Stereotypes in advertising

There's something in this to annoy feminists and masculinists alike

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4204412.stm

 

Funny, as an "expert" on human behavior via sexuality (hardy har har) I'll attempt to answer these, according to nothing more scientific than my own family.





1. Men are obsessed with sex but will forego sex in order to watch football or drink beer. Yes, my dh IS sex obsessed, but I am sure my walking through the room wearing saran wrap, during the play offs wouldn't even faze him.

2. Women are locked in a constant battle with their weight/body shape/hairstyle. Not me.

3. Career success is entirely based on your ability to impress your boss. Neither of us. I don't even have a boss.

4. Mums are often harassed but NEVER depressed/unable to cope. Regularly depressed, both of us.

5. Any act of male stupidity (e.g. walking across a clean floor in muddy boots, putting the dog in the dishwasher, etc.) will be met with a wry smile, not genuine annoyance/anger. NO wry smiles here, if I wash a damn floor, keep your dirty boots OFF of it, at least for a day or so.

6. Married men will flirt with other, younger women but NEVER act upon it. Flirting, I don't care. He wouldn't act on it.

7. Anyone with a scientific career will have a bad haircut and dreadful clothes. My dh is an Electrical Engineer. You should SEE the way this man dresses. And he gets those $8.00 hair cuts. Once a year, whether he needs it or not. Can't see paying more than that for it.

8. If you work for the emergency services, you are a better person than the general population. My FIL was a fire fighter and a Fire Cheif. Although I am sure he did fine work in the Field, he is, by far, the rudest man I have ever known in my life.

9. Elderly relatives NEVER suffer from senile dementia. My mother remembers shit that never happened and doesn't remember things that did.

10. Scandinavians are, without exception, blonde and beautiful. I don't know any.

11. Women have jobs they never do in real life, e.g. dockworker (who looks like a model). I had a client who was a road repair worker. Aside from that, I don't know.

12. Children will not eat fruit or vegetables. Ever. Three out of four of my kids will.

13. Both men and women find driving deeply pleasurable, never boring or stressful. I HATE to drive, and invent new swear words while doing it. It doesn't usually bother my dh, unless there is a LOT of traffic.

14. Men are inherently lazy/slobbish; women are the reverse. Both my dh and I are lazy and slobbish, but, to be honest, he IS worse than I am.

15. Chocolate, however, will cause women to immediately fall into the languor of the opium eater. Glughlughhuihhghliuhhglughh (Homer Simpson like noise.) TRUE.

16. High Street bank staff are (A) friends of the customers, and (B) of slightly above-average attractiveness (only if female). No idea.

17. Modern men own a cat. My dh hates cats.

18. Hot beverages have miraculous rejuvenating effects. Eh.

19. Professional people have strangely trivial preoccupations, e.g. a female barrister who is morbidly obsessed with finding a healthy snack bar. Huh?

20. All women (except stay-at-home housewives) have interesting and enjoyable careers. MOST people have jobs. Not carreers. I have an interesting job, but there isn't much money in it, and most people don't find it all that interesting. Not like I'm a marine biologist or something.

21. Any over-the-counter medical product will work instantly and 100% effectively. Pssht.

22. Children know more than adults. Not in MY house.

23. Women never merely hop in and out of the shower, instead preferring to act out some sort of soapy Dance of the Seven Veils. I have four kids, I have prefected the 4 minute shower. (A little longer if I shave.)

24. School is a happy experience for all children. OMG.

25. Tortilla chips are the most exciting experience any group of young people can experience. If only....26. Playing bingo is THE number one pastime among 18-25 year old British women.No idea, I'm American.

 

my little sister is getting her union card working the docks in the port of LA. she also renovates homes for money, and she's ADORABLE.

 

This is a BBC article, eh? I didn't write it.

 

I have a perfect solution for all stupid advertisements-I don't watch/read them!!!

 

i DO come from a pretty extraordinary family.

 

I hate that sort of advertising...one that sums it up for me (i think it was for household cleaner)

mum finishes cleaning the kitchen, gives a satisfied sigh. in come her sons in their rugby jerseys and make themselves hotdogs, spilling sauce etc everywhere. mum just clucks affectionately and cleans up saying 'boys will be boys'

then another satisfied sigh - the kitchen's clean again! but what's this? here comes dad, in an identical rugby jersey. He makes himself a hotdog, gets shit everywhere and mum smiles and says 'boys will be boys' and cleans up after him.

fucking hell, what a load of arse. Everyone associated with adverts like that should be shot out of a cannon and into the firey ball of the sun.

 

well said, i concur.

i hate the fat ugly husband with hot skinny wives...

 

The issuse that Blondes have more Fun, probably because im not a blonde, i married a blonde and believe me they aren't more fun .................

 

Maggie Sugar , that was awesome I agree, I am a mother of three children includes twin girls and a son, had them all under the age 2yrs, I totally agree and it was fun to read

 

it's actually a proven fact that they only THINK they're having more fun...