"Gee, I Wonder Why Women Get Raped?"

Anyone who doesn't live under a rock understands that companies, from perfumers to maternity apparel, use sex to sell their products. This we know and, for the majority of Americans, it's accepted. Not many of us write letters to the heads of television channels or editors-in-chief of magazines, decrying the oppression of women. Surely some do, but for rest, we generally just flip the page or change the channel when an ad fetishizing a faceless woman or showing her as nothing more than a vagina crosses our path. Sometimes, we don't even realize an ad is spewing subtle bursts of racism...or bat an eyelash when an anti-gay message is shoved down our throats (remember this Superbowl ad where two men accidentally touch lips as the gnaw on the same Snickers bar, only to freak out and, in an effort to appear "manly," rip out their chest hair?).

I tend to fall in the middle of the "do something" spectrum, perhaps a bit towards the proactive end. For my own sanity, I specifically avoid TV shows and publications known for ads showing pin-thin models, women lying in bloodied heaps on the floor, women as nothing more than a body part that needs to be whittled down. There was a time where I actually tuned into the Howard Stern show -- why, I have no idea -- and it was only once I realized and said the words out loud, "Hey, this show makes me feel like crap!" that I switched channels forever. I also speak publicly about the effects ads and airbrushing can have on American women and men alike, and a hush falls over the crowd as recount a story from a psychologist colleague of mine: She was treating a woman for an eating disorder -- a patient who, coincidentally or not, worked in the art department for a major lingerie company (I won't name names...it's a secret). She said everything, from wiping away cellulite to lengthening navels to elongate the torso, took place via retouching software, only to be transmitted to thousands of consumers as "real."

My anger over this kind of false advertisement and objectification of women was recently refueled, when American Apparel made headlines for its gigantic billboard ad in NYC's Lower East Side (directly about a bakery, in a sweetly ironic twist.) The 50-foot tall canvas depicted a topless woman clad only in tights, bent over some sort of ledge or shelf. Her long, slim legs were spread in a wide V. There was no copy accompanying the image, except the company's name. (See the ad here.)

No copy, that is, until someone scaled the ad and defaced it. In all capital letters, for all of New York to see, the ad now read "GEE, I WONDER WHY WOMEN GET RAPED" with a question mark spray painted near her crotch. (See graffitied ad here.)

At first, people were outraged: How could someone be so cruel, so barbaric as to insinuate that women are responsible for being sexually attacked. That it is our fault, that we asked for it? Not that such a belief is unheard of -- such shaming and blaming constantly occurs in our society, where the victim is assaulted a second time in the courtroom or police station, bombarded with questions about how she was dressed, whether she said "No!" loudly or convincingly enough. Indeed, as writer Jessica Bennett wrote in a in a newsweek.com piece on the American Apparel controversy, "A woman never asks for rape, but some would say that flaunting a model in such a vulnerable position could feed into that sordid interpretation." Bennett, who explored both sides of this issue, interviewed Steve Hall, creator of Adrants.com, you put it like this: "It's basically like, 'Here's my a--, f--- me,' if you want to be as blunt as possible."

But upon further consideration, the tag came to represent so much more. Perhaps, the public surmised (hoped?), the person responsible for the graffiti was not some misogynistic prick or a dumb kid with a can of paint but an outraged feminist, taking matters into her or his own hands. After all, the "GEE..." label could be read as statement, as the previous paragraph discusses...but this billboard got a question mark. You can almost picture a professor of women's studies or a defense attorney in a rape trial sarcastically positing the question in regards to the overt hyper-sexualization and objectification of women in advertising and its impact on us at the individual level: "Gee, I wonder why women get raped?"

American Apparel founder and CEO Dov Charney has a history of relying on sexually provocative ads -- take a look at the clothing company's web site, which features a gallery of "evocative images captured by our staff," including pics of barely legal-looking girls and boys sprawled across hardwood floors (Krystal -- unitard; Dan -- men's briefs), spread-eagled on beds (Valeria -- bathing suits), posing on all fours (Sophia - shiny leggings). Oh, and twins Ashley and Lindsay, posing in compromising positions. Of course.

Charney is known for a few other things -- some positive (AA is fiercely anti-sweatshop; workers get paid well and are privy to health benefits; the models are "real women") and some positively gross (he has been involved in three lawsuits related to sexual harassment -- two settled out of court, one still pending. And in a legendary Jane magazine interview, reporter Claudine Ko described how the self-titled "Jewish Hustler" masturbated in front of her on numerous occasions -- he did request permission first, which Ko granted -- including one interview as he explained, "Masturbation in front of women is underrated. It's much easier on the woman. She gets to watch, it's a sensual experience that doesn't involve a man violating a woman, yet once the man has his release, it's over and you can talk to the guy.")

Does sex sell? Yes. But it's reached the point where good old-fashioned subconscious imagery has flown out the door and retailers are relying on the most obvious, explicit images possible. At best, it's lazy and at worst, it hurts women. (Although I must admit, I was shocked to read that when Newsweek's Bennett interviewed Kyung Chung, 24, the woman in the billboard ad causing all the commotion, she learned the picture was actually a self-portrait; Chung was surprised by the attention and believes "the fact that some people chose to project 'victim' onto that image -- an image that I took of myself -- is only an indication of their own distorted perceptions about women and sexuality.") Do we really want our young girls growing up in a culture where ads show women decapitated, lying at the feet of men or with perfume bottles shoved between their legs? In the case of American Apparel, the legs belong to real women, which in some twisted way might be a step up from idealized supermodel gams. Thank God for small favors.

Comments

[Pandu]

Who does modern society accept as having the duty to protect women?

[avicenna]

It is the culture of violence - one in which might and invasion are self-justified - where care or the perspective of another being is disrespected - that raping another individual becomes a common crime against humanity. This is why it is the dirty open secret in times of war - the ultimate rape of another society. The microcosm is always a reflection of the macro. 1Will is absolutely correct that violence against women - rape - outdates perfume ads. It is a primitive act as old as war - and as long as war and violence are glorified and justified ways to behave against another - so will rape be.

[kardwell]

In a brief 3 day period last week, my husband and I watched two films on HBO entailing snuff films as the subject matter.
Need I say more....

[1will]

Somehow men were raping women long before advertising was ever invented.
If you don't like sexist adds that's fine but to blame rapes on advertising is a bit weak. With the current crop of "Torture Porn" movies such as Hostel and Touristas being produced and the proliferation of literally everthing on the internet, I doubt some perfume add makes a difference.

[bethinCary]

Great article.
Yes, I do think that this is a subliminal campaign against women-to as usual, give men the upper hand in society. After all, if women are too concerned with thier bodies or squeezing their feet into 4 inch heels and lingerie to make their marriages "successful"-they have less time to think about how to really gain ground in society-by hard work,perseverence, and education. Same way any other minority has done it. Being vocal and demanding your voice and fair representation plays into it too.
As women, we have become all too desensitized to the onslaught of sexually-e­xplicit,im­plied ads.I didn't realize it until my daughter happened to pass through as I watched one such story. I was disgusted with myself for watching-disgusted that this is the impression she is given of the word "sexy" by media.
SEX and SEXY are 2 different things-yet our girls are being programmed to think they are not-or are using definitions as defined by men.
That needs to change.

[OrangeSam]

Someone tell me how the number of rapes is dropping while these ads are proliferating?

[ethanthom]

I think we should ask men,(most of whom make and drool over these ads)to try to mature beyond early teen behavior.Than the wholesale use of sex in advertising may stop.

[Whatnow]

Perversion has become normal. Homosexuality is a perversion and we are told to accept it as a way of life equal to or the same as a heterosexual. That makes what is considered a perversion even more strange. If a man sees a woman in an ad and has desires to rape than he is sick to begin with, And if you take a sick mind and tell it the gloves are off and what ever you want in the way of sex is acceptable then you get a very dangerous person. What in the way of sex is off limits. The media send mix messages to a very strange world. I try to say what ever you do is fine with me, but at what point do these people become a danger to others and themselves. What are the boundaries? What is sick? At 30 I thought I knew at 51 I'm confused. There is a lack of respect for each other and the pedestal on which we placed woman is long gone. Values are a thing of the past. Make a lot of money and have a lot of sex. Any kind you want. Fantasies are suppose to be fantasies. Once you play them out they are no longer fantasies. This is a very difficult topic to address. But just because it fits does not mean you should put it there.

[mommamia526]

Gee, I wonder something else, namely, why do men no longer marry women? As with everything else, too much of a good thing becomes a bad thing. Some conservative religious circles discuss the proper behavior and cover-up of both men and women, and rules and regulations for proper interaction. On one occasion riding in the car with my daughter I spoke about such discussions, and the wearing of very long skirts. My grandson was,we thought, asleep in the back of the car. He was NOT asleep. He said,*I would have to check that out*. His mother was incensed, you would have to check WHAT out? The response: *what is under that long skirt, to see nothing is rotting*. Mother and son did not speak for the rest of the day. Another relative was in a *relationship* with an accomplished woman, for years and years, never getting married. We held his feet to the fire about this, and his response was: "why buy the cow, if the milk is free?". It appears that *women's lib* has been all about playing around freely, just like the boys, and nothing else. After all, wages and salaries are still not on par, and going horizontal, once scandalous behavior, is now considered a smart way to climb to the top; it also appears effective, until the next bonbon comes around. As most of the advertising is aimed at women, we could consider boycotting the industries that put those ads out. But women are too anxious NOT to get that man, which they increasingly are achieving anyway.

[Dap]

Must be a right brain, left brain thing, Anyway, do ya have some suggestions?

Just asking.

[leftofnorth]

It's not just that sex sells (some studies indicate it actually doesn't) but that sexism sells. Women are way more likely to be body parts than men in ads.
While unrealistic images for men are more and more prevalent in ads, the preponderance still involves women (or parts of women). I suspect that equality in ads will happen at about the same time as pay-equality for women happens- ie a few days short of never. It's sad.
Watch Killing Me (Us?) Softly to see more examples of this.

[ebbtide]

See--I agree that the images may provoke the violence of rape.

I also see women posing for those ads.

Perhaps something needs to be done about women provoking rape also. I know that is old canard, such as women bring it upon themselves, but the fact is that women models have posed for these photos and ads.

There is no doubt about it. Women in their late fifties, cannot grow old gracefully. They are frikkin "grandmothers" who seek , as in the ad, to emerge from their private swimming pool with the body of a twenty year old--until you look closely and see the overhangs. They desperately run to their doctor to make them look as if they were twenty. Ever see the cover of the AARP mag?

Disenchantment with one's own body--stress about the wonderful growing old years, is not dealt with. Really, it may be the women who need to be worked with as much as the rapist.