Masculine Girls.. a big no no

Since the early 70s, it has become a common belief that advertising affects the attitudes, behavior and social beliefs of both adults and children. The writing of Diana S. Rak and Linda M. McMullen titled Sex-role stereotyping in television commercials: A verbal response mode and analysis focuses on the topic of male and female roles in advertising. Since television advertising is considered one of the most prevalent forms of media in which children learn gender-specific behaviors, as well as the positive implications of conforming to these roles, I am going to apply the finding of this article to a current Tide commercial for this blog.

Television commercials target females specifically at certain times of the day and with particular types of products.   The sample used by Rak and McMullen revealed that over 50% of the products advertised during the daytime were for household cleaning, beauty and hygiene items compared to less than 30% during primetime. Women are often shown performing tasks like grocery shopping, picking up the kids, or cleaning; roles of the stereotypical housewife. Women are given positive attributes when it comes to being a responsible parent and being knowledgeable about health, beauty and cleaning products. In additional, although there is always something to keep a housewife busy, in a majority of cases, her house is always tidy, her appearance neat, and her children happy playing with gender appropriate toys.

Conversely, in commercials men have more social status (i.e. professional job, socially liked, etc.) and are better at making decision when it comes to food or beverages. In interactions with a female, he always has a more authoritative stance and uses more scientific arguments to support his conversation. Women are usually silent or portrayed as unintelligent, dependant entities.

In a recently aired commercial for the product Tide, the stereotypical female role is present. There is a housewife sitting on her couch pitching cleaning product; all of the gender specific behaviors of a woman for daytime advertising.  This housewife looks like she stepped out of a 1950’s television show; neat attire, tidy house, speaking eloquently and watching her child as a good mother should. However, right away the viewing audience can tell that she is uncomfortable about something. In this commercial, through her verbal and body language, she is trying to show her displeasure with the fact that her daughter is not conforming to what should be her appropriate gender role. Her first comment is that they “tried the pink thing” but all her daughter wanted to do was wear hoodies and cargo shorts. To her dismay, Tide was able to get the crayon stains out of her daughter’s close. With the tone of her words and her awkward sitting position, she emphasizes her disappointment in her daughter’s tomboyish traits. And in the closing of the actors’ parts, the mother comments that her daughter was building another “car garage” and that is was beautiful. She stares at the camera again after her comment as if to say, what am I supposed to do with that.

You HAVE to watch this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9LTRbWsGOI

If your daughter does not conform to the female gender stereotype, this commercial insinuates that it is ok to be disappointed and there are other moms feeling the same thing. It is reinforcing the gender stereotype that girls who act like “tomboys” are not normal. If you were a child watching this commercial, how would you feel? How do you think young girls who don’t wear pink and enjoy building blocks will feel about themselves after watching this? I am assuming that they will feel like their mothers will not accept them as they are; that they are not allowed to be unique and stray from the traditional gender norms. After watching this commercial, I was in such shock about what I just saw that I could not remember what product was being advertised. My second thought was how bad I felt for the little girl. Having your parents disapprove of your behavior or appearance is a horrible feeling. In 2011, seeing something on television that reinforces such a strict gender role for women is absolutely ridiculous.

Saskatchewan, Diana U., and Linda M. McMullen. "Sex-role Stereotyping in Television Commericals: A Verbal Response Mode and Content Analysis." Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science 19.1 (1987): 25-39. Print