Something to ponder

Dixie Darling · Post by **Dixie Darling** » Wed Dec 10, 2003 11:29 pm

I posted this same message in my Yahoo group and I thought it might be interesting to see what the members here might think about it. Enjoy, and THINK about it as you read it.

I wonder if anyone else has paid any attention to some of the television advertising that's being constantly broadcast. It seems that we, as a society, are totally obsessed with feminine beauty. Don't think so? Sit down with a pen and paper (yeah, I know that's old fashioned, but it still works!) some evening and watch two or three hours of broadcast television. When the commercials come on make a note of what it is that they're trying to sell. When you're through, tally up the products advertised and notice how many of them are products or services are aimed at promoting beauty in some way, soften your skin, give you beautiful hair, make you more alluring, increase your bust size, make you slimmer, make you sexier, and the list goes on and on. Not surprisingly the largest portion of these ads are directed squarely at the GGs in the viewing audience. Oh, there are some commercials that are aimed mainly at the guys: "Drink this or that beer to have more buddies and be cool", "Shave closer with a new 12 bladed razor", get the gray out of your hair/beard with brand ‘X’ hair rejuvenator, etc, but you have to admit that most of the advertising revolves around femininity and how to make it more and more appealing.

And it's not just the products advertised that promote this. We have the Miss America pageant, the Junior Miss pageant, MRS. America pageant, Miss Universe pageant, and those aren’t even counting the local and state beauty contests that are held year in and year out.

Now, I’m not complaining about all this promotion of femininity, I think it’s great. But stop and think about it for a minute. If the manufacturers of all these products – and I’m including the clothing industry in this too – are determined to convince all of us (and that’s what they are trying to do) that these things are desirable for us to have and use to make us feel better about ourselves, is it any wonder that the males aren’t also enthused about partaking of all these goodies too? With all this promotion of femininity we’re exposed to every day you can bet that there are a lot more guys out there who are participating in the use of these products behind closed doors than society really wants to admit to.

What’s YOU’RE opinion?

Dixie -- http://www.geocities.com/senorita_cd

Jessie · Post by **Jessie** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 12:13 am

I know what you mean. I work at a TV station for the morning shift and for about ten hours at a time I watch, in the simplest way of explaining my job, three stations. yes three stations. So I know what we put out there and what are in the barters, those are adds built into the shows that the local affilet station have no control over.

Take a closer look at the show that the product is being sold in. We have a show that we run in the morning call Starting Over. This show is directed toward woman viewers and guess what 98 percent of all the adds are for woman or to make there lives eaiser is some way.

BUT i will not say anthing bad about advertising because well that is what pays my income.

Jessie

CJ · Post by CJ » Thu Dec 11, 2003 6:37 am

Hi Dixie and Jessie,

Yes, I agree with you, Dixie, that most marketing practices in the beauty industry target women. The reason is obvious (and it seems to hold true worldwide): women are prey to a certain long-standing, patriarchic cult of female youth. In our own culture, youth=beauty. It's just there.

More than likely, there are many men who will use some of these products behind closed doors, true. That being the case, leave it to the beauty industry's marketing sharks to sniff out a trend (and to smell a buck from a mile away) and finally realize that there's a niche out there for men who enjoy pampering themselves (guilty!

). The fashion and cosmetics giants cater more and more to the newly expressed needs of the beautiful man. And I'm not talking about RuPaul's endorsement of the Mac brand of makeup, here. I'm talking men. Just a cursory glance through style magazines, such as ID and Flaunt and many of the European sheets will confirm this. In the past decade we've witnessed the appearance of makeup for men, lingerie for men, electrolysis for men (hairless is in!), and a shift in emphasis from a well-toned and well-muscled male body to a more androgynous look. And the beauty industry is only too happy to encourage this gender-blurring trend; it broadens their consumer base. I'm not knocking this, mind you. I, for one, will always welcome more options rather than less--but it's hard not to be cynical sometimes in the face of such aggressive commodification. :|

Love,
CJ

Charlene · Post by **Charlene** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 7:33 pm

I agree. But isn't that what we all are striving for, to be attractive?

I know there are times that I refuse to dress when I don't think I can be as attractive as I want to be.

Beauty · Post by **Beauty** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 7:40 pm

Hi Charlene,

I also don't dress if I feel I can't dress and be attractive. I thought I was alone.

Beauty

Charlene · Post by **Charlene** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 7:45 pm

Hi Beauty.

You aren't alone. I told my friend (landlady) that I felt like dressing but I didn't feel attractive. She convinced me to dress tonight.

Beauty · Post by **Beauty** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 7:48 pm

Cool!!!

What are you going to wear?

Will I read that in the What Am I Wearing Posting area?

Beauty

Charlene · Post by **Charlene** » Thu Dec 11, 2003 7:51 pm

OK, I'll go post there.