What does it mean to be a woman? I have been asked this question and several versions of this question more times then I can count. "What does it mean to be a woman?" What is your purpose in life, as a woman?" "How is your meaning of life, different then a man's?" Every time I get asked these questions I feel pressured to give an empowering answer about women and gender equality. Well, how about this for an answer, who the hell knows? Who knows what it means to be a woman? The world’s view on what a woman should be has changed so much and is still changing. The article The Feminine Mystique written by Betty Friedan takes us back in time to the 1950s when being a women meant being a wife and a mother. If you were a woman who wasn’t those things, you were scrutinized. Friedan's article informs readers about a time when being a woman was directly related to whether or not you had a man. During these times, a woman could not think of herself as a woman, without a man. A woman had no rights, no career, and not as many opportunities as her husband did. The Feminine Mystique tells us that women often gave up their right to go to college and get an education because they were so focused on finding a man to marry. The women who did go to college went, not so they could get an education, but so they could find a husband. Up until this point in time, a woman's purpose was to find a man, make babies, and then take care of that man and those babies. If I was asked 60 years ago what it meant to be a woman, I would say being a wife and a mother.
Fast forward to the 22nd century and my answer is sure to be much different. In 2016, yes, being a woman could mean being a mother or wife. However, being a woman in 2016 could also mean being sexy, confident, strong, and a leader. (In 2016, a woman is running for president. Compare that to the 1950s when most women didn't even have careers) During the 1950s, women considered cleaning, cooking, and laundry their actual “work.” Rather then waking up every morning and leaving the house to go to work like their husbands did, they would wake up, put on an apron and proceed to do housework. In 1950, women were encouraging their friends to take on this kind of lifestyle. The kind of lifestyle when being a housewife was considered work. Today, women are no longer encouraged to take on this lifestyle but rather scrutinized for giving up the right to a career. How did we go from encouraging housewives to scrutinizing them, and how has the media been involved in sending those messages to women across the world for generations?
As drastic as the changes may be from 1950 to 2016 they still have one thing in common; media influence. The media has the power to depict their own ideas on how a woman should look, act, and think while expecting us to willingly comply. Since 1950 young girls have been growing up with a pre conceived notion about the way they should dress and the way they should behave.
In this commercial from 1957 we hear a narrator telling us about a woman’s life. He begins by telling us that she is a little girl dreaming of growing up. After she has grown, the first thing she does with her adult life is get married. In the commercial the narrator implies that because of this marriage, she lives happily ever after. After learning about her marriage, the narrator moves on to tell us about that same woman. While he mentions this woman working, the commercial shows her ironing clothes and pushing a baby stroller. Interesting that when the commercial referred to work it was specifically referring to housework and being a mother rather then an actual career. Lastly, the narrator says the words slim and attractive when describing this woman. Essentially this commercial is saying “Drink Pepsi, stay slim and attractive and get your happily ever after.” My question is, are woman who aren't slim not attractive and do they not deserve a happily ever after? To young ladies watching this commercial, they will begin to think that they need to find a man marry. They will begin to think that working consists of housework and taking care of the baby. They will begin to think that being slim and attractive is the only way to keep your husband and that precious happily ever after. Would the women from the commercial have the same happy ending if it wasn't for her husband? This commercial makes me think that answer is no, and according to Betty Friedan and The Feminine Mystique this Pepsi commercial is just one example of the way housework and being a mother was glamorized.
The second Pepsi commercial is from 2013 and features Beyonce. Unlike the commercial from 1957 there is no narrator in this commercial. In fact, the only thing we hear throughout this commercial is the lyrics to her song “Grown woman.” Some of her lyrics include “And you listen to me when I talk cause I ain’t pretendin'/ Took awhile now I understand just where I’m going/ I know the world and I know who I am 'bout time I show it.” These lyrics come from a woman who knows what she wants and is commanding the attention of those around her. The last line she sings is “I can do whatever I want.” To a young girl watching this commercial she will begin feel motivated, determined, and feeling like she is capable of whatever she could possibly dream up, the exact opposite of the type women Betty Friedan tells us about. Interestingly enough, in this Pepsi commercial, there is no mention of Beyonce’s husband, her daughter, or of her body whether it be slim, curvy, attractive or unattractive. How did we go from one extreme to another in such a short time? To needing a husband and loving housework to putting husbands second and focusing on what makes us happy. Is there a place in between? A place where women can be a wife and a mother while still having a career? Not according to the media. This is where it gets confusing to young woman like myself when we are faced with a question like “what does it mean to be a woman?”
People could say that this argument about women being confused on how to answer this question is outdated because the 1950’s were such a long time ago. However, 60 years was not as long ago as it seems. In the 1950s, my grandma was a young teenager and I was curious as to what she thought about this issue. I asked her what being a woman meant to her and she said "taking care of my kids and grand kids." She continued to tell me that one day that should also be what being a woman means to me as well. However, if I was ever given the opportunity to ask Beyonce the same question I am almost certain she would not give me the same answer. 60 years ago the media told my grandma that being a wife and a mother was her happily ever after. What happens when our grandmothers start passing their beliefs down to our generation, while at the same time, we see the media telling us to do the complete opposite? Do you see the dilemma? Who is to say that in another 60 years the media wont be telling women something completely different and another author like Betty Friedan wont be writing an article on the women of 2016 and how different they were? Who knows what it means to be woman when our view of what a woman should be is constantly changing and thrown at us through our television screens? Until the day the media stops projecting a specific woman onto our screens every generation.. Who the hell knows?
References:
Friedan, B. (1963). The Feminine Mystique (pp. 15-32). N.p.: W. W. Norton & Company, INC.
References:
Friedan, B. (1963). The Feminine Mystique (pp. 15-32). N.p.: W. W. Norton & Company, INC.
[hihihiihihih okayb]. (2013, April 9). Beyonce Pepsi Commercial - Grown Woman (2013). [Video File]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztpgEy3bCZA
Your post was very insightful. It made me take a look at my answer to the same question and rethink it. You're right. Who the hell knows? It's crazy to think that the media has such a chokehold on the way we view ourselves and what we choose to make our ideal selves out to be. Also, your article made me very disappointed in Pepsi. As a lifelong Pepsi drinker, seeing this sexist message from not so long ago makes me wonder exactly what they think about their customer base. I'm glad that things are more progressive today, even if we are still struggling to come up with an answer to your question. Excellent job!
ReplyDeleteI really liked your blog and I agree with Kelsey. It's very concerning that media can change our perceptions of what we as women are expected to do so drastically. Like you said I think this also causes a lot of confusion in women on what they think they are supposed to be like, so many different avenues that are constantly changing. Women are trying to keep up with these changes instead of just being concerned about how they what themselves to be seen and doing what they find causes them happiness.
ReplyDeleteThis blog was beautifully set up and well articulated... Who the hell knows?? I think the biggest way that I can answer all of the questions like "What is your purpose in life as a woman?" is to answer it with who the hell cares? Who cares that you are a woman or a man? Your purpose is validated whether you are a man or woman or anything in between. Take off "as a man" and the solution lies in the not needed distinction.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing I admired about your post was how you distinguished the different types of messages that target women throughout the years. It was a very drastic difference and one that I felt really needed to be pointed out. As equality gets closer and closer to a reality for women the emphasis on empowering them embeds itself into the advertisements too.