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Acknowledgements
This thesis could not have been completed without the time, help, advice and
energy of numerous people.
I am extremely indebted to Zhou Shipei, my supervisor, whose academic
support and emotional encouragement are helpful for me. I would like to thank him
for providing valuable guidance, advice and suggestions, for enlightening me on the
subject of Analysis on Sexism in Contemporary American Advertisements, for
answering my troublesome questions, for letting me realize that even the slightest
mistake is not permissible in paper writing. I am very grateful to his kind and
generous help.
I would like to thank my friend, Chen Xiao, for borrowing me books and
materials from his library in Xiamen University, for sharing his thesis-writing
experience with me. I’d like to thank my classmate, Xu Rongping, for answering my
email messages, for handing my typescript in, for all his help.
My special thanks are due to my parents. Their material and spiritual support is
the power with which I can go through the toughest moment not only in writing this
paper but also in my life.
Ⅰ. Introduction
As we all know, sexism is always a serious problem all over the world, even in
the United States. Since females are exposed to sexism at an early age, it doesn’t
bother them anymore, because they think it isn’t seriously being committed.
Many famous theses on sexism have been written. Some discuss the sexism in
languages, some focus on the history, some care about the society, and so on. I have
read some relative theses and learnt something from them. This article analyses on
sexism in Contemporary American Advertisements from various angles.
B. Reasons of sexism
According to American Traditional Dictionary, sexism refers to discrimination
based on gender, especially discrimination against women: attitudes, conditions, or
behaviors that promote stereotyping of social roles based on gender. Traditional
sexism is common in both eastern and western world. Some experts believe that
sexism originates in family. If there is only one chance for education, this chance is
surely given to boys in the family. In their youth, girls have to help their mother with
housework. After they get married, they must take care of their father and mother.
Later, taking care of the children is part of their job. Very often, wealth, resource and
authority are under men’s control, women are chronically in a subordinate position. In
drastic social competition, women are always in an inferior position. In this case,
woman’s value is submerged in their dual-role in family and society.
The main reason of sexism is the physiological difference between male and
female. Such difference leads to different labor distribution, especially in primary
society when social productivity of labor is in a low level. In modern society, the
distribution of power in society is still dominated by men - men earn more money
than women; men own more property, men take out many more mortgages than
women and men are still seen as physically stronger. Most companies prefer male
staff to female staff. In economic activities such as production, distribution, exchange
and consumption of materials information, women have been in a subordinate
position. Consequently, status of women is improved quite slowly, that is why sexism
has been always a big problem in society.
Ⅴ. Conclusion
This essay only deals with sexism in American advertisements. But sexism is a
common phenomenon all over the world. It is the time women were treated equally to
men. The only winners in these types of advertisements are the advertisers
themselves, who make money when you buy the product. There needs to be a public
awakening, for sexism should not be used in any situation, especially not to sell
products. Advertisers need to take responsibility for their own actions and to end this
type of exploitation. If they do not, consumers can always force them. After all, we
have the sense and the right to decide to buy or not. Women are just as capable as any
man when doing any job, whether it is logical, physical or skilful. Women do have
opinions and ideas and can easily and quickly apply themselves to any situation of
task that faces them. I think that both men and women should put an end to sexism, so
future generations can live better without the discrimination against women that we
have currently.
References
张若兰.英语中的语言与性别差异探讨.广州大学学报(社会科学版).2003.
Julie Jacobson. Ex-model declares war on 'creeping sexism' in ads. 2007, from:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10442046
Michael F. Jacobsen&Laurie Anne Mazur. Sexism and Sexuality in Advertising, from:
http://www.personal.kent.edu/~glhanson/readings/advertising/womeninads.htm
Ronnie Romero, from:
http://www.umich.edu/~sapac/sia/2007/WakeboardNebraska.html
Shafeeq Sadiq. Racism and Sexism in Advertising. 1997, from:
http://www.deltacollege.edu/org/deltawinds/DWOnline97/racismandsexisminad
s.html
Trisha Grover&Duluth YSA. Advertising: System of Sexist Oppression, from:
http://www.geocities.com/youth4sa/advertising.html