Summary Of Having It His Way: The Construction Of Masculinity

In Having It His Way: The Construction of Masculinity in Fast-Food TV Advertising by Carrie Packwood Freeman and Debra Merskin, the authors reflect on the idea that certain types of foods are associated with a certain gender, and that TV advertisements are one of the main reasons for this link. Freeman and Merskin first point out that meat is considered a more masculine food and plant-based food is more associated with women. They use an anecdote of two men in a grocery store, one is buying organic food and the other is buying meat such as pork. The man buying organic food begins to feel self conscious about how “manly” or masculine he really is, so he looks at a few ads and buys a big SUV in an attempt to make up for his food choices. Freeman and Merskin note that there is some some history attached with
Therefore, masculine advertisements involve things such as power and control. A few examples of fast food ads are given- from Burger King, Carl’s Jr., Arby’s, etc. All of these ads, a man is playing the lead role. In one particular ad from Carl’s Jr., a man is scripted to eat a plate of chicken wings, and stare at a certain waitress. What the man does not realize is that his girlfriend is watching him the entire time he is staring at another woman, and the ad then states that it is more fun to eat wings with a group of guys. Some slogans for these fast food joints can be neutral, but Burger King went out on a limb with a couple slogans, namely “stack it high, tough guy” and “eat like a man, man.” Advertisements for meats also try and appeal to what a man is attracted. These commercials will sometimes have a woman doing something seductive while eating whatever is being exhibited, whether it be a burger or a plate of wings. An Arby’s commercial implies that a construction worker is more eager to see a Reuben sandwich than an attractive