Currie's View On Feminism

For decades, the predominant belief on femininity has held that a female is not born a woman, but, she is shaped into a woman by the agents of a patriarchal society. Without pressures from these agents, women would never internalize societal values and would never fulfill the expectations placed upon them, which range from standards of beauty and clothing choices, to appropriate expressions of sexuality. One avenue by which these ideas are disseminated are through so-called women’s magazines, which are marketed as being: “by women, for women”. While these may seem to be sanctuaries from androcentric thought, they often act as subliminal agents of influence. Over the past fifty years, feminist sociologists have developed countless theories

When she questioned the teens about an advertisement depicting a joyful woman and a child, Currie’s subjects responded positively. One teen explained that it was clear the model had the capability to be a loving, nurturing mother. This coincides with the romanticized social depiction of motherhood: a joyful woman entirely invested in her children. As none of the teen girls had experienced motherhood, they were forced to rationalize the photo by comparing it to social norms of motherhood. In response to a different advertisement, which also pictured a woman and a child, the reaction was overwhelmingly negative. The image, a young woman wearing a party dress and breastfeeding a baby, could not be rationalized with the concept of motherhood. Some teens mentioned that the photo was disturbing or that the woman appeared too young to have a child. These reactions are also based on the patriarchal value system. When a woman becomes a mother, she is expected to give up the freedom she once had to act in a reveling, independent manner. The teens recognize that the woman has broken this societal value by wearing the party dress, and this causes them to overlook the fact that the woman is breastfeeding the baby, a universal symbol of

Although they are not the only avenues by which these ideas are disseminated, the mere mention of these ideas in magazines can serve to further buttress the ideas in the minds of readers. Currie suggests that many of her subjects discredited advertisements that they did not agree with. However, I would argue that everything that a person sees and experiences changes their way of thinking in some way. So, while it may be subconscious, every advertisement does, in fact, affect readers, even if they denounce it. From my observations, the various stereotypes of femininity often associate a woman’s material possessions with her social group and interests. Respected women are always shown made-up and well-dressed, jocks are shown wearing athletic wear and fitness trackers, and preps wear wrinkle-free, brand-name clothing. Because of the pressure to fit into social groups, I have seen many of my female friends change their wardrobes in order to better mesh with the social group they are attempting to enter. It seems to me that it is near impossible for a girl or woman to truly do what she wants to do without having to worry about the opinions of the surrounding society. By publishing enticing advertisements that link their products to a particular social group, retailers are able to exploit this fact