Only five percent of American women have "the perfect body" - the body portrayed in most television and print advertisements, according to writer and lecturer Jean Kilbourne, who was brought to campus by the Tufts Feminist Alliance on Tuesday to address images of women in advertising and discuss how ads effect individuals, society, and stimulate a cycle of internalized violence.
Kilbourne, who was twice named Lecturer of the Year by the National Association of Campus Activities, used slides of ads from as far back as the 1970s to demonstrate how the $130 billion advertising industry has influenced society.
"There is nothing as pervasive or persuasive," she said. "There are very few people controlling all of the information we get.... The primary purpose [of the industry] is to round up people to be sold to advertisers."
The advertising industry inundates consumers with images of women that affect their self-esteem, Kilbourne said. In the resulting climate, violence against women is rationalized, young girls are increasingly sexualized, and eating disorders are on the rise.
After hearing her attacks on advertising, some students in attendance said that Kilbourne placed too much blame on the industry itself and neglected other factors which contribute to self-image. "I think she reads too much into some of the ads and sometimes overestimates their effect on society at large," sophomore Rachel Hoff said.
By contrasting how the media portrays males and females, Kilbourne emphasized that the advertising industry abuses its power. In the media's image of ideal female beauty, "the woman's body becomes a thing," Kilbourne said. "Men don't live in a world in which their bodies are scrutinized daily.... Women are sex objects, men are success objects."
According to Kilbourne, the increasing prevalence of eating disorders, especially in young girls, is directly correlated to this standard of beauty. Today's models weigh 23 percent less than the average woman, compared to eight percent less in the 1960s, Kilbourne said. She also cited a recent study that found that 80 percent of fourth grade girls are dieting. Kilbourne blames this on the $60 billion diet industry, which did not exist 20 years ago.
The advertising industry, she said, creates "contempt for women who aren't perfect... women are made to feel guilty about having an appetite."
"Dieting is not a solution," Kilbourne said. "It teaches women to loathe their bodies."
Along with creating standards of worth based on beauty and thinness, the media often reflects passivity in women's body language in ads by "linking sexiness with innocence.... This sends out a powerful sexual message while denying it," she said.
While Kilbourne said that men are also objectified in ads, the presentation is different. "Men are present as more powerful," she said. "Women are presented as less powerful." This, she said, leads to a greater threat of violence against women.
The linkage between masculinity and violence creates "contempt for women and all things feminine" and the sexualization of violence that "normalizes and trivializes brutality," she said.
Kilbourne concluded by stressing the importance of "counter-advertising" to remedy negative images of women in advertising, suggesting publicity similar to ads in the anti-tobacco campaign. The dilemma of negative female images in the media is "a global economic issue," Kilbourne said. "Changes have to be profound and global."
Her projections stimulated thought among students who were inspired by Kilbourne's entertaining approach to the juxtaposition between advertising and society. "I really enjoyed Kilbourne's lecture," sophomore Emily Rhodes said. "She brought up some interesting points and shed light on advertising in a way I never thought of before."
