This will just be a quick little post, but I’ve been meaning to share my thoughts about this topic. A couple of weeks ago, one of my Facebook friends shared the photo above onto her profile. She used the picture as a form of empowerment, but it had the opposite effect on me. I think this picture is further objectifying women, even if it was intended as an empowering statement. The quote is pretty much saying, “Women are cars”. The fact that there are women in the picture that look like they are from the fifties also gives me the impression that we are expressing the ideals from that time, which was not a time for women to shine. You see so many commercials, magazine ads, billboards, etc. with uncomfortable images of women as objects. For example, here are a couple of images where a women literally become a part of a product:
Even though the first image is not really painful to look at, I believe that it has hidden messages in it that makes it very oppressive to women. I just feel like people are finding comfort and power in the wrong ways. Yes, it is great to be proud of who you are, but comparing yourself to an object is not helping your situation very well.
I’m curious about other opinions on this matter. Did you feel the same way I did? Do you feel empowered by this picture?
ASHLEY B E YOUNG 