A women’s studies class at the University of Sasketchewan made this provocative video which questions commonly perpetuated stereotypes about gender in media. Pointing out that women are often in a subjugated position — turned into objects themselves, along with whatever object they’re supposedly selling, placed in prone, sexually provocative poses — the video connects violent images in the media with their real-life consequences. From the beginning of advertising, there have been ads that have capitalized on female sexuality, gender stereotypes and violence against women
To challenge the standard gender-repressive images most advertising continually puts women and men into, the University of Sasketchewan class decided to flip the switch, producing images that reverse and play against traditional advertising tropes. Instead of a woman with her head placed next to a shoe with the text “keep her where she belongs†(presumably under your thumb), the class made a parody image, featuring a shirtless man laying prone next to a drill, emblazoned with the phrase “Keep him where he belongs.â€
Take a look at some of the video's gender reversals.+ They're not threatening, sexy or dangerous. They're funny. Because that's how we culturally interpret a man in a "woman’s role." It's comedy, eh? [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaB2b1w52yE&sns=em[/youtube]
