Advertisements degrade women

Every day, Americans are bombarded with about 3,000 advertisements, according to Jean Kilbourne in her movie, "Killing Us Softly."

What a title huh? I bet you're thinking, "Why in the world would a movie about advertising be called that?"

Ironically, or actually not so ironically, I can't think of a title more appropriate. The movie critiques how mainstream advertising portrays women. Through dozens of examples of ads, Kilbourne proves that advertising by adhering to society's expectations, belittles women and in a way, kills women's self images, hopes and pride.

Watching the ads containing ridiculously skinny women in submissive poses with barely any clothes on and legs spread all over the place, I realized that I do in fact see ads like this every day and never stopped to think twice about the psychological impact they have.

Now I realize, just what kind of message does that send to American society? That women shouldn't be proud of their bodies unless their at least six feet tall, 140 pounds with striking cheek bones and long, silky hair? That we are still not as equal as men and are less important than our male counterparts in today's society?

That we should use our bodies to get what we want? It's absurd these are the messages that can be gathered from an advertisement for an alcoholic beverage, jeans beauty products and countless other items.

Looking at ads like these over and over, women and girls can't help but think that because their figures don't meet the standards set in the advertisements, then they don't fit within society's expectations of females.

Advertisements for tobacco products are required to contain a Surgeon General's Warning on them explaining how hazardous the products are to one's health. Mainstream advertising is just as dangerous to women's health and well-being as smoking a cigarette and should also be required to include a Surgeon General's Warning which should read: Warning! This advertisement is in no way realistic and attempting to look or act like the models in this ad is extremely dangerous to one's physical and mental health and is not advised under any circumstances.

We can affect change in advertising methods through a cause and effect process. Advertising is the driving force behind America's media because it pays the bills. Advertisers are going to create ads which appeal to American society. Therefore, if we as consumers don't respond to ads, then advertisers are going to change them, and, essentially, the ads carried by the media and presented to society will change.

Women have made so much progress in the last century. We don't have to rely on our sexuality to get what we want. We don't have to rely on males to take care of us. It's unfortunate and outright disturbing that advertisers still portray women this way. More so, it's sad female models agree to be displayed to society in this way.

That is exactly why contemporary advertising is killing us softly. It's killing our self-esteems and our hopes for ourselves. We must take a stand and force advertisers to get their heads out of the sand and look at the bigger picture.

I mean, come on, does a beautiful woman in a bathtub really bathe in a bathtub full of Evian water?

Do women really keep alcohol bottles between their legs?

Get in touch with reality.