I find it fascinating that is is 2011 and we still see gender roles divided into such specific corners. Men are strong and the secondary care-giver in their households. Women are the emotional beings who cook, clean and remain the primary organizer of the household. Sometimes, though, I feel like a hypocrite. I like to cook and clean and take care of people. My mom is that way, and her mom was that way. Are women programmed to stay in this stereotype? There are those women who do not fit the mold- they are the exception- and there are a lot of them. Ladies who refuse to cook, or are just not born with the natural ability to keep things tidy and make great tasting food. Are women like these less than women who are fantastic at juggling so many domestic needs? I ponder these questions quite frequently everyday, and what I have been able to come up with is that maybe women are their own oppressors.
That was kind of a deep thought to throw out there. However, I think it is a valid accusation. Women all around this world fight for equality and freedom to do just as much as men- if not more. However, these same women are the ones watching those- Glade, Tide, Brawny, Clorox- cleaning commercials and then buying the product. I cannot help but wonder if women are becoming their own downfall by accepting and buying into the image that a cleaning product promotes. I have nothing against women who like to clean -because I do too. What I do have a problem with is these advertising agencies and cleaning product companies that keep generating commercials where a woman is wiping a messy counter while a man is yelling at a TV screen and wearing his favorite jersey. While this is the norm for some households I would still like to believe that men are more than capable of pushing a broom while a woman sits down to watch TV- whether it is sports or not. Our media has twisted so much of the average woman’s thought process that she believes by watching this commercial she is just doing what every other woman is doing in society. While a woman may be more nurturing than a man at times I find it hard to believe that a man cares less about his family and their well-being than a woman.
This brings me to the sustainability debate that is constantly going on in my head. If women have the ability to be their own oppressors, and cleaning commercials feature women, I find it very plausible that cleaning products and their promotion of the “green movement” is directed toward women. In,“French Feminist Blames Green Movement For Guilting Women Into Old-Fashioned Roles” it is written that a french feminist author argues that the green movement is forcing women back into traditional domestic roles, and the author even goes as far to say that the situation has gone as far as women “devolving into female chimpanzees.” I might be a little extreme on this topic, but even I would not suggest that the green movement has gone this far.
The writer of this article makes an interesting observation later in the text by saying that the green movement is not necessarily guilting women into traditional roles, but rather the green movement is a cover for sexism. I would have to agree. I do not believe that women are watching these commercials for green products and suddenly feeling like they have to be a stay-at-home mom who does laundry all day (even though that is a valid option for a lot of mothers), but I do question the advertising that seems to only portray women as the cleaners. Sexism in the media is the core of why women are becoming their own oppressors, and let’s not forget that sex(ism) sells.
I titled my rant, “Blood Runs Green in Our Media” for a couple of reasons. One: The media are always looking to make green, meaning money, and two: recently the way to make money is to “go green”. These two characteristics are what keep the blood flowing and pumping for a lot of big business. I admire them for promoting sustainable products and homes but I do not admire their obvious and somewhat uncreative attempts at advertising. When I think of cleaning advertising, a classic question comes to mind: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? What I mean by this is does media tell women that cleaning is their job, or does it just reflect what women really are- what they were born to be? Are women just suppose to be labeled “mom” and “care-giver”, or does the media reinforce and maintain these stereotypes. One thing is for sure- there is a delicate balance that advertising must secure in order to reach a large demographic effectively.
As mentioned before, my main argument is not to suggest that media are pushing women to accept unrealistic domestic superiority, but that the media target women in the green movement. The demographic that most green friendly companies are now trying to target is “prime-time” women, meaning women aged from 50-70 and married, according to Diane MacEachern, a writer for The Daily Green. In her article, “Why Marketing to Women Matters to the Green Movement” she looks at the numbers associated with women and the green movement. “When it comes to making their money matter, nearly 50% of women say they want more green choices”, and “37% are more likely to pay attention to brands that are committed to environmental causes.” It is clear that women are becoming increasingly more targeted in the green movement, but maybe this could be a good thing after all.
There is one counter-argument to my tirade that I am willing to say is convincing. Women, while being targeted, are able to tell companies what to make and what they are willing to buy. This is a form of female empowerment. Women can be their own oppressors, but if they are able to persuade companies to make products they want and are willing to buy, I guess I have to say more power to them. In the video, “The Persuaders” it talks about how media can become an incessant buzzing in society’s ear and eventually we are are able to tune it out. However, the video also mentions that maybe the media are not trying to persuade us, but maybe the consumers are the ones persuading the media. We can choose what to buy, and this tells the media what our society will continue to buy. I really detest the fact that the green movement relies on women, but if women are turning the tables and getting what they want, I suppose I can not complain.
In conclusion, I wish to see commercials and advertisements for green cleaning products to stop making women their own oppressors and change the format of their demographic, because I am tired of watching a woman clean up after a man- even if I do it sometimes. It is not about stopping women from taking a traditional role, it’s about promoting different roles so we do not see a step back in the feminist movement. Even if women are able to change what products are produced for them, I would hate to see the steps that the feminist movement has made be for nothing. Maybe we will realize we are hurting the feelings of men all over the world who would love to buy these kinds of products.
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