Girls...We Run the World

How are women viewed in the world today? Some people say that they are sexualized, some say that they are fashion and trend obsessed, other say that they are nurturing and kind. In the world today, it can be hard to figure out just how women are stereotyped. I have compiled a variety of memes, videos, pictures that I think accurately portray how the world thinks of women today. (Also here is a picture of one of my most FAVORITE women in the world today, my mother.)

Sexual

In this commercial that Doritos made for the super bowl, it portrays women in a sexualizing way. It makes it seem as if a woman can only get attention from men, even the one that she is “with,” if they are willing to sexualize themselves. At first, her boyfriend didn’t seem interested in her when she was trying to talk to him during the game. However, once he noticed that she was wasn’t wearing any clothes, he was a lot more interested and paid a lot more attention. She used the tactic of seduction because she thought that this was the only tactic that would work. I think a lot of women in the world are portrayed today as needing to sexualize themselves to get attention from boys. Because of this prevalence, I think that boys are starting to form those feelings as well, since that is what society has indirectly told them.

Stay-At-Home Mothers

In this Jif commercial, Kelly Rippa appears in it and plays the role of a homemaker. I think that this helps to strengthen the perceived identity that women are expected to be stay at home mothers.

Man-Pleasing

This meme highlights the belief that a lot men have about women having a “place” of being their personal cook, maid, entertainer, sexual satisfier. There are a lot of jokes that exist out there about how men tell women to make them a sandwich in a playful and sarcastic way. However, to what point is there joking an insight into how they truly feel? I personally think that a lot of men expect to marry a women that will take care of all their “chores” for them.

The "Hotter," the "Crazier"

(You don’t have to watch all of this.) This video highlights one aspect of how men perceive women: they think that all women have some form of crazy in them, and the “hotter” that they are, the more tolerable their craziness is. This is really saying that the most important aspect of a woman is their “hotness”.

Nurturers

Another way that women are viewed in the world today is as nurturers. They are expected to nurture and care for their children. A lot of men expect to marry women that have plans to stop working when they give birth to their children and take on a full-time role as a mother. This can be really intimidating and pressuring for women that want to have a career. Many women feel like they need to give up their dreams of having a career so that they can raise children, because of this societal pressure placed on them.

 

Youthful

In this ad it highlights an aspect of society that expects women to stay looking as young as they possibly can. I feel like men aren’t held to the same standard in this aspect, while women are supposed to do everything they medically and cosmetically can do in order to retain their youth. It almost says that women are seen as less desirable when they are not able to look as young as they were in their youth.

"Lady-like"

I find this meme to be pretty interesting because I think that a lot of men today expect women to be polite and to act “lady-like,” when it is kind of a double standard. A lot of men aren’t expected to act polite in all situations and they are socially accepted and expected to use crass language as well. I think that if it is acceptable for men to not be held to the same standard of politeness as women, then women should be able to have that same privilege.

The "Girl Next Door"

I think that these characters help to capture the highly sought after ideal of the “perfect” woman: one who is quiet, innocent, and classy in behavior. I think that this is a way that women are societally pressured to act. They are supposed to be quiet, innocent, and classy. Men aren’t held to these same standards so this can be quite oppressing.

Barbie Body

A big way that women are supposed to conform to the world is that they are supposed to have the perfect figure, which is defined today as being “model” skinny while still having a butt and nice boobs. This unrealistic expectation causes a lot of women to have low self esteem about the body that they were given, if they don’t meet these extremely difficult standards. It also makes women feel as if men expect this specific body from them. It pressures them to conform to what men want them to look like, when realistically it can be harmful to their bodies in order to meet these standards.

Not Career Driven or Intellectual

I think that this highlights the aspect of how non prevalent it is for women to become doctors. I like this quote from Grey’s Anatomy because I feel like it really captures how women want to lash out against society and the molds that it has placed them in. She doesn’t want to be seen as just someone who is beautiful but as someone who is intelligent and has worked hard for something. She wants to be credited for her knowledge, not a face she was born with. I think that women are perceived as almost incapable of really making far academic and professional strides. Society makes women feel pressured as if they’re not good enough to become a doctor, lawyer, CEO, or any other field of work where it takes a lot of merit and mental determination career-wise.

Dumb-Blonde

I think that a big stereotype that women have had placed on them is that they are not intelligent. In Legally Blonde, Elle Woods is known to be a “dumb blonde.” When she finds out that she has this stereotype, she fights against and studies and works so hard until she finally is accepted into Harvard Law School. I also think that a reason why a lot of men think this is because women try to act dumb sometimes to get the man’s attention. I think that they try to act dumb because society has told then that they are not intelligent. Society in a way tells them that they are not intelligent and that if they just keep being “attractive” or “cute,” then men will want them because these are the only attributes that guys really care about.

Bad Drivers

A lot of women are also expected to be bad drivers. This stereotype exists because men think that women wouldn’t be good at operating vehicles, since it is considered to be more of a manly duty. I think that because of this stereotype if keeps a lot of women less inclined to do other types of “manly” tasks, such as changing their tire, needing pack up a moving truck, operating a screwdriver, etc.

I hope that you not only enjoyed this but that it also helped to open your eyes just a little bit to how I think that women are portrayed in todays world!

xoxo McKenna Hamilton


Works Cited:

Doritos Commercial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=30&v=PzYKsLch4GM
Jif Commercial
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ5MtAT23S8
Cinderella Meme
https://img.memecdn.com/cinderella_o_160105.jpg
Hot-Crazy Scale
http://uproxx.com/tv/a-tennessee-attorney-ripped-off-barney-stinsons-hotcrazy-scale-and-now-the-internet-loves-or-hates-him/
Picture of Woman with Children
https://owensboroparent.com/single-mothers-together-strong/
Dermitage Advertisement
http://lookingood.com/2010/02/dermitage-warning/
Profanity Meme
https://onsizzle.com/i/using-profanity-isnt-very-lady-like-neither-is-your-mustache-13951287
Pam from the Office
https://www.buzzfeed.com/mikespohr/17-indignities-pregnant-pam-suffered-on-the-office?utm_term=.goomox852#.bs7gJML6W
Mandy Moore from A Walk to Remember
http://www.jetss.com/photos/2017/06/walk-remember-cast-now/
Rachel McAdams
http://makeup.vidalondon.net/allie-notebook-makeup/
Victoria's Secret Advertisement
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3132639/The-four-month-hell-turned-Victoria-s-Secret-angel.html
Grey's Anatomy Meme
https://www.buzzfeed.com/kaylayandoli/break-glass-ceilings?utm_term=.er787a6b1#.mwb0NDZg4
Bad Female Driver Meme
https://www.pinterest.com/ashleychantal2/funny-memes/?lp=true