Hyper-sexualization in Current Media

Kaiga Jones, OCU

Agenda Setting Theory is sometimes used to explain how media can influence the public’s ideas about important issues and events. The theory can also help explain why sexuality and eroticism are so widely talked about and consumed in today’s media. Some cases also show how advertising uses women to attract other women to a particular product.

The Japanese cosmetics company Kose creates commercial advertising by using women who are famous models or actresses. Using these beautiful women attracts other women that want to look just like the famous people or to look up to them as role models. Kose also uses different age groups to get more customers from all ages. To a younger audience, they appeal to their customers by using a sexy or cute image. On the other hand, for older women, they appeal to them by using a more beautiful image. By featuring sexy dresses in their commercials, make-up companies, the content catches the eye of the men as well.

Often for small presents, male consumers will come and buy cosmetic items as gifts for their girlfriend or wife. Make-up has become very popular in Japan over this past year. This is because a blogger named Zawa-chin started a blog using make-up. She shows readers how to do make-up in the same way as famous actresses do, and she makes herself look just like them. Many female readers have been inspired by her since they also have a chance to look just like the famous actresses. Many advertisements, in turn, feature Zawa-chin to persuade consumers to buy their products, and so the use of make-up has been increasing.

The abuse of gender role in Japan is not as bad as what appears in American media, but it cannot be said that there is no abuse at all in these make-up commercials. There are commercials that have men staring at or looking back twice at the actress because these women are so beautiful. To some women, this action can be construed as a kind of harassment with the eye. Scholars have referred to this tendency as the “male gaze.” These commercials can be an inspiration to men. Some men can be inspired to look at the women badly because the commercial makes it seem as if there is no problem at all. Even though these commercials have a negative image, this is only an image to the minority. The majority of the people think of it as a positive image because they want to popular or attractive to the other gender.

The effect of make-up has also had an unexpected negative effect and has given many female consumers a loss in confidence. They don’t have the confidence to be seen to other without make-up, and they cannot stop wearing it because the inspiration the advertisements have given them. There are people that also do surgery to make themselves appear more beautiful. This also has an effect on men as well. There are men that wear make-up and also do surgery for the same reason as women. I believe that it is kind of sad because people are suffering from their original self. This gender role problem may be small, but the smallest problems can turn into a big problem as well.

Sexual Entertainment in Ads

Ryuji Gibo, OCU

In Japan today, there are many advertisements that feature women exposing more and more skin so as to attract more and more viewers. What the ads’ creators are trying to do is to make viewers feel as though they trying their particular products in some vicarious way. Exposing skin is not illegal. However, some of these sexualized ads have been discussed as examples of gender discrimination. There seems to be three main reasons why some people are critical of these sorts of ads.

Source: deviantart.com

Firstly, showing skin is a woman’s job, so to speak. It should really be a matter of her preference. In advertising, women are usually directed to show more of their skin as a way of persuading people to consume more of a particular product. An example of this is “Hooters” in the U.S. Even though they are selling just fast food, the Hooters women staff are made to wear sexy costumes and to talk closely to the customers in order to “hear” their orders more carefully. This sort of invasion of a customer's personal space poses the waitresses as if they are girlfriends, or intimate partners with the customers. This communication approach satisfies the customers to some degree by making them feel as though they have some power beyond their role as patrons. Hooters is not only selling food, but it is selling the image of beautiful women. This business model amounts to sexual discrimination, because it forces women to take unnatural roles as servants. They wait upon patrons but also act in ways that fulfill male fantasies.

Second of all, women’s position in some ads implies a gender hierarchy. As we have seen in the advertising industry, many ads illustrate how a gender hierarchy in society remains in place. The supportive evidence can be seen in the women’s physical position in various ads. Many ads cast women positioned below men in the images, and the women are looking up toward the men who are over them in dominant positions. These positions suggest to viewers the importance of the social hierarchy between men and women. The ads indirectly suggest that women should respect men in society. And more indirectly, the position also implies that women are in the control of men.

Finally, there is a problem in the way men treat women in ads. We can realize that men dominate women through looking at men and women’s actions in ads. Some women in ads do not look like they hold equal power, while they are merely men’s satisfying object. One of the ads we analyzed had a man wearing a nice blue suit and tie with a girl wearing bathing wear on the seashore. The guy is not supposed to be dressed like that in this situation. While the man shows his wealth and power, the woman apparently does not have money power as she lies below him. She looks more like a doll that has no emotion. The guy looks a though he can afford to play with the girl.

Thus, as we focus on the many advertisements playing around us, we may notice gender bias at work. Although these messages may be vaguely sexual, and may not have intended by their creators to taken as such, they are still upsetting to people. The images tell a story that is often not spoken, a tale of gender hierarchy that still exists in today’s society. To create a better story, we should stop casting women in these bad positions and erase the bad tradition. I think everyone would agree that our moms would be proud of us.