In today’s mainstream for Hiphop, the only female rapper currently getting media attention is Nicky Minaj that has coined herself the “Harajuku Barbie”. Miss Minaj notes that “All girls are Barbies, we all want to play dress up and put on lipstick to look cute and sexy.” The comments on under the youtube clip that follows just says “Boobies…” followed by the eloquent “She’s got big boobies.” LOL. Mattel…your advertising department has done well.  I’m not hating on Nicky if this is what she feels expresses her best.   I would simply like to see a balance in how women are represented.  For every Nicki Minaj there should be an MC Lyte.

NO IDENTITY

Whether 1950s or 2010…whether selling beer or body spray, nothing says “buy me” better then a body with no head.

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So there you have it kiddies…1950s vs 2010. Beyond new ways to gloss the aesthetic and new technologies to get the images deep into the psyches of young girls many of the messages remain the same. I think I’m due for a trip back out to 9 mile in Jamaica or Pangeran in Surabaya Indonesia…at least to clear my mind of the ad busting clutter and celebrate life for the way we naturally are.  All my rude gyals where you at?  Holler at your girl.