While reading both stories, I found it very interesting to
read. In “Fat is a Feminist issue” by Susie Orbach, she writes about how many
women all over the world face common problems like obesity, social relationships,
and sex-stereotypes. She goes more in depth about obesity because she describes
the ideal image of what an obese women wants to look like. One aspect that Susie
mentions in the book is that “to get a man, a women has to learn to regard herself
as an item, a commodity, and a sex object”. This is true because men are
willing to marry a women who carries herself well-mannered rather than marrying
a women who portrays herself as a slutty hore. From this reading, I think the
message was to inform readers that a women’s weight and body image has become
an issue in the U.S. In “Having it his way: The construction of masculinity in fast-food”
by Carrie Packwood and Debra Merskin they both discuss how the media uses masculinity
with the meat industry to sell products. A good example that Carrie and Debra brought
up is that how subway commercials respect women and health, but they reinforce
male stereotypes by associating muscular athletes with meat. This is so true because
in fast food commercials, you always see a muscular guy consuming meat rather
than a female eating the product. Also in this story, both authors mention that
the ads construct the ideal women as silent, passive, agreeable stranger who is
young, pretty, and thin for the male viewer. The overall message is this story
is that TV commercials will try to portray eating meat as an important part of
masculine behavior. Both stories relate in a way in which they talk about food
and how femininity and masculinity is an issue in the U.S.
I agree with Deborah. In Susie Orbach's piece of "Fat Is a Feminist Issue" she explains to us how women feel like they are held to a certain standard when it comes to their weight, looks, and relationships. Some behaviors that women act on are overeating, binging and purging, "bettering" themselves to media and men's obnoxiously high standards, and feeling like her own body is not her own. Orbach claims that behaviors like this can lead to "feeling out of step with the rest of society, and believing that it is all their own fault". In "Having It His Way: The Construction of Masculinity in Fast-Food Advertising", Carrie Packwood Freeman and Debra Merskin inform us on how the advertising uses masculinity with fast food places such as Burger King, Carls Jr., Jack in the Box, and Arbys to sell their joint. Some behaviors in these said commercials are things like men doing all the talking, objectifying and gazing at sexy women, actions pertaining to being the alpha-male, etc. Commercials like these encourage men to act in selfish ways that disregard any consequence of their pigly actions. Freeman and Merskin claim that these types of advertisements “perpetuate stereotypes of men in one-dimensional terms as self-indulgent, womanizing carnivores.” Both of these readings reveal an important social message that both men and women should educate themselves in. It is significant that women know that they do not have to be held to a certain standard when it comes to their looks, and also important for men to know to not depict the guys that are in ridiculous (maybe humorous) fast-food commercials.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely with your opinions on both stories. I found very interesting on how Susan Orbach in “Fat is a Feminist Issue” talked about how obesity has changed most women's lives today's world. Women who are obese or are suffering from any problem of compulsive eating and are “out of step with the rest of society”. Susan goes on how this social disease is a feminist issue, and how women use food to fill their emotional needs. She mentions that women are presented with roles, as either sexual context or within the family. First as a sex object, and then as a mother. In order to do this, first she is supposed to catch a guys attention with her good looks, and to catch a guys attention you have to be thin. In the next essay “Having it his way: The Construction of Masculinity in Fast-food TV Advertising” the two authors, Carrie Packwood Freeman and Debra Merskin talk about how masculinity is often expressed to meat. For example, they mention that a long time ago, traditionally the men were the ones who went out to hunt and would bring the meat home, while the women stayed at home cleaning and taking care of the children. On the other hand, the medias ideas and techniques on showing how men are suppose to act is my most TV Advertisement, mostly trying to target the young men.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you Deborah. The way the first article was that women use themselves as a sex object to attract the wrong men. But with that a "fat" women may have a bigger problem with that. But honestly when i see women i cant honestly tell the difference between the two. I mean of course for model skinny and bigger women. But the in between are all the same. But women have the worst of the doubt, they have to have a "curvy body" no "unwanted hair" and they have to smell nice and be clothed of course. i do disagree with the quote, "to get a men, a women must throw herself at one like a slutty whore." not the case at all. Women are already sensitive on their bodies, we shouldnt as a male population guys judge them anymore. With the second article of how its masculine to eat alot of meat and to avoid the green based meals. Some commercials like Carl's Jrs' that attempt to attract younger men to eat their food since of course Paris Hilton is washing a car while taking a huge bite out of Double burger. Some were passive, while others like Carl's Jrs' was more aggressive. But the stereotype is that if your'e a guy and dont eat meat you aren't a man. Which is wrong and not smart if you dont want heart problems or heart disease. But that why big "masculinity food products" target young men. To attack them young.
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