Judith Butler describes gender as “an identity instituted through a stylized repetition of acts”. In other words, it is something learnt through repeated performance.

How useful is this idea in understanding gender is represented in both the Score and Maybelline advertising campaigns?

Judith Butler describes gender as “an identity instituted through a stylized repetition of acts”. This can link to the advertisement of Maybelline and Score. Identity is the the distinguishing character or personality of an individual. Identity comes in four forms such as fluidity, constructed, negotiated and collective identity. Fluidity of identity is the idea that people can change themselves through their appearance, their actions and the world. Constructed identity is the development of a complex process in which humans and people develop a clear sight of themselves and have a specific view on themselves. Negotiated identity is the process that people agree and perceive you as, and identify ‘who is who’ is their relationships. Lastly, collective identity is the sense of belonging to a group, having the same interests as the peers around you, however it does not mean you and another person are the same. They share the same ideas. These forms of identity were first proposed by David Gauntlet, which can link to Judith’s idea of identity performance. The reason for this is the element that connects both fluidity of identity to gender performance, thus via the concept that a persons identity / gender can be altered by the way a person pursue themselves.

Firstly, the quote “an identity instituted through a stylized repetition of acts”, demonstrates that the idea of men’s identification is due to their masculine repetitive actions such as sitting with their legs spread out or as it is called ‘man spreading’, where as, women cross their legs in a feminine, submissive manner. As well as, our physical appearance also contributes to our identity and our repetitive acts by the way each of us ‘do things’, women shave and men typically don’t, women dress with pink, purples and nude colour clothing where as men’s clothing is typically whites, blacks, blues, reds and greens. This is because we have constructed and built colours, products and objects to be aimed and specified for genders. Butler gives the sense that we live in a fabricated world, where everything is constructed and one thing is one thing, men are men, women are women.

Furthermore, the Maybelline advertisement have always presented their adverts through glamorous women and sexualised facial expressions since 1999, however this multimillion dollar global eyeliner company released a video advert on 30th May 2017, called ‘That Boss Life Pt 1’. The company decided to go out of the norm and have a male influencer, known as Manny Gutierrez Jr, who is part of the LGBTQQIAAP community, as well as the female influencer known as Shayla Mitchell as their presenters, both in which wore the eyeliner, in a way to make a statement, that men too can wear makeup if they want to, its a choice each of us have. As well, the video presents the idea that to show your true self, you don’t require hundreds of pounds to ‘perform’ your identity. Additionally, convincing the audience that they must perform to figure out who they are. This supports Judith Butlers work on gender performance because Maybelline have started to realise that the traditions of constructed identity is starting to fade. Maybelline knows that makeup is starting to shift from just a females use, to a neutral choice. Ideas globally are starting to see that there is no abnormal choice if a male decides to wear makeup. For example, Johnny Depp is a straight man, however he wears eyeliner, clearly stating there should be no constructed idea on clothes, cosmetic products and peoples actions to determine their gender.

In addition, we see the idea represented in the score printed advert “Score liquid hair groom” made in 1967, displays a recently shaven man who is being praised by five different women, who have been sexualised to be a submissive of the dominant signifier. The advert is manipulated to be desired as men wouldn’t be able to resist the sexualised appearance of the females in this advert, giving a sense of what the males can potentially ‘get’, these persuasive techniques of temptation of women gives men the curiosity of buying the product. The audiences opinion of this advert has changed due to the change in society and the way society views ideas. In 1967, when this advert was made, it was deemed normal for women to show skin and be the less dominant gender, and black men and women to not be in advertisement, however over the last few years, the change in society, diversity and the popular ideas have changed the way products are advertised. This is due to the recognition and understanding of sexism, racism and homophobia. The representational idea of different social groups in this photograph, is the idea that men are the dominant gender and women follow masculinity. As well, the idea of this product advertisement is to encourage men to purchase the product for the opportunity to have a swarm of women admiring them. Moreover, this male liquid hair groom links in to the idea of Judith’s Butlers quote “an identity instituted through a stylized repetition of acts” because the product is advertised and displayed for men’s use, typically expressing that women do not use shaving cream. However, women also use men’s products and proves that it is not solely a males action.

Overall, Maybelline and Score are both linked to Judith Butlers description of gender as “an identity instituted through a stylized repetition of acts”, by the way these companies advertise their products, targeting at specific audiences such as men or women.