From: Bryce
This photo was not originally
intended to expose gender socialization and/or gender roles. Its intention was
to be a post on social media, however it was noticed that the photo actually
portrayed society versus girl culture along with girl culture versus girl. It is a play on the article, The Two Cultures of Childhood, and
represents the manipulation mass media has on females through all ages. In the
article the author states that “Gender segregation allows the development of
different normatives and that each gender’s playing style reinforces these
differences”. This explains the walk from being a young girl playing dress up,
or with Barbie’s and the emphasis girls toys and playing styles have on beauty,
to the journey of growing up and mocking those methods of play into adulthood.
The
focus of the photo is the girl holding her phone in front of her face to a
mirror with the message “STRIP” in capital, bright pink letters across the top.
The camera lens on her phone, symbolizes the eye of society (social media), while
the phone itself represents pressure on women. Her phones in her hand
represents her holding the pressures of the media, culture and societal norms.
The lens is covering up her right eye, representing what she feels others (society)
see, a sex object. The message “STRIP”
symbolizing sexuality, the less clothing you wear the more appealing you are.
The font and color of the message is attention grabbing, in both a literal and figurative
sense. The pink lettering representing acceptance, meaning it is okay to reveal
and expose yourself, “it’s normal”. While the brightness of letters show the
power our culture has and it’s constant pressure on women to be beautiful,
sexual….and well, feminine.
The
other focus is of course, the girl. Standing in a dimly lit room, alone, only
exposing her neck, few facial features and her hand. This represents the fight
of girl against girl culture, the constant pressure, even in our most private spaces
(in this case a fitting room). The dimly lit room and neutral colored clothing symbolizes
an emphasis of being dull or unnoticed, hinting that the more glowing you are
the more attractive and feminine you are. The girl barely exposing any skin in
this photo, standing below the message symbolizes the power struggle between
beauty and everything else surrounding. The message of this photo is that our
culture places too much power on beauty standards for women, holding to them to
expectations they don’t always wish to live up to but still want to be noticed
and accepted in other ways within our society.
1 comment:
From Brianna.
The bright pink letters made this photo stick out the most to me. When looking at this photo I see the sexualization of women and adolescent girls in their everyday lives. Women cannot even escape being sexualized in a private dressing room. The fading of the pink letters on the bottom of the sign shows women being worn down from the constant pressure to be beautiful and sexy. When looking at the “STRIP” sign all one can think of is a real strip club. Even in our dressing rooms we can’t escape male entertainment and desire. The putting of the sign in the dressing room has changed it from a dull regular dressing room to a sexual place. Women are sexualized in everything they do, even in private. Having her face covered symbolizes to me that who she is is lost in a sexually demanding society. All that matters is the reflection of her body. When thinking of strippers we think of beautiful women with large breasts and butts and full figures. Having this above the only mirror forces women to look at their bodies at they are changing and subconsciously compare and judge themselves to unrealistic standards. Her phone symbolizes social media and society and what they want. She used the phone to cover her face and if it was the full mirror picture only her body would be left. There is no expression on her face to read, only her body is left to do the talking, it doesn't matter how she feels only what she has to offer. The contrast of the lettering with the room make it stand out and forces you to give it importance and thought. Being the brightest and most visually appealing object in the room one cannot use this dressing room without seeing it and you cannot use the mirror without looking at it. Everywhere women go and everything they do there is pressure put on them to be beautiful and sexually appealing.
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