Barely-clad women in advertising/Girls Gone Wild mentality?

Question

Two-part question:

"Sexy" girls are used in magazine ads for cars, and even car parts! "Sexy" chicks sell beer and other alcohol and there are boobs in just about every sport except golf. Why would an auto race need to have a beauty contest? Do you think we will EVER evolve enough so that boobs and asses don't have to be everywhere we look to sell things that have nothing to do with sex?

Part deux:
Do you think that things like Girls Gone Wild exist because there will always be low self-esteem chicks who enjoy the attention (thus making stupid men think that ALL women enjoy this attention, and if they don't they are "jealous.") And I'm not talking about porn - I have no problem with porn. I'm talking about Women As Decoration - it's everywhere I look, they are just around to amuse men, even when they think they are being "empowered."

Will we ever evolve enough to get beyond this stuff? Or will there always be that element?

It bothers me because I see women not being taken seriously because wherever you look women are portrayed as brainless nymphos. And no I won't "get over it" - it's an important issue. I would hope most men don't feel that way.

"Men who gawk at them are there out of pure sexual frustration. Believe me they don't want to just gawk. They want to grab those women and touch them and squeeze them, but women like yourself are the first ones to limit sexual access to men."

Not me. I personally have no interest in marriage and I don't think it's natural for every human to have just one partner forever and ever.

And by "stupid" men I mean just that - men who are stupid. Not ALL men. Just the cro-mags who think it's OK to howl as us girls from car windows because we are supposed to enjoy it. There are lots of men who would never do this.

To zen_penguins:

I agree that men are portrayed (especially in commercials) as bumbling idiots who don't even know what medicine to take for a cold or who cut their hands off trying to build a cabinet while the woman looks smugly on. The husband is a moron and the wife is oh-so-smart. But this is the women's studies area so I addressed that. As a man you should be offended by those commercials and shows, and you should pose a question about it and open a dialogue.

Feminazi? Whatever dude. That's so played out. Of course a strong intelligent woman is a Nazi. blah blah blah.

Riiight, I must be a lesbian if I want to be respected and see women treated right.

Answer 1

I completely agree with you, and it makes me angery as well. I guess the only thing we can do is to not participate, but then we know that deep down we think, damn it I am just as sexy as them, I want to show my man that I am, its not fair that these stupid girls should get my man's attention, when I can give him what he is looking at!! I mean...I believe that two people in love that are together should beable to be sexy for each other. Girls that are in love, need not think that they need to rebel against these woman in the media to such extreme that they actually cut off what it was meant for to begin with, for two people that love each other. So girls, don't be ashamed to be sexy for your man and prove to him, what you are above those media images!! But as far as dressing skanky in the open, I would say hell NO!! It seems like a cycle that woman as a whole allow to happen to themselves. Girls see woman in magazines looking hot, in tv, looking hot, they say I am going to do that too. And then it never ends. It's a fact girls like to look sexy, but I agree wiht you in saying that the only place that needs to be done is with ur man. Because its for love. Not to sell something. If women would just stop posing in the media, then yes we can change the world, but sadly, they won't. But don't give up my freind. Don't give up. Maybe eventually women will get sick of it to the point, that they will revolt. If all the women today that were sick of it stood up to it!! I think that we could have a chance, but no one thinks it is possible to change. Girl, email me...please.

Answer 2

Your assumptions are wrong. You assume that it's a mark of "evolution" to downplay the importance of sex in all aspects of our lives, men and women. Stupid assumption. As long as men have money, advertisers will try to get their attention. Until we "evolve" a substitute for testosterone, the best way to get our attention is women.

The problem is that the question you pose is based on a set of assumptions you've been fed through college that are not necessarily true. That men who look at women are animals (hello, that's ALL men (straight)). That women must be insecure if they allow themselves to be treated as sexual. These premises are not universally accepted nor are they backed by any unbiased data.

I could rant and rave about daytime TV and how the message is continually how Men are dogs, Men are unsophisticated, Men are irresponsible. I could complain how in EVERY family-based show the woman is ALWAYS the stabilizing force and men the bumbling idiots who provide comic relief and stumble through each episode, only to be profess eternally gratitude at his wife's superior wisdom at the end. But that would be stupid, because those shows are dedicated to attracting women, and that's the programming women like. As long as women have money, advertisers in that market will cater to them, and women love to hear about how men are incapable of tying their shoes. Advertisers are smart that way.

So look - You identify elements that are not inherently bad in our society; they are nothing more than characteristics of our society that YOU don't like. To assume YOU have a higher self esteem than GGW women, or that the only enlightened men in the world are those that agree with you, simply means you're inflexible and discussion with you on this subject is impossible. From your point of view, someone agrees with you, or they're a troglodyte.

Which makes YOU the only unsophisticated person in the entire discussion.

Answer 3

So long as there are women willing to do it and men who want to look it will always be around. Honestly as a woman it doesnt bother me. Id rather see a half naked girl than bloody messes everywhere thats for sure! As for empowered, think about it, a guy cant make up his mnd what he wants, he remembers seeing this hot girl with a particular product, boom! He buys it. Yes it is decrotive, but it is also a type of power to get things done. Trust me, if we use those same girls to say make an eco film, those same guys would watch and help out.
dont get me wrong id love to see us get beyond this point, but good luck on that. men love women, they love to look at them, hold them, drool over them, ect. Its just life. So long as they dont go around hurting people, whats the harm?

PS I do have a semi-brainy type profession now. I am an at home mom and I work online with website design. Plus i have my own site I reasearch products for to advertise.Before this I was a tech support agent for an ISP. Use what you have. Peace.

Answer 4

Sex will always be used to sell anything from magazines to car parts. A fact is the female is what makes the world go around. If there weren't females or if men weren't designed to "ogle them" most producers wouldn't be able to sell their products. And this is without considering porn and the like. An easy example is the fashion industry. Would women wear make-up and other fashion statements if men weren't interested? The simple truth is- not matter what women wear or do, males will fantasies about them - whether by implied actions or emotive conscience the results will always be the same.

Answer 5

There are those of us who evolve beyond these things you speak of. However, it will continue because it works. It's that simple. The majority succumbs to the advertising, spends the money, and the rich get richer. It just plan works. "Sex sells" I hear that all the time.

The major problem I see is that our children are becoming sexualized and exposed at a much younger age. I am not blind to who holds the responsibility here, ultimately it still falls on parents to communicate the facts vs. the fantasy to their children. However, the advertisers, corporations, etc....have a societal responsibility here too.

Anyway, I think this is less of an issue of "our" evolving and more an issue of money.

Answer 6

This is an interesting comment, but I am not sure if you are analyzing it correctly, when you put it as low self-esteem chicks and stupid men! I am assumuing you are a professional woman and you resent these women and the men who enjoy them, because you think it hinders your professional image, and creates different expectations from women in general, and you in particular. You are right in that, but look at it from their perspective now.

The girls who do it do it for money mostly. They don't have your professional credentials. This is easy money. Can you blame them?

Men who gawk at them are there out of pure sexual frustration. Believe me they don't want to just gawk. They want to grab those women and touch them and squeeze them, but women like yourself are the first ones to limit sexual access to men. Men are not satisfied with romance and committment. Those are women's creations. So, men are very frustrated sexually, and they are venting their frustations. Can you blame them?

At some level I agree with you. These are very superficial and unsatisfying activities. But they are symptoms of serious social problems, not just stupidity of people as you put it.

The real question is how do we fix it? Calling people stupid is not going to fix it, because that is the wrong diagnosis. I have a lot of ideas on how to fix it, if you are interested in hearing more.

Answer 7

Erm...once again a femanazi uses yahoo answers to bash men, why dont you rant and rave about the WOMEN that appear in these advertisments?

They have a chioce, their not forced to drape half naked over a sports car, yet according to you its the MEN who are stupid right?

And for your information, I saw a billboard this morning of a half naked muscular and handome MAN holding a baby, the product?.........motorola mobile phones, he wasnt using a phone, wasnt holding a phone, just standing their holding a baby.

Face it, sex sells and sexism is a two way street.

Answer 8

I think it will always be around in one form or another.

You should pick up the Cosmo for October. They have a whole article about Girls Gone Wild and how women are now flashing all over the place.

Answer 9

You're right. It's funny that women are used as sex objects in almost any advertisement, be it the hospitality trade (smiling girls with big boobs waiting to greet you) or one for selling tiles for the walls and floors (a woman, half- naked, sprawled on a tiled floor). Women go on and on about how they won't let men dominate them, and how "empowered" they feel, when they're actually still using their bodies to sell stuff to men.

Answer 10

I think that low self esteems play less a part in most girls gone wild videos as does large amount of alcohol and immaturity. Sex is always going to drive us because it is one of humanities strongest natural instincts. Perhaps the question to ask is "why does it bother ME so much" If you are offended just change the channel