21 January 2010

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Gender Inequality Begins At Home - Television Advertisements

Gender Inequality Begins At Home - Television Advertisements –



Reality Views by sm -

Now a day’s proudly many parents say that they do not make difference between male child and female child, but they forget about the television which impacts their young kids mind through advertisements which clearly show and promote gender inequality.

There are many types of advertisement on television, advertisements for adult males, and adult females, second group is young male and young female.


In short if you see carefully we can classify advertisement in only two groups, male and female.

Male advertisement and female advertisement.

Do we ever think that how these advertisements affect the mind of young boys and girls?

As young boys and young girls watch all the advertisement aimed for kids as well as adult males and females.

I am not talking about vulgar advertisement; I am talking about the gender equality and kids mainly young boys and young girls.

So what we see in the advertisement made for adult males and females.

Male advertisement – following are the examples.

1. we see that a strong male is running and drinking and dancing
And female is sitting and smiling.

2. Advertise regarding condoms , male is purchasing

3. Advertisement regarding bikes, advertisement regarding doing something which requires power normally we can see male is there.

4. Advertisement regarding decision making male is shown chief and female is on secondary part.

Like this many advertisements clearly show that male is superior to females.

Advertisements for female – following are few examples –

1. Washing machine – wife is washing clothes for husband and kids.

2. Food – female is cooking food for the husband or kids as well as young female child is helping to mother or older sister.

3. Food – male and female child try to showcase that male is superior and female is dumb and both smile. A young female child is innocent she does not understand when she is watching on television, she only understands that father is superior, intelligent and mother is fool or dumb. Who needs the permission of male to do anything?

4. Husband is working and female is praying for the success of husband .why can not they show wife is preparing for IAS, IPS and husband is praying for her success in the exams or interview.

In short the point is that on the minds of young boys and girls who do not know difference between the male and female, and gender inequality.

These types of advertisements create which type of effect on the young minds.
Does those advertisements don’t send wrong message in the society mainly in future generation, young boys and girls.

1. male is decision maker

2. male works outside home and female work inside home

3. male do strong works and female do soft works

4. male is suppose to do daring jobs and females are suppose to be homely

5. young boys will play with guns and young girls play with the dolls

6. males never cook and it is the duty of female to cook and once in a blue moon male is suppose to cook

7. male can stay all night outside, female are suppose to be home before 7 pm

8. male can be bare chest but females should always use full covered clothes


Does this advertisement don’t affect the thought process of parents as well as upbringing process of the kids.


At which age young boys and girls start to understand the meaning of gender inequality?

If you reading this article I am sure in your heart you got the answer in very rare cases before age 21.

I don’t think our education teaches us about the gender inequality.

We need to change on the advertisement front also regarding gender inequality.

On television when we see the inequality next generation will also learn the same.

It’s only in the hands of educated young females to write the letters to companies or on their blogs about the gender inequality shown on the television advertisement.

And furthermore females should start to boycott such products which show clearly female as a dumb or secondary citizen of society.

I do not have any intention to hurt any female.
Males and Female both are equal in everything.

32 comments:

Apanatva January 21, 2010  

So true ........ Ad agencies must change their track otherwise in coming years they will get a real shock when tables will be turned.

Chandrika Shubham January 21, 2010  

It will be nice to watch husband washing clothes and mother going on a job.
A thought provoking post!
Happy blogging. :)

Samvedna January 21, 2010  

some ads have changed also..there was an ad for washing maching where husband does the washing..but yes most advocate stereotyping..but it doesnt reflect life..practically i see most of the males doing everything in the house.

Sh@s January 21, 2010  

Well-put. Ad agencies should be more sensitive to such things.

Dhiman January 21, 2010  

You have raised a valid point but I guess the product companies create ads looking at the target audience so a washing powder or soup ads show a women doing domestic work .... but as said above perspective are changing like I remember an ad which showed women as champion swimmer, fiery journalist and airline pilot and all these women acting as role model for their children.... yes we need to have more such ads ...

Shabnam Sultan January 21, 2010  

A very thought provoking post :) on gender inequality. Its high time that we should start practicing what we preach .

Neha January 21, 2010  

You will not believe; a few days back i was thinking about the same thing while reading constitution..there are so many things going on around us discriminating between gender as well as sexes..

you see many television shows also doing rounds where these things are shown..tv can be a great source to spread awareness; and used for that purpose too...wish things change soon..

great observation sm..

Haresh January 21, 2010  

A very good post with detailed observation.

And, when it comes to advertisements, I don't think it's improving very fast here as far as showing gender equality is concerned.

Your post inspires me to make a post on a similar subject too.

And yes, you might like the following video:

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

The video is about a woman purchasing condom... about creating awareness.

Keep it up!

COMMUNI January 21, 2010  

Nice post. Hope these ad makers understand they do have a role to play in the making of the mindset of kids.

sm,  January 22, 2010  

Apanatva,
thanks

sm,  January 22, 2010  

Chandrika Shubham,
thanks

sm,  January 22, 2010  

Antarman,
yes you are right,
thanks

sm,  January 22, 2010  

Shas,
thanks

BK Chowla, January 22, 2010  

Your observation is right, but the mind set has to change at home front.
Ads show exactly who influences the product.

radha January 22, 2010  

I never gave it a thought. I shall observe the ads closely. But I differ in that these days the female models are wearing fewer clothes - LOL - if that is progress in thought!. I was joking. I guess some roles will remain stereotyped even if it is not so in real life.

Anonymous,  January 22, 2010  

gender inequality starts from birth itself. pinks for girls, blue for boys, cars for boys, dolls for girls, kitchen set for girls, mechanoes for boys and so on.
in some families the food which is given to girls and boys also differs, boys need for more nourishment so they are given the lion's share of food, whereas girls are given the left overs.
the children comes to know about the differences in sexes right from childhood
of course various advertisements strengthens the discrimination

sm January 22, 2010  

Dhiman,
thanks in your last line you said it all.

sm,  January 22, 2010  

Shabnam Sultan,
thanks

sm,  January 22, 2010  

Neha,
thanks.I believe you as your comments are always straightforward, just like our other blogger friends.

sm,  January 22, 2010  

Haresh,
thanks for the video link.
eager to read your new post.

sm,  January 22, 2010  

COMMUNI,
thanks you said it all in few lines.

sm,  January 22, 2010  

BK
yes you are right,but the problem in India is lack of awareness and no one is ready to talk or understand it.

sm,  January 23, 2010  

radha,
thanks

sm,  January 23, 2010  

anjugandhi,
thanks for adding all the points.

Insignia January 24, 2010  

Its stereotyping....Advertising agencies must realize that ads are followed and they set examples and that they shouldn't set wrong example....

People lack awareness.....

sm,  January 24, 2010  

Insignia -
yes people lack awareness
correctly said should not set wrong example.
thanks

Mrs P April 23, 2010  

This is a very interesting issue to me, bringing up two young girls and trying not to impose stereotypes. Thanks for the topic!

sm,  April 24, 2010  

Really Rachel,
thanks

Unknown April 29, 2010  

Its true that Gender inequality starts from home,between husband and wife,brother and sister,friends.Individual and minors initiative would surely eradicate this problem.
"In September the governments of the world will meet at the UN to present their assessments on the status of MDGs in their respective countries. Annie Raja, General Secretary of the National Federation of Indian Women, wants the Government of India to make the effort to understand the concerns of civil society. Before the Government of India makes its presentation on MDGs at the UN, we demand that our views be taken into consideration.

http://bit.ly/dl9Cgt"

sm,  April 30, 2010  

online,
thanks

moumita ueki,  November 10, 2010  

i am really in love with u now!!!!XD
thanks

sm,  November 11, 2010  

moumita ueki,,
thanks.