JUDITH BUTLER

Judith Butler discusses many ideas involved with gender representation such as gender fluidity and changeability. She states that gender is a “Social Construct” and that our gender identities aren’t established at birth, childhood or adolescence, but are formed through our consistent performances of gendered behaviour. She has stated that historically, gender has been viewed in a binary fashion – divided into categories based on stereotypes/characteristics that can’t be changed.

• “What it means to be a woman does not remain the same from decade to decade”
• The historical meaning of gender can change as its norms are re-enacted, refused or recreated”

MAYBELLINE

The Maybelline AD appeals to many people due to having a diverse cast of different genders, races and sexualities – this “cast” appeals to more than just straight white women and instead appeals to everybody, whether male or female, black or white, gay or straight. This shows a change in how we view gender and sexuality as just a few decades ago, this AD would never have been aired just because it included a black woman and a gay man. At the time, most if not all models where described as “Tall, white and skinny”, but now models can be anyone.

SCORE

The score AD appeals to straight white men, immediately it is obvious from seeing the male model being held up by women -hinting that he is royalty – that the AD is appealing to patriarchal views of society – where men dominated over women. Furthermore, all of the women in the AD are seen to be staring at and reaching towards the man as if he was a luxury. In addition, whereas the man is fully clothed; the women are wearing little, helping to sexualize them.