Gender Discrimination In Canada
According to the National Association of Japanese Canadians, gender discrimination is bias towards a person based on their sex. Usually, this affects women and causes them to receive less opportunities than men when it comes to education, careers, politics, and economics. However, Japanese Canadians are not the only demographic that have to deal with this phenomenon. Gender discrimination is closely linked to sexism, and sexism is present even in a full world of social justice warriors. For example, an Indian Kellogg’s advertisement for their cereal, Special K, shows a woman standing in the foreground wearing a revealing red sari similar to a bedlah adorned by belly dancers. In the background a man, presumably her husband, sits on a couch while glancing towards his wife with
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a look of astonishment on his face. The text in the image suggests that the cereal helped the woman achieve the look that tore her husband eyes away from the television and onto her. By examining gender roles, men’s view of women, and a woman’s self-image, this essay will prove that this advertisement displays sexism in today’s society. It is common knowledge that the inequality of women predates written history itself. Sexism was present in Biblical times; before and after Christ, all the way through the feudal age of China, medieval times, the Renaissance and the Reformation, etc. However, it is a less commonly accepted fact that women are still shown to be lesser than men. The millennial age subtly prods at sexism, and some radicals might even argue that it absolutely is nonexistent. The idea that a wife has to diet and change her body to “make” her husband look again is proof enough that gender roles are still imbalanced. Women are expected to do more and work harder than men, while receiving less. Although it has been adapted to the two-income household, the gender norm that women are the homemakers and the child-bearers is still present in the minds of most people, even if the woman has acquired a career of her own. This advertisement specifically suggests that it is the woman’s job to look good for her husband.
Although Indian society still prefers arranged marriages over love marriages, usually the arranged unions are based on criterion that set a basis for love. The couples rendezvous and get to know each other before deciding to go through with the marriage, and if they do not get along or cannot see themselves loving the other individual, the engagement is broken off. Generally the husband is attracted to the wife before and after marriage, so why should to woman keep up her appearance to please her man? It is highly unnecessary, especially when attraction is not skin deep. There are other factors that can keep a husband’s attention on his wife, and if all else fails, it was not meant to be. Unfortunately, a woman’s opinion is valued less than a man’s because men are the traditional head of household. A man’s view of women is conditioned from the point of childhood. However, they are represented in the media is the image that will stick with them for the rest of their life. With the presence advertisements like the sexist Special K ad, the future for women seems bleak. The demographic that the advertisement is meant to reach may be women, but it is strongly influenced by the men of the society. Women, as stated earlier, are “supposed” to keep up a beautiful and feminine image while their male counterparts lose hair and gain weight as they age. The woman in the advertisement is wearing something similar to a traditional Indian dress, a sari. However, the sari is split into two pieces to show off her midriff. With how beautiful this model is made out to be, the audience would have never guessed that this woman struggled to keep her husband’s eyes from going astray. In all cultures, this woman’s body is ideal. The struggle for an ideal body is a burden women constantly have to battle. The husband in the advertisement was previously preoccupied with television. Media typically employs beautiful actresses with idealized figures to appear on television, so a husband has plenty to fantasize about when he gets bored of his wife. This is morally and ethically wrong. Marriage is usually defined as a monogamous relationship between two individuals. There should be no room for wandering eyes and judgmental tendencies. Even if a married individual finds someone other than their spouse attractive, they should not let adultery take over their life to the point where they neglect their spouse. Should this happen regardless, it is not the woman’s fault. She should not have to take on the responsibility of averting her husband’s eyes back on her yet again. They should have never left in the first place, however men view women as dispensable objects. Their bodies are fetishized, their purpose is warped, and their role in society is predetermined by an unjust patriarchy. The entire worth of a woman is measured in how lean their figures are and how attracted their faces appear to be. Women become hyperaware of the standards they must meet in order to gain attention from the opposite sex, and it causes a harsh blow to their self-esteem. A person’s self-image is directly affected by the society they are exposed to. If a societal norm is treating women poorly based on their appearance, women will do anything it takes to achieve a desirable appearance and hope for a bright future. More often than not, the constant striving for perfection is what tears a person apart. If relations between a wife and her husband are poor, the wife will assume it is her fault because society oppresses her to believe it is her fault. Women are constantly concerned with their appearance, and it is a justified practice because of how media deals with imperfections on the human body.
Magazines and television portrays “perfect” women, when they are in fact enhanced by effects and Photoshop. The reality is that most women do not look like the models they see in magazines. The models do not even look like themselves with the amount of makeup layered onto them and the effects that are meant to clear up the image in order to achieve a beautiful, smooth, and flawless portrait. These are the women that dominate society’s view of women, and they are idealized to oblivion. Diets are glamorized to attain these figures. Special K is one of those diet foods that promises the outcome of looking like a model. The success of diet foods and diet supplements show just how much of an influence models-and the men that constantly dote on the appearance of models-have on real women.
Every person is different in size, shape, personality, goals and morals, but everyone can be disheartened by the unrealistic standards that society has for them. Their reflection in the mirror might not be exactly like the woman perceived as gorgeous in the magazine despite all the hard work they put into dieting and exercising, and they will see themselves as less than beautiful. A self-image like this can lead to depression, anxiety, and a plethora of other mental illnesses and diseases. Negative thinking is toxic, especially when it is derived from an unattainable beauty standard that is constantly being repeated and reflected in media. How does the self-image of women prove sexism is running rampant in society? If sexism is the belief that one sex is greater than the other, than the fact that women are expected to uphold a certain image and remain healthy and happy while the beauty standards pressed on men are far less demanding is proof enough that gender inequality is very real. Advertisements play a huge part in media.
It is on television, radio, billboards, in super markets and department stores, and the internet. This specific Special K advertisement described in this essay is a magazine ad, and has been made into a series of television advertisements on the Indian market. It is hard to escape the grasp that idealized beauty has on society when it is leaving a constant reminder on viewers’ minds. What is even more tragic is that society has allowed the constant bombardment of market saturation to keep it at a standstill. Human society has not improved in decades, contrary to popular belief. Racism, sexism and prejudice are often believed to be vestiges of the past, when in reality they are just as relevant as they were in the 1950s. The progressiveness of society is determined by how accepting the general public is of controversial advertisements. If they think a woman dressed in a revealing sari to win back the affection of her husband is acceptable, than it can be inferred that society is progressing slowly, if at all. Sexism will continue to be present in media until the general public acknowledges the presence of sexism in media and takes action to combat
it.
a look of astonishment on his face. The text in the image suggests that the cereal helped the woman achieve the look that tore her husband eyes away from the television and onto her. By examining gender roles, men’s view of women, and a woman’s self-image, this essay will prove that this advertisement displays sexism in today’s society. It is common knowledge that the inequality of women predates written history itself. Sexism was present in Biblical times; before and after Christ, all the way through the feudal age of China, medieval times, the Renaissance and the Reformation, etc. However, it is a less commonly accepted fact that women are still shown to be lesser than men. The millennial age subtly prods at sexism, and some radicals might even argue that it absolutely is nonexistent. The idea that a wife has to diet and change her body to “make” her husband look again is proof enough that gender roles are still imbalanced. Women are expected to do more and work harder than men, while receiving less. Although it has been adapted to the two-income household, the gender norm that women are the homemakers and the child-bearers is still present in the minds of most people, even if the woman has acquired a career of her own. This advertisement specifically suggests that it is the woman’s job to look good for her husband.
Although Indian society still prefers arranged marriages over love marriages, usually the arranged unions are based on criterion that set a basis for love. The couples rendezvous and get to know each other before deciding to go through with the marriage, and if they do not get along or cannot see themselves loving the other individual, the engagement is broken off. Generally the husband is attracted to the wife before and after marriage, so why should to woman keep up her appearance to please her man? It is highly unnecessary, especially when attraction is not skin deep. There are other factors that can keep a husband’s attention on his wife, and if all else fails, it was not meant to be. Unfortunately, a woman’s opinion is valued less than a man’s because men are the traditional head of household. A man’s view of women is conditioned from the point of childhood. However, they are represented in the media is the image that will stick with them for the rest of their life. With the presence advertisements like the sexist Special K ad, the future for women seems bleak. The demographic that the advertisement is meant to reach may be women, but it is strongly influenced by the men of the society. Women, as stated earlier, are “supposed” to keep up a beautiful and feminine image while their male counterparts lose hair and gain weight as they age. The woman in the advertisement is wearing something similar to a traditional Indian dress, a sari. However, the sari is split into two pieces to show off her midriff. With how beautiful this model is made out to be, the audience would have never guessed that this woman struggled to keep her husband’s eyes from going astray. In all cultures, this woman’s body is ideal. The struggle for an ideal body is a burden women constantly have to battle. The husband in the advertisement was previously preoccupied with television. Media typically employs beautiful actresses with idealized figures to appear on television, so a husband has plenty to fantasize about when he gets bored of his wife. This is morally and ethically wrong. Marriage is usually defined as a monogamous relationship between two individuals. There should be no room for wandering eyes and judgmental tendencies. Even if a married individual finds someone other than their spouse attractive, they should not let adultery take over their life to the point where they neglect their spouse. Should this happen regardless, it is not the woman’s fault. She should not have to take on the responsibility of averting her husband’s eyes back on her yet again. They should have never left in the first place, however men view women as dispensable objects. Their bodies are fetishized, their purpose is warped, and their role in society is predetermined by an unjust patriarchy. The entire worth of a woman is measured in how lean their figures are and how attracted their faces appear to be. Women become hyperaware of the standards they must meet in order to gain attention from the opposite sex, and it causes a harsh blow to their self-esteem. A person’s self-image is directly affected by the society they are exposed to. If a societal norm is treating women poorly based on their appearance, women will do anything it takes to achieve a desirable appearance and hope for a bright future. More often than not, the constant striving for perfection is what tears a person apart. If relations between a wife and her husband are poor, the wife will assume it is her fault because society oppresses her to believe it is her fault. Women are constantly concerned with their appearance, and it is a justified practice because of how media deals with imperfections on the human body.
Magazines and television portrays “perfect” women, when they are in fact enhanced by effects and Photoshop. The reality is that most women do not look like the models they see in magazines. The models do not even look like themselves with the amount of makeup layered onto them and the effects that are meant to clear up the image in order to achieve a beautiful, smooth, and flawless portrait. These are the women that dominate society’s view of women, and they are idealized to oblivion. Diets are glamorized to attain these figures. Special K is one of those diet foods that promises the outcome of looking like a model. The success of diet foods and diet supplements show just how much of an influence models-and the men that constantly dote on the appearance of models-have on real women.
Every person is different in size, shape, personality, goals and morals, but everyone can be disheartened by the unrealistic standards that society has for them. Their reflection in the mirror might not be exactly like the woman perceived as gorgeous in the magazine despite all the hard work they put into dieting and exercising, and they will see themselves as less than beautiful. A self-image like this can lead to depression, anxiety, and a plethora of other mental illnesses and diseases. Negative thinking is toxic, especially when it is derived from an unattainable beauty standard that is constantly being repeated and reflected in media. How does the self-image of women prove sexism is running rampant in society? If sexism is the belief that one sex is greater than the other, than the fact that women are expected to uphold a certain image and remain healthy and happy while the beauty standards pressed on men are far less demanding is proof enough that gender inequality is very real. Advertisements play a huge part in media.
It is on television, radio, billboards, in super markets and department stores, and the internet. This specific Special K advertisement described in this essay is a magazine ad, and has been made into a series of television advertisements on the Indian market. It is hard to escape the grasp that idealized beauty has on society when it is leaving a constant reminder on viewers’ minds. What is even more tragic is that society has allowed the constant bombardment of market saturation to keep it at a standstill. Human society has not improved in decades, contrary to popular belief. Racism, sexism and prejudice are often believed to be vestiges of the past, when in reality they are just as relevant as they were in the 1950s. The progressiveness of society is determined by how accepting the general public is of controversial advertisements. If they think a woman dressed in a revealing sari to win back the affection of her husband is acceptable, than it can be inferred that society is progressing slowly, if at all. Sexism will continue to be present in media until the general public acknowledges the presence of sexism in media and takes action to combat
it.