The document discusses the portrayal of women in advertising and whether it encapsulates a confident, post-feminist image or relies on the sexual exploitation of women. While some argue ads show empowered women enjoying their sexuality, others believe they threaten women by reducing them to their breasts and treating them as objects for the male gaze. The interpretation depends on the context in which the ad is seen.

1. Confident modern woman?

2. • Encapsulates a new idea of
femininity?
• Post feminism?
• Wearer of the bra is
confident in her sexuality
and actively soliciting ‘boys’
• But her confidence is
reliant on the display of her
breasts
• “… taking feminism into
account by showing it to be
a thing of the past, by
provocatively ‘enacting
sexism’ while at the same
time playing with the
debates in film theory
about women being the
object of the gaze and even
female desire.” McRobbie,
1996

3. A self-contained female, in no
need of man…
or …sexual exploitation?

4. A self-contained female, in no
need of man…
or …sexual exploitation?
• ‘Advertisers feel that they • ‘Sophie Dahl’s body is…
have to shock to be available for reading as an
memorable to be emblem of liberation, fun,
effective[…]. People are so self pleasure and pride, not
used to these images they only within an older
no longer see or react to libertarian tradition which
sexism. But when such celebrates porn, but also for
intimate scenes are a much wider readership for
exhibited in public, it which sexy images have
threatens everyone, not just become the currency of the
women.’ day.’
(Florence Montreynaud, Chiennes de (Feona Atwood, quoted in Gill, 2007)
Garde, 2000)

5. A self-contained female, in no
need of man…
or …sexual exploitation?
• Depends on context in
which the ad is read /
seen:
– women’s mag… 2nd view
more likely
– Men’s mag … women
more likely to adopt the
first view…
– … and male readers
likely to view the image
with lust