Tonight I saw: "The Naked Truth: Advertising's Image of Women", a talk 
by Jean Kilbourne, sponsored by SAPAC and half a dozen other UofM 
groups focusing on women's issues, and it led to some questions.

She covered the concepts of how women (and now men too) are objectified 
in advertisements to a more and more extreme extent, how sex is used to 
sell everything, how these advertisements also encourage violence 
against women, sexualization of children, and other not so desireable 
things (the point is not to remove sexuality, it's to remove abuses of 
or bad applications of sexuality).

These things are all true, and I feel that talks like hers (it was well 
done), where she makes this idea clear and encourages people to think 
about, recognize, and reject such suggestions, are the only real force 
against them (assuming you like ideas like free speech and don't trust 
the government to dictate morality). But the question arose in my mind:

Why is the United States of America, one of the most conservative and 
Puritan societies on the planet, so far out on the cutting edge of the 
use of sexuality and the objectification of women and people in general 
in our advertising? I feel that the use of sex and exaggerated images 
of beauty is a natural trend in capitalist advertisements- but why is 
Europe not way ahead of us in this, being as they are more sexually 
progressive?

Is it that our repression makes us more susceptible to such ads and 
thus it's simply their efficacy pushing their development?
Is it because we have a stronger concept of free speech, so advertisers 
have had here more free reign to push this to it's limit?
Is it because we are more strongly capitalist than any other country, 
and thus selling by any means necessary has become accepted?
Is it not actually true that we are the leaders in this and we're just 
given the impression that we are by people who are trying to support 
their anti-objectification agenda?


I lean towards the capitalism running rampant explanation, and I think 
we're actually objectifying all aspects of our lives in a very bad way, 
but I think they're all factors.

How do you fight this? How do you balance between supporting free 
speech and controlling the use of imagery that is damaging our 
children? Education is good, but exposure starts so young, when we are 
the most susceptible. Tough questions. I'd be curious to hear anyone's 
opinion.



More info on the talk I went to from the original announcement in case 
you care:

Ads sell a great deal more than products. They sell values, images,
and concepts of success and worth, love and sexuality, popularity
and normalcy. They tell us who we are and who we should be.
Sometimes they sell addictions.  With expert knowledge, insight, and
humor, Jean Kilbourne brings her audiences to see that, although ads
may seem harmless and silly, they add up to a powerful form of
cultural conditioning.

Jean Kilbourne, Ed.D., is internationally recognized for her pioneering
work on alcohol and tobacco advertising and the images of women in
advertising. Her films, slide lectures and television appearances have
been seen by millions of people throughout the world. She was named by
The New York Times Magazine as one of the three most popular speakers
on college campuses today and has twice been named Lecturer of the Year
by the National Association of Campus Activities.  Her book, Can't Buy
My Love: How Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel, won the
Distinguished Publication Award from the Association for Women in
Psychology in 2000. She is also known for her award-winning
documentaries Killing Us Softly, Slim Hopes, and Calling the Shots.
"Jean Kilbourne's work is pioneering and crucial to the dialogue of one
of the most underexplored, yet most powerful, realms of American
culture - advertising. We owe her a great debt."
Susan Faludi | author, Backlash and Stiffed
"As timely and important as ever. . .A must for everyone who cares
about media literacy and gender equity."
Susan Douglas | author, Where the Girls Are: Growing Up With the Mass 
Media
"I just saw Killing Us Softly 3 in my sociology class and was
absolutely amazed, inspired and outraged!"
Leigh Ann
"Jean Kilbourne is a prophet calling out in the wilderness for
fundamental change in the way we communicate publicly with one another."
Adweek

This event is co-sponsored by the Sexual Assault Prevention and
Awareness Center (SAPAC), Department of Communication Studies'
Howard R. Marsh Center for the Study of Journalistic Performance,
Institute for Research on Women and Gender (IRWG), Residence Halls
Association, University Health Services, Coalition of Action
Regarding Image and Body Image Issues (CARE), Peers Utilizing
Leadership Skills for Education (PULSE), U-M Hillel, Jewish Women's
Forum, and Women's Studies.

***Questions regarding the presentation may be directed to the Sexual

Assault Prevention and Awareness Center: (Ann Arbor, MI)

Business Line:	734-998-9368

Crisis Line:  734-936-3333

SAPAC Fax Number:  734-998-9380

David P. Morris, PhD
Senior Engineer, ElectroDynamic Applications, Inc.
morris Æ edapplications.com, (734) 786-1434, fax: (734) 786-3235