RA #3 Kilbourne

            In the passage “‘Two Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt’: Advertising and Violence”, Jean Kilbournes talks about the sexualization and violence towards women in the media. Taken from her book “Can’t Buy My Love” written in 1999, her catalyst for writing this piece was her anger towards the media and how it objectifies and therefore causes violence against women as well as self hatred and internal problems and addictions. She claims that advertisements promote the ideas that: it is encouraged to be attracted to “ hostile and indifferent men” (579), violence is erotic, women are objects which makes it easy to justify violence, and that “ all women, regardless of age, are really temptresses in disguise, nymphets, sexually insatiable and seductive” (590). Media becomes one of the main reasons that women are so objectified. Because of this objectification, it makes it okay for men to harm them or take advantage of them. Then, women have such a harsh and judging eye on one another that we blame ourselves for the damage that has happened. In my experience, I have heard girls say to other girls “Well you shouldn’t have worn that, you were asking for it”, “ You can’t really complain, you were hanging around him all night”, and “Don’t lead him on like that if you don’t actually want to have sex.” These are all good examples of how women end up blaming ourselves when in reality, a lot of the reasons bad things happen are because men feel that it is okay to treat us that way, not because we put ourselves in that situation. Kilbourne lays her point across very well and using many writing modes.

            One of the writing strategies Kilbourne uses is comparing and contrasting. She says “ The main goal, as in pornography, is usually power over another, either by the physical dominance or preferred status of men” (575).Kilbourne compares advertising and the media to pornography. The same message is sent through both mediums. They both dehumanize and objectify women. Another way she compares and contrasts are through all the ads she brings up in the passage. She compares the similarities of how they portray the same message that women are objects but in different ways.

            Another way Kilbourne proves her point with exemplification. This is her most convincing and prominent writing strategy. She brings up almost 30 different examples to exemplify and show her point. Some of the examples really stood out, and makes you think, “How is that even allowed to be an ad?” They are shocking, because you usually think that all the objectification of women is passive and subconscious, however, in some of these ads such as the one promoting alcohol stating “ If your date won’t listen to reason, try a Velvet hammer” (583), are so up front.

            Throughout the excerpt, Kilbourne uses process as one of her writing modes. She explains how all of this unfolds beyond just the advertisments. After seeing all of these ads on a day to day basis, women become objectified and violence is promoted. After they are objectified and sexualized with the addition that women tend to blame ourselves for whatever happens, it is easy to harm them and take advantage of them. Because of all of this women develop a self-hatred. How could we not if we are being dehumanized and then blamed for it at the same time?  All this trauma inevitably leads to addiction to substances and even suicides. As Kilbourne stated, “no wonder they [Women] go under for good- ending up in abusive marriages, in prison, on the streets” (599).  This systematic process of the media trying to sell their products, leads to depression, oppression, violence, self-hatred and even suicide.