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Oct262008
The Gender factor in Indian TV commercials
Gender constructs suck big time. They just suck so much they boil my blood and make me hate every nice thing in the world. And I just wonder if they can make me, one who enjoys all the freedom in the world, so agitated then how traumatic it must be for those people who are forced to live under these constructs.
The simplest of things but they keep reinforcing such strong gender constructs that it gets harder and harder to break them. Let’s take a look at the Indian Ad films as of now though gender constructs are rampant in all kinds of media, from movies to TV serials.
There is this new TV commercial by Aamir Khan that is taking rounds. Now since it’s not yet revealed what product is being endorsed I can’t be sure of the actual message, but as of now, I don’t like what I see. Aamir is seen lost in his activities like washing clothes, cleaning dishes when he suddenly spots the camera eyeing him. Startled and annoyed he says, “apni wife ki help kar raha hun bhai, kya problem hai?” (I am helping my wife dude, what is the problem?)
I cringed at the message given out. I mean first, cleaning, washing, cooking are not your wife’s ‘work‘ and second, you ain’t ‘helping’ her by doing them. They bloody your work too so you better do them out of a sense of duty rather than favour. (On a different note, Aamir has let me down by being associated with such silly ads as Samsung’s ‘Next is what”, ’stop talking start singing’ and this present one)
Sometime back there was another ad of what product I don’t remember. The scene goes something like this: In a small family / social gathering a small kid of about 6-7 years age is asked by his proud parents to do his father’s act, “beta papa banke dikhao” (son, act like your dad) somebody says. The enthusiastic kid immediately starts acting like his father giving punch lines to each his acts. Act I - “papa office mein.” (Dad at office) - The kid is seen swiftly moving around smiling in style and attitude. Act II - papa party mein (dad in a party) and the kid starts dancing with super energy. Each time the kid puts up these acts the father is seen to be smiling ear to ear in pride. The third act - papa ghar pe (dad at home) and the kid takes off his shirt and starts moping the floor with it. The background music changes from applause to embarrassment, the smile disappears from father’s face and he is seen picking up the kid in the middle of the act and leaving the scene. A voice over is heard saying, “ho gaya na kuch alag” (There you have, something unexpected)
Why is it a matter of embarrassment that the kid revealed in front of a room full of people that his father mops floor?
In another commercial (one of the men’s formal wear like Raymonds or something) you have an office party scene where a saree clad young slender girl is seen walking when she suddenly stumbles and the man walking by her side quickly saves her from falling. In the background was standing an old man who was watching this. Camera focuses on him and a flashback begins. The ‘girl falling man saving’ act reminds the old man of his young days and how he used to save his kid daughter from falling. Flashback ends, we know the old man is her father, having found his daughter’s savior in this young man he quickly gives her hand away in marriage.
Like the daughter was his goddam property to give away. And like girls are incapable of getting up on their own when they have a fall. And like men don’t fall and break their damn bones. What is the need of having such silly portrayal of gender roles in a fabric commercial? Isn’t this attempt to evoke patriarchal sentiments in order to sell a clothing line stupid?
There is no end to this list. Why do every damn detergent powder ad feature a woman that too a married one. The most annoying of them being the one where they show a certain ‘national no pasina commission.’ Bunch of female activist seen arresting husbands because their wives sweat it out while doing laundry. I feel like puking at the ad. Can’t they think of anything else than ‘wife washing clothes?’
Funny thing is the gender constructs might not even be so true anymore in real life. But by reinforcing them through commercials, serials, movies etc. what we are doing is keeping the rule / norm alive. So, even though in real life, I know more single men who do their own laundry than I myself do or some of my married female friends do, such men are only viewed as exceptions and not as the rule / norm.
Since the norm isn’t changing a lot of these very men would switch their roles and start expecting their wives to perform these duties once they would be married. I am not saying all of them would but quite a few would.
I had once asked a male friend who has lived alone in Banglaore for 7 years and he never had a kitchen in his house. In 7 years he never cooked, only ate out or had those dabbas delivered at home. I asked, “when you’ll get married then also you’d eat out?” He said, “No. Then my wife would cook.” Like he is going to marry a domestic help who can cook and clean.
I am not a feminist in the sense I am not a male basher, I love men. But I just cannot accept any kind of role / responsibility / duty / expectation / image / behavioral standards imposed upon a woman just because she was born as a woman. I also firmly believe that no wise man with a broad mind and kind heart would accept them either.
I think as responsible human we must always speak against such gender constructs whenever we see them taking place. It is not enough that you have been able to break out of it. You must make your self heard and help others break out of it too. It becomes a special responsibility of the educated people to take a stand against unfair practices and gender constructs. Because if they don’t, another not so privileged person would be shunned by his/her peers by citing such examples as, “they follow it even when they are rich and educated, why won’t you do it”
It is high time we stop using crappy lines like, “beti paraya dhan hoti hai”; “ekbar tere haath peele kar du”; “beti pe pitah ka haq hota hai aur pitah ke baad pati ka haq hota hai”; The later one I heard in some stupid Raveena Tandon-Sunil Shetty film.
As I said this list can go on. But thankfully we do have people who think differently. There are many heartening TV commercials which has completely broken these gender constructs. 1) A mutual investment commercial where the daughter asks her dad to buy a bigger car and offers to pay for it is one such brilliant ad. 2) A hair oil ad where a slender girl with long beautiful hair turns around and we see she has a camera in hand while the background changes to that of a difficult situation implying she is a journalist or photographer, the voice over saying, “sirf khubsoorat nahi mazboot bhi hun” is again a very thoughtful ad.
In the recent film, ‘Laaga Chunri mein daag’ there is a scene where an angry Raani Mukherjee talks back in a loud tone to her sister in presence of their parents during dinner time at the dining table. She then throws her plate away and walks out of the room. What follows is simply one of the best scenes I have seen in Bollywood. The father (played by Anupam Kher) is left wide eyed and speech less with admiration for his daughter, with a faint smile round the corner of his lips he says, “baabuji ki yaad aa gayi, aawaz mein wohi ruab, aur gussa aata to woh aise hi khana chhor ke chale jaate the” (I am reminded of father, same strength in the voice and he too used to leave food like that when angry)
A middle class man from Banaras with two daughters and his elder daughter reminds him of his father - respect to the person who wrote this scene. We need more of these please.
The views expressed in this post are those of the writer and are not necessarily endorsed by Mutiny.in
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Singhal Louis
001
11:20 pm
People who read your last line will have no problem in judging that you are a thorough sexist.
All you want to do is view things a particular way and thats why you find faults with everything. The problem is that you freak out at responsibilities. Seriously, go see a physchologist.
Aamir says that he is helping his wife. That does not mean that the wife does all the chores herself. When you say that Mr. Ratan Tata built an empire and I was a part of the team that helped, does not mean that Mr Tata will be doing all the manual labour. It just means that he is responsible for his empire and also that he would get credit for it.
There are different responsibilities for the 2 different genders. That is why god created them with different strenghts and weaknesses. The same applies to all the other ads you mentioned.
Now if you dont want to end up all alone, in a mental asylum, I suggest you trying having a bit more of a broader outlook about life and its subjects. Do some dhyaan, if you have to. And the first para was a cracker. By the time i finished the article, it had me in splits… All the best gal. Take care, and a Happy Diwali.
Manan Singhi
002
11:25 pm
Honestly Sanjukta,
While I agree with you that I am as much for equality of women as is any other like-minded person on this planet, I seriously think you over-reacted. Were you the brunt of a gender joke just before you started writing this blog. It’s just a guess considering how upset you seem to be…you seem to be very angry at whatever has been going on.
In my opinion, however, there is nothing wrong with a woman doing the household work - it’s what they are best at. If it were left up to men, we’d probably end up making a thorough mess of the entire situation, and a woman would have to sort out the mess that we would have left behind. I am sure the womenfolk must be used to this ‘cleaning up the mess’ act that we men are so apt at doing.
Having said that, there are certain things that men can do better and will continue to be good at it. That doesn’t however mean that only men can do it - no. Women are more than welcome to try their hand out at certain things. It’s a similar situation when men try and lend a hand to whatever a wife is doing in the kitchen (remember that he is just helping and in no way can substitute a woman’s handiwork - simply because he is not good enough to do it).
Much of the stuff that you see on TV (which you describe as gender bias) is because that is what the common human being in our country is used to seeing. Even today, in a country that still sports child marriages and fights on religious issues and casteism, it’s very difficult for companies to move away from the target audience and dissociate them from what is going on or is perceived to be going on around the country.
While I agree with you that we definitely do need to get rid of the sentiment that womenfolk should not be treated as second-class citizens, or parents should not consider it ill-luck that they have a daughter, or any of the filmi statements (haath peele and whatnot) need to be flushed out of the system…I feel your article went a little over the top.
There are certain things that women can do, and certain things that they can’t, as is the case with men - let’s face reality and live with it. Don’t get angry….I’m not…
Manan
Something that will probably enrage you even more is this post here…keep in mind, that it’s just like any other blog - an opinion…read it with an open mind….and please - don’t get angry
http://hefspeak.blogspot.com/2008/09/women-drivers-my-hatred-for-their.html
almostinfamous
003
5:51 am
is my comment is held up in moderation or lost in the void. WTF? i am a registered user….
and manan your post also… WTF????????? Louis Singhal.. a hundred WTFs!!!
@ sanjukta: in fact i think that instead of your ‘disclaimer’ above about loving men and not being a man-basher should be removed. males, as the dominant gender for various reasons - primarily due to usurpation- need as much bashing they can get. i say this as a male, who understands feminist thinking and generally agrees with it. even the parts where i struggle to agree with the feminist mode of thinking are more due to social conditioning(read: brainwashing - clear example mr singhal above) than any logical reasoning.
rejish
004
10:47 am
reading this mail suddenly strikes me of shobha de …
and here comes one more article of her …
cleaning washing is sttill the work of the good hose wifes in india .. if u dont like doing it then please dont stop others from doing it …
sanjukta
005
11:06 am
@almost
Ya do you see how sad it is. I tried giving that disclaimer so that people don’t think I am being biased but sigh.
AC
006
11:23 am
I think Sanjukta is right. The “men are not good at housework” is just an excuse…if they had no option, or they were to be in fear of social ostracism or violence of in laws and spouse (violence is not always overt or physical, remember), they would be good at housework. Are not the best chefs, the most HIGHLY PAID ones, mostly men? Forget Michelin chefs, is not your humble chhole bhature wala, who cooks daily, a man? Is not your dhobi a man? Do we not have male airline stewards taking care of passengers? Do we not find office boys at establishments and offices sweeping and mopping floors? Are not most waiters who serve meals men? They do it well…because they have no choice.
Women can be engineers and doctors, then are men such retards that they cannot be homemakers? Everywhere we go we hear men’s chest thumping declarations about being the “superior gender”, then why is it that women can do what men can and men cannot do what women can?
Take the choice away from men, like it has been taken away from women, have the entire society pass comments on what bad spouses they are because they do not cook and clean, and then see what good housekeepers men are. You will be in for a surprise
Anannya Deb
007
11:30 am
Advertising and films revolve around stereotypes for everything - gender, communities, professions, everything - The hardworking housewife, the long-suffering mother, the “bold” city girl, the rich spoilt brat, etc.
Unfortunately, there is a vicious cycle involved. By playing these stereotypes on and on, these images get reinforced over and over again.
One of the biggest stereotypes is shown in all the Fairness cream ads - marriage of a girl held up because of dark skin; girl cannot get into a beauty contest because of black skin; now even men are finding it difficult to attract “babes” because of their dark skin.
It is simply filth and complete lack of sensitivity.
While some of the comments made by the author are a little too hot-headed, there is a lace of truth in what she says.
What is to be blamed? Producers and advertisers claim that this is what “sells”. In fact, when Rakesh Roshan did a film called “Khoon Bhari Mang” where Rekha played a woman who was wronged and finally became killer, it was called a very “bold” film. Rituparno Ghosh and Madhur Bhandarkar seem to be making a lot of films with women-centric characters - and they are considered to be “radical” film makers.
I remember in a Koffee with Karan episode, Shabana Azmi told Karan that she would not have done Jaya Bachchan’s role in Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham because the character was a stereotype and she did not connect with it anyway.
Not much one can do about this I think
why?
008
11:41 am
I agree. But, i was just wondering, most of the ads which have been mentioned in the post have been immense hits and liked by the audience, wonder what it talks abt our audience.
I dunno how far the producers of the ads or films can be blamed. They go by what sells. If people dont take it anymore, they wudnt go near it. But one cud argue that it is the responisbility of the producers to guide the audience….wonder what can be done abt this. i guess it has to change on its own in a slow manner…
sanjukta
009
11:44 am
@Ananya
Why can’t much be done about it? If everybody had the guts to think like Shabana Azmi then a lot can be achieved. All of us should have a responsibility to put our foot down and refuse to be associated with anything that reinforces these patriarchal norms.
Anannya Deb
010
11:59 am
@Sanjukta #009
It’s all about money, honey (pardon my “sexist” cliche. If you get paid lots of money to play such stereotype roles, in a cut throat industry, you will take it up.
sanjukta
011
12:08 pm
@Anannya
I don’t think its so much about money at least when it comes to people like Jaya Bacchan, Shabana Azmi, or Aamir Khan… It’s about having the guts to hold a so called “radical” opinion and be vocal about it. Its about mentality…
Anyway, the Bacchan family is anyway a horrendously patriarchal family, nothing new about it, good thing is its the same Karan Johar who has broken many cliches in Bollywood, in his other films. Including dealing with Homosexuality.
AC
012
1:47 pm
@ Annanya
IS it about money? Shabana Azmi refused a role she did not believe in, and Jaya Bacchan took it up. To my knowledge, Jaya Bacchan is married to one of the wealthiest and most successful stars in the film industry, she is not exactly standing in the breadline. And though Ms Azmi too has a successful husband, well…”Big B.” is the “ultimate”.
Something is wrong here, do explain….I should think maybe Shabana Azmi would have done it for the money…..
shantanu.dutta
013
1:52 pm
HDFC Standard Life’s “sar uttha ke jiyo” has some very refreshing imagery about a dad saving up for his daughter’s education - no, not her marrige, a daughter buying a new car for her retired parents who have a battered Fiat which they cant afford to upgrade and some othes…
Anannya Deb
014
3:02 pm
Money is definitely a big factor if you include the entire industry - TV serials, films, ads. Shabana Azmi and Aamir Khan may be exceptions but if you take all the women who act in Ekta Kapoor’s K serials - when you are getting 50K per day (minimum) and are being seen by millions every night playing one of those stereotype roles as against meandering in the wilderness of strugglers, the choice is quite obvious
Kyunki Saas… became a hit so many similar serials came up. TV audiences across the country lapped them up. These TV serials have their own ridiculous Star Parivaar Awards - the best “bahu”, the best “saas”. Advertisers use the icons as part of their campaigns; these actresses campaign for political parties as “Aapki Bahu” etc.
As I said it is a vicious cycle. Where does it start? And where does it end? In my view, any solution if any should be from the demand side. If demand falls, automatically supply will be cut. So if people stop patronising such entertainment, hopefully, they will make less of it. But it is difficult to create such a mass movement of rejection.
1conoclast
015
3:14 pm
Anannya,
I think the point Sanjukta is making is that not everyone is in it for the money. That’s all. Those who can rise above the mundane get our admiration. That’s all.
sanjukta
016
3:17 pm
Exactly 1con, only you understand me
hoku
017
4:48 pm
Singhal Louis@
>There are different responsibilities for the 2 different genders. That is why god created them with different strenghts and weaknesses. The same applies to all the other ads you mentioned.
Ha Ha Ha Ha!
Joke of the Century.
Sorry! I did not know you are a prophet and god revealed his intent to you.
1conoclast
018
5:44 pm
sanju…
Thanks.
Some understand. Some lose.
http://mutiny.in/2008/10/22/ban-the-mns/#comment-63315
One thing to always remember is what Gandhiji said: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”
Although I’m very very disappointed in you for taking potshots at Aamir. He’s a good human being who is not afraid of taking a stand. Remember the Medha Patkar support that he drew so much flak for. He’s got more guts than others. Besides he’s a semi-genius cinema wise. At least he didn’t stoop as low as Ratan Tata did…!
sanjukta
019
6:04 pm
1con,
No one would ever know what Aamir means to me and how much respect I have for him, Yes, he is the rarest of rare who do have the guts to take a stand…that’s why am disappointed. Had it been anybody else I would have probably even ignored. I been watching these ads for sometime but never felt like writing about until it was Aamir’s association.
My issues with him apart, let a third person say one thing against him and I’ll defend him with my life
Seema
020
9:26 pm
That was a great post!. I never saw these ads from your viewpoint before and now thinking back, Yes, in a way they are biased in all sense. If I may present this in another way, there are some things in which women excel and I think household work is one of them. Not saying that men cannot do it, they can but they are not good at it. This might ridicule many men but yes, you guys suck big time in so many things!..Time and again it has been proved that women have a much more higher threshold for subsistance and can do a better job. Guys just can’t accept that fact and it is just a defence mechanism to put women down.
So Females, just face it that men are not good at some things so let them continue with their regular office jobs and cricket watching or whatever..Why do you want your house to be in a mess
@ Singhal Louis : “Now if you dont want to end up all alone, in a mental asylum, I suggest you trying having a bit more of a broader outlook about life and its subjects. Do some dhyaan, if you have to”
Errr… I don’t think the author solicited any personal advise from readers. what do you mean by ending up alone and in a mental asylum. So if you are alone you are a mental case and if have someone then you are sane? Get your thoughts right buddy!
@1con: You know there was a time when I really misjudged you(from your comments on previous mutiny posts) but realised it was a mistake.. Apologies
sanket
021
11:57 pm
Couldn’t agree more. Well written.
Cris
022
12:23 am
I read some of the comments not all and was increasingly annoyed. I dont call myself a feminist. I believe each individual should be free to do what he/she wants to - if it means cooking then that, if farming, then that! A woman doing cooking doesnt raise any issue as long as she wants to and likes it and its not something she was forced to do because she was a woman. Same goes with men.
But our world is so far from accepting it seeing these comments - people have not come to terms with the fact that women and men are both humans! Living together sharing this place. Noone was born to do a set of responsibilities, he or she has certain commitments in life, certain duties to the society and world in general but not ones imposed by a world who thinks members of one gender should do this and nothing but this.
Take a scenario where you have a married couple. The wife not working and looking after home and the husband working - was not something people questioned. They say oh ok. But imagine the other way around - a husband saying “oh I look after the kids and keep the house, my wife works in this big place, we are doing good” - if/when something like that happens, you can expect the same kind of embarrassment the ad you mentioned of the kid mimicking his dad at home (but this ad if played by a woman - kid mimicking mommy and mommy embarrassed of moping becomes not a gender biased one, but a labor-biased). People, men and women both are not ready to accept certain things - I cant blame them, they were born and brought up to think that way. It takes a lot of individuality to think beyond the set and imposed totally mislaid policies of the world around us.
Cris
023
12:28 am
oh by the way I dont like people throwing their food and plates away, its a lot of work for someone else. And quite nasty. I think both Anupam Kher’s dad and his daughter need some manner-lessons. Hmm.
Raj
024
3:23 am
nice post.. well done…
for all the guys wo didnt lik this post.. imagine wat do u feel after seeing the Fair & Handsome ad… the guy gets sum stupid chick givin him roses after he becomes fair…think its ridiculous… stupid… disgusting.. perhaps u wondering if wat they r sayin is true??
women have been subjected to such ads all this while.. u think they like it???
and on th lighter side…
seema… sanjukta was being feminist… i think every1 should be one.. but aren’t u bordering on being anti - men with the ‘guys suck at so many things’ comment
sanjukta
025
3:32 am
@Raj
Anti men..no way I already said am not a male basher, damn I LOVE men
Seema
026
3:34 am
@Raj: There you go..you summed it up with the fair and lovely ad.
Hey I was not being anti-men, if i was then I would have said “guys suck at “everything” :-).. And seriously Sanjukta is not a feminist either. She is proving it by her eternal love for Aamir Khan!
sanjukta
027
3:47 am
@AC on comment no. 6
I think you put it best. I couldn’t have countered this “we don’t do it coz we are not good at it” argument any better.
@Seema,
I don’t think its right to say “there are some things in which women excel and I think household work is one of them”
If you’d read AC’s comment you’d realize how flawed is this argument that women are good at only certain things (read staying home and doing jhaado bartan) and men are good at certain other things (read going out and having fun)
They don’t do it because they think its not their responsibility not because of quality.
Seema
028
4:08 am
@Sanjukta, AC: That is exactly the reason why I said they excel in it.. Being good is one thing and being excellent is another thing. Also office boys cleaning the office cannot be compared with regular house cleaning and other chores because they are monotonous. Household work, be it cooking or doing dishes and laundry is flexible to situations and in my view only women are better adaptive to flexibility. Give it as a “routine step by step” work to guys and they will do a good job for sure. Now coming to responsibility, there are guys who think that it is their job too and there are some other guys who think they are helping out their wives.. either way they are fullfilling a responsibility (helping out their wives because they feel responsible towards her)
Ideologies may not work sometimes but being practical does.
Kaushiki Sanyal
029
2:27 pm
Really liked the post. Have had similar thoughts about the ads shown on TV, how they reinforce ridiculous stereotypes. I can’t stand the ICICI ads too where it always ends with the man putting the “sindoor” like some kind of raksha kabach. The problem is a large number of people still believe these stupid stereotypes (point to note a number of males and females commenting on your post who said women excel at house work!!!) Seriously…what century are they living in!!! But I have one issue. You seem to think being a feminist and liking men are antithetical to each other. The very fact that you believe in equality between men and women makes you a feminist. That’s the requirement of a feminist, not hating men.
Aparna
030
3:43 pm
I think the post does raise a valid point, an all too familiar point though. Ads definitely reflect and re-establish prejudiced gender conditioning. In fact, a long time ago in a interview with an admaker it was revealed that ads for home appliances like washing machines couldn’t show how they let the homemaker have extra time on her hands for herself. She had to be shown devoting the time to the family. Anything else didn’t bode well with Indian viewers. This is what a market survey had thrown up.
If ads reflect life, and it seems a sorry state of affairs, it’s also where the good news is coming from too. We are changing as a society and in our outlook and so the HDFC ad.
It will however take a much longer while though for people who believe that “there is nothing wrong with a woman doing the household work - it’s what they are best at. If it were left up to men, we’d probably end up making a thorough mess of the entire situation, and a woman would have to sort out the mess that we would have left behind. I am sure the womenfolk must be used to this ‘cleaning up the mess’ act that we men are so apt at doing.” A few decades behind aren’t we, mister? Somewhere it depends on what we have seen as we grew up.
snigdha
031
2:07 pm
Very well written, thought provoking post. Ads makers make ad to sell a product and they will make ads which people can relate to. Sad part is most of India realtes to wives washing and cleaning and Husbands enjoying TV. There are ads where a wife is worried over husbands aging heart and switches to a particular brand of oil but seldom we see an ad where a woman is seen taking care of her own health. Horlicks came up with an ad but it would have really touched my heart if they had shown that a man is showing as much care for the woman as they show in the Saffola ad. May be taking care of a woman, a house and children is not considered to be normal and thats why perhaps people take the cover of “God made woman and man in a particular way” excuse.
Good news is that there are some ads which are not sticking to the cliched but they are all city orineted ads, at least we have started and should bring change.
To all the people who are of the opinion that woman are good at house work I want to thank them becuase it proves one thing that we are good at everything. My advise to all such men is, please try to be as good, we are willing to help you.
Suburban Noise Machine
032
5:40 pm
Argh. These damned feminists. Again.
They are habituated to making molehills out of mountains. And not even the good kind of molehill to mountain transformation, you know, the one that is aided by silicone implants-that-turn-everyone-into-Malibu-Barbie type of persons. Hell, not that then what good are women?
I wish I could borrow some tough man hair, make a wig out of it and slap these imbeciles right from San Francisco to Shangai with it. And when I say imbeciles, I definitely don’t mean the masculine of the lot, no siree, it’s these brazen feminazis that irk me silly. I heart male imbeciles and am forever indebted to their generously copulating progenitors who ensure we never run out of supply.
I do.
These virulent women have no business meddling in the space built, clearly, for manly men by manly men and of manly men. They should, instead, foxtrot in their respective kitchens while caressing dishwashers and no more, tighten each other’s corsets and knit petticoats in their salons. And somewhere in between they should find time to copulate with hirsute oxy-morons and shoot one too many, 30lb meatloaves, through their vaginas. This process is also known as childbirth in certain parts of the world, I reckon. Really, now, isn’t this a fairly good life plan for The Females?
No, but these bottomless pits want more!
How selfish can a species get?
What is this talk of Women’s Lib? What a load of bologna (baloney) , I say! (Which, I guarantee, these oh-I-can-tread-into-the-male-bastion-without-fear-and-probably-kick-male-ass-while-doing-so type of women just CANT make half as well as the manly men can. Can they?)
Leave the revolution to those *argh* lesbian type of people. They are natural mutants any which way. Let them face hell fire ,which probably isn’t half as bad when compared with the rampant patriarchy around here.
The rest of the normal type of women should go learn a new craft to please their manly men owners - try Chinese foot-binding or Burmese neck elongation techniques or at least get a copy of The Story of O and learn a few nip/tuck tricks from dear Odell. That’s the least you can do for snatching suffrage which you truly didn’t deserve. We can make further amends as we regress, err, progress.
I am appalled by The Females. I am.
When will these women know that some manly men must have died and made all these other manly men the queen of all women?
Really, they did. Didn’t they?
House work equates women. Women equate house work. Get that through your evolutionarily superior foreheads.
Nevermind the Angela Carters and June Jordans and Nancy Pelosis and Golda Meirs and Anna Akhmatovas and Sandra Ciscernos and Indira Gandhis and Indira Nooyis and Frida Kahlos and Mahashweta Devis and Sunita Georges and Meg Whitmans and Martina Navratilovas and Wu Yis( and a zillion other names that won’t fit in the space here or the ones that’s riddled with a whole different kind of black holes) of the world. If you lack a certain fleshy appendage towards your anatomical aurora australis - no matter how limp it must be to partake in online slander of the superior* gender - you can forget about conquering any frontier other than the one where you can bake a cake.
But yes, after that you most definitely can say “Let them have cake”
- A disgruntled, disheveled, debilitated by feminazism type of person
*Yes, I said that. You wanna rumble then meet me outside my kickboxing class, I stand 5’9” on my bare soles, am fairly adept at 4 forms of comparatively lethal martial arts, worship at the altar of Lilith and I make myself happy by traversing the Amazon, jungle not the portal, on photojournalism field trips as frequently as mommie arranges bride-hunting matches for your ilk.
And I munch on anonymous and cowardly sexist trolls for breakfast. ; )
Que?
Yup, I didn’t think so either!
contentious
033
5:57 pm
We as men and women need to oscillate in our roles to maintain the yin-yang balance…that is the only way to go ahead !
Sanjukta, the geneticaly and environmentally imprinted coding will take its own sweet time to mutate into a parity …but we are getting there …slowwwwwwwwwwwly…..and thats a tad ,bit heartening..neh
Snigdha, sexist ?
contentious
034
6:02 pm
suburban noise machine : D
AC
035
12:46 am
@ S noise machine
Are you a meatloaf or were you born through parthenogenesis? :O
Suburban Noise Machine
036
12:12 pm
I think it was creationism@ birthing issues
Suburban Noise Machine
037
12:18 pm
But don’t you just love the concept of agamogensis? I mean seriously, like, no male gametes involved?
Holy Mendel!
This is where evolution failed us(or we failed evolution ?)
contentious
038
12:36 pm
SNM……for all that is Mendel! whatever for???…..agamogensis is for “vegetables” and simple beings. Genetic Diversity rocks
Birthing issues are altogether another story…….pray for evolutionary revolution there !
Suburban Noise Machine
039
1:36 pm
Ooooo…someone gets it!
Mendel cause I remember him with much fondness frequently when I indulge myself with some peas pulao. Which I did, today.
Also because some partriachial myths are linked to inheritance of traits. But then again, I slept through evolutionary biology and the Republicans tell me that was a good thing I did. So.
Unless of course that I meant Howie Mendel. Did I? I don’t know.
Ha!
And of course, I am a simple vegetable@agamogensis.
p.s.: Though, a little birdie tells me that apogamy is strictly restricted to plants and agamogensis is inclusive of parthenogenesis and that. So, again.
p.p.s.: Isn’t it entirely wonderful that all of this whipatail reproductive communique is making me revist Robin Morgan’s “Monster” which I am convinced is a must read for many of the manly men who want to consolidate my status as a ground meat +flour concoction?
Ohdammit. Must go find another feminazi to rip apart. Toodles.
1conoclast
040
2:10 pm
SNM…
You write very very well!!!
I may agree with what you’ve said here & not with everything that I may encounter on your blog, but this I will say again… You really do write very well!
That said, I, who is male, am a feminist myself, but not an extremist feminist.
AC
041
4:29 pm
Yes, SNM writes wonderfully… and gave a very clear answer to the question asked.
@SNM
Good job you did there, ripped all the stupid feminazis apart. A moment that all those who inherited male traits should cherish.
contentious
042
7:41 pm
SNM…..thou certainly art not simple (donno where you were leading with the “vegetable” part ) about you going by your outporings here and elsewhere
If this (@mendel) is about a patriarchial depiction of nature vis a vis scarcity and competition a la survival of the fittest, cant disagree there
If this is a not oh so subtle slant against androcentricity/gynopia (@inheritance traits et al) ,am your pal.
If this is about anything else, am in a evolutionary biology fog (high school level)
And republicans engaging in a debate with Darwin would have been a sidesplitter
p.s:parthenogenesis for simple beings,….you have not exhibited any traits of “simple” , so….
p.p.s.: Will look up Robin Morgans anthology , am unfamiliar with her work
p.s 1.: God bless Mendel not particularly the Howie (Mandel , haha!) one and yummy peas
contentious
043
7:44 pm
And YES,there is a certain pizzazz in your writing which is very very appealing
vinay
044
9:14 pm
[ Wow Suburban noise machine ! You rock ! I might not fully agree with the text, but I can't praise your style enough ! Hats off ! ]
Coming back to the original blog (and other reactions) …
Let’s start with the easy question:
1. Is advertising gender-biased ? Yes. And it probably reflects contemporary reality.
And then move on:
2. Is the gender-bias (reality) wrong, or bad or deplorable or outright draconian? –OR– is it correct, nay natural, or “optimal” or outright perfect for ensuring stable social structure?
IMO, the truth is somewhere in between.
* Perpetrating gender bias as can be seen in the ads mentioned, will most likely propagate the myth that women are a weaker sex _and_ need male protection _and_ are best suited for household chores.
* Clearly (and do read Suburban NM if you cannot agree with this ;-)) women are capable of doing anything that most men can do (for a living).
What is a pity (and dear Suburban NM a.o, please analyse why) women DO NOT take ***P R I D E*** in what they can do - and do much better than most men can. Why women let men take enormous PRIDE in what (arguably little) they can, and constantly ape men, and aspire to beat them at their game. Why is a woman (as seen also from the perspective of other women) considered great or successful ***ONLY*** when she succeeds outside the home? Why do we (men and women) not value the worth of a woman who is a home-maker?
For sure, it is easy to hate men. It is easier to find men who can be easily hated. It is even more easier to spot spite-worthy instances in these easy-to-find men, who can be easily hated. The male bashing is the “easy” thing to do. And it helps precious little.
No, the ads mentioned are not difficult to do either. And they don’t help at all.
What we clearly lack is a value system that is fair to both the sexes. Mopping the floor has the same value as getting the child to do her homework which has the same value as paying a bill or buying groceries. These are some examples of “tasks” in daily life, and a fair marriage is one where these tasks are done “optimally” within that marriage. The age-old notions of “specialisation” are not valid anymore, and need to be reconsidered. More importantly, the value assigned to each task needs to be reconsidered.. with a cool head.
There will be tasks that are best done by men. And others that are best done by women. Earning money is not one of them. Mopping floors is not either. Neither are cooking or shopping. But carrying a heavy suitcase along the railway platform is - as is feeding a baby. But then, these “specialist” tasks are fewer than the general tasks, which can be done by either. Clearly, this has to be considered in the optimality equation.
The hate campaign (towards men) will serve no purpose, since it distracts from the purpose of revisiting the value systems and instead focuses on all the wrong things such as evolution, culture, religion ..all things from the past, of receding relevance to the present and questionable relation to the future.