Killing us Softly: Women in Advertising

Back in University when I was taking various advertising and media courses, I remember my professor screened a video during lecture called, "Killing us Softly" which deconstructed the way women are portrayed in advertising. I remember absolutely loving the film and I was lucky enough to come across a part of it today on YouTube (isn't YouTube just GREAT?)

Within the film, Jean Kilbourne takes a fresh look at how advertising traffics in distorted and destructive ideals of femininity. The film marshals a range of new print and television advertisements to lay bare a stunning pattern of damaging gender stereotypes - images and messages that too often reinforce unrealistic, and unhealthy, perceptions of beauty, perfection and sexuality. The film challenges a new generation to take advertising seriously, while thinking critically about popular culture and its relationship to sexism, eating disorders, and gender violence. Definitely a must see if you can get your hands on it! For now, here's a great clip:

- Jennie

Why I Detest Cosmo

When I was a young, naive, teenage girl, I remember my mom would tell me that she'd purchase any magazine I wanted from Shoppers Drug Mart before our annual vacation to the East Coast so I'd have something to read in the car. My immediate response would always be, "I want a Cosmo!" (because all the cool girls my age were reading it.) My mom would hand me the desired magazine and I'd slightly blush as I read some of the cover headlines... things such as: "Our Most SHOCKING Sex Survey!", "Sex Sessions that End in the ER!" and, "How to Make your Man BEG for More!" With such smutty articles inside, it's a wonder my mom bought these trashy mags for me at all!

But she did, and so began my desire to be the BEST woman I could possibly be so that I could hook, snag, and keep the perfect man.

I groan inside when I think about how horribly naive and stupid I was back then. I let these magazines totally brainwash me into believing that I had to act and look a certain way to appeal to the opposite sex. In order to have ANY semblance of self worth I had to follow Cosmo's ridiculous work-out and diet regimens, I had to perform incredible sexual acts in bed, and if all else failed, the last pages of Cosmo always provided advertisements on plastic surgery for a quicker fix to perfection.

These magazines made me feel terribly insecure and inadequate. How would any guy EVER want to date me if I wasn't a size 4? I had never even kissed a guy before, let alone "make him scream with pleasure" behind closed doors! And the beautifully airbrushed women on the cover (who I was supposed to relate to) had nothing in common with me at all. Was this how I was supposed to look like if I wanted to attract a man? Apparently so.

As a much older (and hopefully wiser) woman, I now see the mind-games and manipulation at work in magazines like these that target themselves towards a demographic of impressionable, insecure young girls. Despite Cosmo's claims that their articles will change your love life, I now see that the brightly coloured (in every hue of pink imaginable) pages did not contain any award winning literature or life changing advice.

The #1 Secret of Confident Chicks, eh? Not likely.

I recently picked up a friend's Cosmo and was appalled by what I found. Of the 247 pages in the October 2009 issue (You know, the one with Megan Fox airbrushed, photo-shopped with her soulless stare on the cover), 140 pages were full page ads, 15 of them before you even get to the table of contents. This means that the magazine is just over 56 percent ads (all beauty products and clothing that will make your supposed drab and dull self appeal more to the bearded sex.) Of the roughly $20 you would pay for a year long subscription, you would be paying about $11.33 for the ads.

Cosmo just made me do math, which is another reason on my long list of why I detest them.

This doesn't even include all the pseudo-ads that look like an article at first, or even the ads that are clearly just promotional. The 'article' "All Night Long" was just a thinly veiled promotion for 12 products you can use to cover up any signs that you just got laid.

Oh, and don't get me started on the sex advice. Most of the "expert" advice in the articles tell young readers "don't bite that" and "don't put a finger in there." The worst part of all this advice is that most of it is given with the reasoning that your man will like and want this, and you must do these things to keep him. Decades of feminism and the strife of hundreds of women just went right down the drain.

"Bad girl sex - 12 moves to show him your really naughty side."

"His girlfriend wish list - Do you have these nine surprising traits?"

"50 sex tricks - Trust us: You'll be the first girl naughty enough to try #43 on him."

The only advice not centered around pleasing a man is the workout advice, and even then it is to tone your body to make him happy. Scour an entire year's worth of Cosmo and you might have enough literature that is legitimate self-empowering to fill a napkin.

And by self-empowering, I mean things like, "Hair that says 'Hire me!'", where you can forget about a well written resume and experience, as long as you have a stylish new bob or the right highlights, you'll be hired in no time!

The sad thing is, every Cosmo magazine is a cookie-cutter version of the next. They all aim to make a girl feel horrible about the way she naturally looks. They claim enhancements are vital if she is to ever go anywhere in life. And if you don't follow these tips? Well, you'll surely become an old spinster in a lonely corner with 12 cats and your grey roots showing for the world to see.

Cosmopolitan covers look painfully airbrushed. Take for instance, Britney Spears on the August 2010 issue. I understand that making Britney Spears look anything less than a mess is no easy task. But in this installment of Photoshop Experiments Gone Bad, I wish Cosmo would have been a tad less liberal with their magic wand.

The August cover features Britney's head and Britney's (airbrushed) body, but as two totally separate entities. It's as if they took half of the image from one shot, and the other half from a different shot, then cut and pasted them together, ransom-note style. In fact, that's pretty much exactly what they did.

How could Cosmo allow this cover to go to print? Unlike other photoshop errs, this one is impossible to miss. Could is be that they are trying to make people notice the hack job they did to poor Britney's neck?

How many times can you count the word "sex" on these covers?

So, yes, the girls on the cover of Cosmo magazine are literally Frankenstein-type versions of their real selves. What gets to me is that many young girls don't realize this. They think that these body types are real - and that's where eating disorders and severe depression steps in.

I'll admit that I have never been a size 4 in my entire life, and I probably never will be. But that's okay with me. As I've grown up I've learned to appreciate my curves, despite what the media and popular culture tell me is "sexy" and "desirable" by men. In fact, the men I've dated have all enjoyed the extra junk in my trunk that I carry around. As one boyfriend once said, "who wants to make love to a skeleton?" 

What these magazines are REALLY saying

It scares me that young girls are exposed to these image in the media today. Coupled with all the superficial television shows and movies out there now, I seriously think there should be classes within the school system at an early age that teach children (both girls and boys) that you don't have to look or act a certain way to be desired. It's okay to be a geek. It's okay to not have your ribs poking out of your chest. It's okay to just be you - whatever shape, size, or colour that you are.

Magazines like Cosmo just make me laugh today, but I do realize some people take these mags and the messages within them seriously. That's just not cool. I hope more empowering images of women of all sorts will soon grace the cover of magazines and be the new role models for impressionable young females. If not, I seriously worry for the women of the future. 

- Jennie

A B C D Environment?: How Nature is Portrayed in Children's Films

Children often form their thoughts and beliefs regarding the natural environment at a very young age, primarily through the viewing of films geared towards them.

However, as more and more children acquire video games, computers, and even cell phones, rather than bicycles, fishing poles and roller blades, their interaction with the natural environment and the outdoors becomes increasingly scarce, resulting in higher levels of childhood obesity and lower levels of environmental enthusiasm.

Over the last few years, I've noticed that, aside from several exceptions, environmental issues have become less and less discussed within children’s entertainment, while ideals of consumerism and materialism are increasingly promoted.

Still, there exist some films that promote environmentally friendly messages to the children who watch them.

“One of my favourite movies is Bambi,” said a cousin of mine, six-year-old Megan Swim. “Hunters and people who burn the forest aren’t good.”

Megan isn’t the only one who enjoyed the messages of the popular Disney film, Bambi (1942). Many environmentalists and animal-rights activists credit the movie with awaking their concern for the environment.

Who DIDN'T cry when poor Bambi's mom was shot? :(

Bambi, Walt Disney’s animated classic, is set in a lush forest in which nature is constantly unfolding. The main protagonist of this film, a young deer named Bambi, befriends a variety of forest dwelling animals, including a rabbit named Thumper and a skunk named Flower. Bambi’s life in the forest appears blissful, until one fateful morning when he and his mother are spending an afternoon in a nearby meadow and, much to Bambi’s dismay, his mother is shot and killed by a hunter. From this point on in the movie, it is made clear to children that the villains are human hunters – the epitome of evil as they spray the woods with gunfire, killing many of Bambi’s friends. The hunters (who are never really seen and only heard loudly as boisterous satanic shadows) further cause destruction and chaos within Bambi’s life as they burn down a large section of the forest, displacing the animals and destroying their homes.

More recently, several popular children’s films (from Disney as well as other corporations) continue to promote environmental messages within their plots. For example, Twentieth Century Fox’s FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992) teaches children the repercussions associated with the destruction of the rainforest. In a similar vein, within Disney’s Pocahontas (1995), the daughters of a Native American tribe chief attempts to stop the greedy white men who have come to exploit and colonize the land and steal its gold. Throughout the film Pocahontas urges the American men (particular the love interest of the film – John Smith), to recognize the importance of nature and everything that resides in it. Her message now echoes in the hearts of children everywhere through the hit song “The Colors of the Wind”, which keeps reminding them that the mountains, trees, and everything in nature is filled with spiritual life and linked in a never-ending circle.    

Pocahontas showed all viewers just how precious nature can be

In 2005, Over the Hedge illustrated to children what happens to the animals left behind after their homes have been clear-cutted to make way for new developments. TV Guide called this movie about creatures that wake from hibernation to find their forest half gone, "A sly satire of American 'enough is never enough' consumerism and blind progress at the expense of the environment." This message may go over a young child's head, yet they do understand what happened to these poor animals was bad, and that perhaps forests and the unique animals living within them are worth protecting.

How could someone not feel for these poor animals who lost their home?

Also, in one of my personal favourite movies, Wall-E (2008), Disney managed to paint the picture of an apocalyptic future dominated by endless landscapes of  garbage and completely devoid of life (save a lovable cockroach) and make it entertaining. Despite the  fact the Pixar downplayed the environmental message in the media it is clear that the last robot on earth, though mute, does indeed have a message that many children can easily understand.

Little Wall-E literally had to take care of all the dirty trash left behind by humans

Among the other movies on my six-year-old cousin's “favourite movies of all time” list, include Finding Nemo (2003) and The Little Mermaid (1989).

While these animated films may not address environmental themes so directly, they do generate empathy toward nature and wildlife.

“I like the animals in Nemo and The Little Mermaid,” said my cousin. “I didn’t want them to get hurt.”

As an advocate for all things green, as well as a lover of animals, I echo the feelings of six-year-old Megan Swim. It pleases me that there are films out there that teach young children the importance of living a green lifestyle, as well as sympathy towards animals who often suffer the brunt of selfish human behaviour. I’m hoping this trend continues in the future, with many more films that warn the future generation of the consequences of not taking care of the natural environment. 

- Jennie

Animals of YouTube sing "Deck the Halls"

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve! Can you believe it? Sorry I haven't been able to blog as much lately - things have been crazy busy here amongst the Christmas parties, shopping, baking, crafting and gift wrapping that needs to be done. I vow to blog more as soon as all the craziness dies down. In the meantime though, this YouTube clip was too cute NOT to share! Enjoy everyone! Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! :)

- Jennie

Oh Little Town of BethlahaaaAAAGGGHH!

I caught my crazy cat Tigger attacking the peaceful nativity scene under the Christmas tree. The poor baby Jesus didn't stand a chance against the monster cat paw :( Not only was there no room at the inn, but a giant black and white cat was lurking outside waiting to attack! 

To make matters worse, I found not one, but two tiny plastic reindeer near the litter box. I don't know how they got there, and it's probably best that way. *face palm*

"I can haz a Virgin Mary?"

- Jennie 

Buffy's Back - in Comic Form!

Buffy’s Back to Kick Butt
By: Jennie Nickerson

A pert, blonde, fashion-conscious young woman named Buffy seems an unlikely hero to battle the forces of evil and save humankind. Yet, it is just this girl who continually protects humanity against demonic forces, bloodthirsty vampires and the occasional heinous roommate. Born as Buffy Summers, first in a film created by producer Joss Whedon, then throughout the seven seasons of the TV series of the same name, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, this powerful young woman has attracted a cult following around the world. Women like her because she dismisses traditional gendered stereotypes of the passive, helpless female. Men like her, because, well, she looks great in leather pants while holding a crossbow. In general, however, Buffy’s fans have always respected both her supernatural strength as well as her acute sense of responsibility and athleticism. Perhaps this is why, after the program ended in its seventh season in 2003, the hearts of millions who had grown to love and relate to the mystical slayer and her gang of ‘Scoobies’ cried out for more.

It took four years, but finally, Joss Whedon and Dark Horse Comics have given Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans just what they want – more Buffy. Sure, it isn’t coming in TV sitcom form as fans are used to, but this eighth season of Buffy’s many adventures will be captured in a new medium – the comic book. While fans of the show have created Buffy spin-offs via the comic book genre in the past, the difference this time is that this authentic eighth season (which picks up a few years after the last episode of the series left off) is written by producer/writer/director Joss Whedon himself and joined by artist Georges Jeanty.

Released to the public on March 14 2007, the first story of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, entitled, "The Long Way Home – Part One" doesn’t disappoint. There's been a moderate period of time between season seven and season eight, with numerous characters having gone through varying degrees of change. Buffy, Xander, Dawn and a host of recently awakened slayers have moved to Scotland in the wake of their former home, Sunnydale, being turned into a massive crater at the end of season seven. However, a battle still rages on with the Buffy characters, as they continue to fight both literal and figurative demons while attempting to discover themselves and their duties in a new, unfamiliar home. As with the series to date, a major theme of growing up and the hardships that follow still exists strongly within the comic. With all the trials the characters have been through, a sense of adulthood has been forced upon them and it is how they deal with that which creates the drama and conflict Buffy fans are familiar with.

Buffy, herself, has transformed from a veritable loner in the early seasons of the series, to someone now evolved as both field leader and monarch of sorts. Other slayers, much to Buffy’s chagrin, now refer to her as “ma’am” – a title Buffy clearly does not appreciate as the reader can see via Whedon’s excellent use of internal caption narration that offers readers a valuable insight into her mind.

Whedon's most brilliant move in this first issue, however, is his use of Xander, the ‘heart’ of the group and now leader of Buffy's command centre. Buffy describes him as her “watcher”, which is wonderfully poetic as Xander tragically lost his eye by Buffy’s side during battle in season seven. Nevertheless, now Xander watches over Buffy via monitors that give him the ability to see things in a more multiple sense. On a much more superficial note, Xander’s eye patch is a very cool visual which, coupled with a Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D reference, suits Xander’s personality perfectly.

Xander is one bad ass mofo in Season 8!

The tone and dialogue of the comic also stays true to the series, with many little Whedon-esque quips seamlessly blending with necessary exposition and personality. The ‘voices’ of the main cast are replicated to the point where it becomes easy to hear the actors and actresses give life to the excellent artwork. This is wholly helped by the superb art partnership of Georges Jeanty, Andy Owens and Dave Stewart, all of which provide the suitable mood and clarity of storytelling to allow things to breathe, ebb and flow. Certain pages stand out, such as the first encounter with Dawn which is brilliantly laid out to portray what's happening on page without sacrificing the movement and control over time comic books allow. Also, Buffy's internal monologue afterwards, effectively displays her going through a range of emotions and obvious feelings of solitude.

My only concern with the comic book itself is that people reading without any familiarity of the series will most likely wonder what the fuss is all about. To newbies approaching Buffy for the first time, many of the inside jokes and references, as well as the significance of the ending, will be entirely lost on them. They may well shrug their shoulders and carry on unaffected by what they just read, while fans will be champing at the bit for the next issue.

Alas, this is the nature of a season 8. Not many shows on TV reach seven seasons, and Buffy should be allowed a little leeway given the large cultural impact and following it has amassed over the years. It's not going to convert newcomers straight off the bat, but at this stage, for fans who've waited so long to get their Buffy fix after initially thinking we'd seen the last of our beloved ‘Scoobies’, it's a passable flaw because the book isn’t going to be aimed directly at onlookers and the curious.

This may be Buffy in a different shape, but the essence and soul of the series remains – which is surely what many fans have wished for after four long years. With brilliant dialogue and superb artwork, The Long Way Home offers a promising eighth season of Buffy.

One Man's Unique Hobby

I wrote this profile of my neighbour, Ed McQueen, for a piece I was writing while at Sheridan two years ago. I recently uncovered it again and thought I might post it here. Ed's a great guy - still lives a few doors down and keeps up with his odd hobby. I loved interviewing him for this article. Enjoy! :)

           The beady black eyes of the beast seem to peer into one’s soul. Its fangs glisten as it widely grins, sinister and plotting on its long wooden perch, waiting for the perfect soul to steal.

Without warning, the ominous ambiance generated by the gargoyle is broken by the soft chuckle of Edward McQueen, the man who carved the little terror out of a weathered piece of driftwood found floating in a river.

“He’s a creepy little bugger, ain’t he?” asks McQueen as he shyly grins. “One of my Halloween-themed creations. My daughter adores him, but my wife can’t stand the sight of him… he gives her the chills.”

Thankfully, the menacing gargoyle is the only object producing chills in McQueen’s otherwise warm and inviting pale pink workroom. A floral pattern blooms along the walls, and bright yellow curtains edged with lace, hint at a woman’s touch. While the room is rather dainty, McQueen does not appear too out of place wearing faded light blue jeans and a dark green sweater with Canadian geese on it, suspended in flight.

Surrounded by many pictures of family and friends in this modest workroom, McQueen appears as amiable as the room itself. However, one can’t help but notice the only objects that seem out of place in the room – a large bin of wooden walking canes, with the gargoyle fiercely peering out amongst the others.

Since McQueen was a teenager, living with his parents in a small cottage in Bracebridge, Ontario, he has developed quite a strong fascination with wood, and the many objects he has learned to construct from it.

Today, at the ripe age of 46, this fascination continues. One need only take a quick look around McQueen’s house to view an assortment of wooden birdhouses, dolls, train sets, spice racks, and various other knick-knacks that testify to McQueen’s interest in all things wood.

Encircled by such an array of trinkets, it becomes easy to imagine McQueen hunched over his workbench, donning a furry red and white suit and hat, while hastily carving away at his latest wooden toy on Christmas Eve night. A comparable Santa Claus on the small street of Galloway Crescent in Mississauga where he now lives with his wife Mary and teenage daughter Jill, McQueen admits that he enjoys making playthings for his nieces and nephews, along with some other young children on the block.

“When I was young my parents couldn’t afford to buy my brother and I a lot of toys for the holidays,” says McQueen. “My dad would end up making most of our gifts. He would spend many nights hand-carving toy boats and cars for us that we would open as presents. I really admired that about him, and I guess I am trying to be the same type of person for others.”

McQueen’s youngest daughter, 19-year-old Jill, certainly appreciates her dad’s hobby, even if it may seem peculiar at times.

“None of my other friends have a father who hides away in his workroom for hours on end and comes out with odd looking trinkets made out of wood,” says Jill. “It’s cool though, some of the things he comes up with are really interesting and the kids on our street always love receiving free toys around the Christmas holidays. I especially like the walking canes he makes. I know those are his favourite.”

Not only are McQueen’s walking canes his favourite item to carve from wood, but they are also what he’s most well known for within his neighbourhood.

“I met Ed many years ago when he held a garage sale where he was selling some of his wooden canes,” recalls Brian Jones, who lives several houses down from McQueen. “Right away I was impressed by his wood work and I decided to buy a cane for my grandfather who had been searching for one. What struck me about Ed’s canes, though, were the weird figures he carved onto the top of them; some had gargoyles, while others had woodland animals or gnomes. They were really interesting and became a hit with other people in the neighbourhood who wanted one of their own.”

As word of mouth soon spread, the demand for McQueen’s peculiar wooden walking canes increased.

“I would have people I didn’t even know come up to me while I was watering the lawn, asking if my husband could make them one of his canes,” says Mary McQueen. “Ed just couldn’t say no, and over time he began to get quite a long waiting list of people who wanted one.”

It was around this time, with an alleviated demand for his now popular canes, that McQueen conjured up a plan to combine two of his favourite hobbies – woodcarving and skiing.

“I began to charge $10 per cane. With the money I saved from my work, I was soon able to afford a ski trip to Vermont with my family – something I have always wanted to do, but could never really justify spending the money on before,” says McQueen as he proudly grins and retrieves a photo album full of snapshots taken during his ski vacation. “It was a vacation I’ll never forget.”

McQueen attributes both his talent and success with his canes to his ability of seeing normal, everyday objects as creations of art waiting to be imbued with life and personality. While one person may disregard a drab piece of driftwood carelessly floating down stream, McQueen instead discovers a potential walking cane waiting to be retrieved and carved.

This unique way of viewing the world carries on to his woodwork as well. For instance, while people might cringe in fear from the forbidding gargoyles perched atop several of McQueen’s walking canes, he views them in a much more comical light.

“I never intend for them to come off looking mean – but maybe they’re just scowling to scare away any termites,” says McQueen with a large smile on his face. What a great way to think.

- Jennie Nickerson