Every Day Scepticism

Warning-this could be described as a rant. I am not apologising but giving you a head start. If you're not up for it right now I suggest you come back to it when you have a brew in hand and are sitting down. I do get quite annoyed by this stuff (as I have every right to)

Even if you avoid buying newspapers and magazines, don't watch TV and even manage to never know what this years blockbuster titles are, you can't avoid sexism. You might block it out and close your eyes and ears, or you are so numb to it you don't notice it anymore. Either way, it is everywhere. If you don't believe me, here are a few examples I came across just this morning: (I haven't left the house).

TV Adverts

Options belgian indulgence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz7IWs_oG5I

GUILT FREE CHOCOLATE! The women in this advert are attacking cake, boxes of chocolates, chocolate bunnies etc to demonstrate how they are so empowered! They are so strong they can say goodbye to that entire cake and now have a GUILT FREE hot chocolate. Guilt would of course be caused by the fact that chocolate has calories, calories are a form of energy that if we don't use through physical activity turn to fat and WOMEN ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE FAT! So indulge now, you no longer have to feel SHAME for eating or drinking something you WANT! Oh and not to mention, men do not like chocolate. That would be far too feminine!

Samsung Eco Bubble,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThcojzJuxp4

Mum is always right:

In the world of samsung washing machines, child rearing, domestic chores and instilling moral codes into young adults, men/dads do not exist. The little girl is trying to steal a doll from a friend at a tea party (because ALL little girls love dolls and tea parties), the young teenage girl is leaning in for her first possible kiss (because all girls have first kisses with boys their age at their homes in the dark in their school uniforms), the hopefully eighteen year old coming half way down the stairs (the angle lets you see most of her crotch) and is sent back up stairs to put more clothes on (because her mum doesn't want her to get raped or sexually harassed while she is out, because in that dress it would most definitely be HER fault, not the fault of the harasser/rapist) and finally the grown adult woman who knows how to successfully use a washing machine (because that is of course her duty) and she can even use it on an eco setting because although she is a mere housewife she is also intelligent and aware of the world around her and her own energy bill. This is clear by the fact the eco setting is REALLY OBVIOUS!

Facebook advertising:

I am female, therefore my tailored adverts at the side of my Facebook wall are for high heeled booties, make-up, articles from women's magazines on how to get men and other completely not my taste types of things. I need heels to stop me running fast enough, make me tall so I can feel a misunderstood version of 'empowered' and I need make up because my face is clearly hideous in it's natural state!!!!! Ewwwwww. I won't even go into why getting a man is not in my to-do list.

When I go to the corner shop, all magazines, for men and women, are completely ridiculous. I don't understand how the companies stay afloat, people aren't that stupid but someone is buying into this rubbish. 

Sex tips from a celeb and his dad (because only men know what sex should be like)

Tips on how to enjoy getting dressed (because as women we are supposed to not like our bodies and if we do then there must be something wrong with us)

Famous musician is asked about her career and men (because to all women-kind, men and careers are on equal par of importance and this needs to be reminded to us, just asking about her career would be neglecting her entire life in relevance to men)

http://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/magazine

Best sex positions for girls (not women) -a magazine is the only way we learn how to have and enjoy sex, so please tell us, make sure it is not through the male perspective (which im sure it won't be, it's a women's magazine) (note sarcasm)

The new feminism!!! -The word empowerment has been hijacked- Would you go topless to get a raise? No! Why? Should I? If feminism says it ok then it must be suitable for women to do this, maybe I will! Thank you, reliable source of feminist discourse, Cosmo! 

How to get a body like J-Lo in four easy steps (because knowing the reality is too hard and would ruin the nonchalant ideal that she and all famous women are effortlessly and naturally like that)

How to: stop a cheater. I have a clue on this one... DONT BE WITH ONE but I think Cosmo has a different idea on the subject. Being strong and independent according to cosmo means caring about your looks above your health, your man above your career and his happiness above yours. Oh yes and sex is important but it needs to look just like it does in the videos you may find on adult websites because those yelping groaning porn stars are always without doubt having REAL orgasms!

http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/

What I am trying to say is that we need to always be sceptical of everything ever! Not in a tiresome way, but take every piece of commercial media with a huge bucket of salt because more often than not it is aimed at a stereotype rather than a person and therefore it is instilling negative thoughts of 'other' people. We are all human and we all like/dislike stuff, it shouldn't have anything to do with your class, race, creed, gender, age, size or any other socially constructed limitation.