RR #2 "Two Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt"

In Jean Kilbourne’s “Two ways a Woman Can Get Hurt”, she discusses the trend of violence against women depicted in modern advertising. Kilbourne uses many concrete examples of violent and demining advertisements, and she uses the actual advertisements so we the reader know exactly what she is referencing throughout her piece. She explains in great detail the underlying expectations and intentions the advertisements are supposed to portray. The explanations include the thought of women being victimized and men being dominate, and these are the main factors in selling these products. The product advertisements range from cologne, to jeans, to watches, and many other products, and all the products use the same general ideals of male dominance.

Kilbourne is reflecting on the constant unbalanced system that reigns over American, and the worlds, general population in popular culture. Her main argument is that men should not be shown as dominate and forceful, but rather the men that are depicted as jerks, (married men or those in monogamous relationships and those that are respectful) should be the ones adorned with female affection. However, the men with forceful attitudes and those that show affection by ignoring women are part of the problem with the female population feeling inadequate constantly searching for an apathetic man’s approval. She also believes that we should introduce more powerful less docile women in advertisements versus those submissive punching bags depicted in the advertisements of the 1990’s and before.

Although Kilbourne makes a powerful argument she also is adding to the problem by widening the gender gap. As a reader I was slightly put off by her constant badgering of the members of the male community, and her intention to belittle the strength of women. By saying that men will always resort to a violent reaction when trying to obtain something they want is extremely limiting to men. Men have the cognitive ability to see the difference between right and wrong, and just because they see that a man in an advertisement takes what he wants to gain the favor of the local “hottie” doesn’t mean he automatically thinks that rape is the answer. In turn, women do not have the constant need to play the victim, and by telling women they are the victims you take away their power same as the advertisements do. Although many of her thoughts and examples are relevant to the times, and to certain demographics because pop culture moves so quickly something that is relevant in the 1990’s in current times they make far less sense.