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Ivory Estrada
Professor Beadle
English 115
2 November 2016
The Dehumanization of Women in Advertising
Why do advertisement agencies constantly feel the need to sell a product through the
means of exploiting and degrading women? For the past few decades, advertisements have been
portrayed as advocates for degrading the bodies of women. Since the beginning of time, from the
hunter-gathering days until modern day, women have always been the sex to be portrayed as a
form of beauty and attractiveness rather than intellectual. A Dolce and Gabbana advertisement
could notably be taken into consideration when dealing with an issue in these entertainment
agencies. This ad displays a beautiful woman, dressed in very minimal clothing, surrounded by
four men; two of them not wearing shirts and two of them are wearing shirts; however, they are
buttoned down to expose their chest and abdomen. In regards to women in the media, they are
seen as their value and worth all determined by the their physical appearance. No matter which
media platform, whether it be a movie, commercial, or advertisement, they all portray women as
being sex objects as a way of selling products and keeping production efficiency. Advertisements
have been the main platform for explicitly showing off women in order for efficient product
consumption or just merely as a form of entertainment.
This Dolce and Gabbana ad might seem as an average high-end fashion depiction to the
general population as a means of selling a product efficiently. However, when really breaking
down the reasons and implications for this advertisement, people disregard the negative signs
and messages portrayed within it. In the article Becoming Members of Society: The Social

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Meanings of Gender, it deals with the ad in regards to the aspect of male violence against
women. The advertisement portrays a woman acting submissive to the four men surrounding her,
while also being restrained down by the neck by one of those men. This analysis, therefore,
supports the implications made by Devor when discussing the male hierarchy in society and
women subordinates. There can also be this idea of mock assault displayed in the
advertisement, with the very strong, aggressive posing and placement of the men surrounding
this woman.
In the article Rethinking Womens Biology, also from Composing Gender, Ruth
Hubbard discusses some discrimination between men and women in the workforce. This article
deals with the ads aspect of the exploitation of women in the workforce and that it portrays an
image of these violent actions being permissible. Hubbard suggests that women and men
should have the same benefits and rewards equally distributed in the workforce, and they should
be rewarded due to their talents and abilities when demonstrating quality work. Moreover,
women shouldnt have to be exploited or act as a prop in male dominated fields as a way to sell
products; they should have the same perks as men and be seen as smart, intellectuals who can do
what ever job a man can do.
Women are mostly the ones who find this ad less appealing than men do, clearly because
the men are the ones who advocate the ideas behind these demeaning and misogynistic
advertisements. Theres quite a contrast in the distinction between gendered languages in the
workforce, and it is very highly linked to the inequalities within it. In the book Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, there is an article titled Evidence That Gendered Wording in
Job Advertisements Exists and Sustains Gender Inequality, and discusses how gendered
language deals with masculinity and femininity and associates to gender stereotypes, used as an

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unacknowledged mechanism of gender inequality. Authors Danielle Gaucher, Justin Friesen, and
Aaron C. Kay support their implication by discussing three studies that deal with the gender
inequality in the workforce. These studies observed the use of masculine wording as opposed to
feminine wording within advertisement agencies. The studies showed that when they were given
the task of constructing advertisements with only masculine wording, more men were linked to
this occupation and women found that job less appealing. When really analyzing this visual text,
there cant really be a distinction on whether it gives off a more masculine or feminine language.
However, the advertisement may depict strong masculine wording without showing words at all,
that is the beauty and mystery behind what a visual text can display. It also gives men an
opportunity to fantasize over a beautiful woman and get this nostalgic feeling; hence, this idea of
the male gaze.
The male gaze is the way in which the visual arts and literature depict the world and
women from a masculine point of view, presenting women as objects of male pleasure. The male
gaze tends to be a key device in the making of advertisements that exploit women because it
gives off this message or image that the male viewer can fantasize over in a sense. The ad may
also draw more attention to men viewers because of the beautiful woman with the beautiful body,
and also may give off the behaviors of praising the men in the ad due to their muscular bodies
and strong sense of dominance. Therefore, the more the consumer wants to purchase that certain
product. In the book Women and Language, there is an article titled Selling the self: women and
the feminine seduction of advertising, which discusses an argument involving advertisements
that endorse female seduction in order to efficiently sell their products. Author Kristine Blair
gives credit to multiple authors from books regarding the selling of womens sexuality and the
male gaze aspect of this issue. It may not seem like an issue to most due to the increase in

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efficiency of products because of the sensual advertisements. However, it degrades the meaning
of a woman and her self-esteem. This source supports my argument by continuing that aspect of
male dominance in advertisements and the degrading of women just to be able to be successful in
product selling and consumption.
When considering a counterargument, I find that the woman in the ad doesnt show any
form of restraint or struggle on her face; therefore, it being okay in the advertisement agencys
mind to publish this photo. Moreover, the men are surrounding the woman with great pleasure in
their facial expression; therefore, it giving off this message that the woman is irresistible and the
center of attention. All advertisement companies view the quote sex sells as beneficial and
profitable to their business, so they will continue to advocate it.
Women are seen as prizes or means of selling products and there are no good morals
associated with it. They should not be the solution to increase product consumption in a sexual
manner, but rather it be a way to fix this social issue of degrading women. Its a very doubleblinded issue in a sense because the producers are the ones who influence the buyers, and neither
the producer nor the consumer have any inclination of the impact one simple fashion
advertisement can make and the message it gives off in society. There can be other means of
selling a product that doesnt involve exploiting women in a sexual, misogynistic way. Perhaps,
showing off women in a classy and respectful manner. Eliminating sexual ideas from
advertisements may take a toll on the consumers decisions to purchase a product. The world
may never know what this change holds.

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Blair, Kristine. Selling the Self: Women and the Feminine Seduction of Advertising.
Women and Language. Bowling Green State University. 1994.
Devor, Aaron. Becoming Members of Society: The Social Meanings of Gender.
Composing Gender. Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008. pp. 35-43
Friesen, Justin., Gaucher, Danielle., and Aaron C. Kay. Evidence That Gendered Wording
in Job Advertisements Exists and Sustains Gender Inequality. Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology. Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo.
2011.
Hubbard, Ruth. Rethinking Womens Biology. Composing Gender. Bedford/St. Martin's,
2008. pp. 46-51

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