Ryan: Culture obscures women’s sexuality
Comparison of commercials for Viagra, birth control shows double standard
Why do erectile dysfunction commercials consist entirely of thinly veiled sexual innuendos, while birth control commercials don’t address the issue of sex at all? Women’s sexuality shouldn’t be a taboo topic.
By Jordan Ryan (Contact)
Friday, February 1st, 2008
We live in a time when talk about sex education is more in-vogue than getting educated, because doing so means talking in detail about what it means to be sexually active. Sex education is a topic that is debated among many demographics, and we have all received — in one manner or another — the “wrap it up” talk. But as it comes time to apply this knowledge as sex becomes part of our lives, we are left to figure out the details on our own.
An enormous deterrent in effectively educating about sex is the gender double standard regarding the social acceptability of being openly sexual. The most striking example of this double standard is in commercials that we so easily dismiss.
An oral contraceptive commercial for Yaz stars three beautiful women at a cocktail party name-dropping chemical compounds, one of whom was able to attend because of the effects of Yaz. They are relieved that Yaz can control menstruation and reduce the effects of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (“a mood disorder related to the menstrual cycle”).
Many women take the pill for these reasons, but contraception is still a touchy subject in the realm of commercial advertisement. As a result, many men and women are missing the point of birth control and are only receiving a portion of the bigger picture. Men and women need to be honest and learned about the purpose of birth control, because the drug that so many women take for various reasons is about something bigger than our own bodies.
Birth control was first approved for use in 1960 for the purpose of contraception. The number one purpose of the drug is in the name, and by ignoring its intended purpose, we are ignoring the fact that, although many women take birth control for health issues such as acne, muscle cramps and heavy cycles, birth control was created to allow for sexual freedom.
The Yaz commercial brought this idea to the front of my mind, so I went to Viagra’s Web site to hunt down a commercial relating to men’s sexual activity. A video of a group of men who seem to have set up a secret jam session in a decrepit barn start to play music as the site appears. They grin and croon a bluesy country ditty about being crazy for their women, and the commercial ends with the chorus; “Viva Viagra.”
The point of this commercial is sex, blatantly. It’s simple and honest from the old acoustic guitars they play to the grins on their faces as they shake hands before going home to the fiery women they sing about.
The idea that men can be openly sexual while women are still talking about their means of sexual freedom (birth control) in terms of their periods is shocking. Although birth control is a totally legitimate and widely used drug amongst women who want to be more in control of their menstrual cycle and its other effects, these reasons are simply afflictions alleviated by the side-effects of a drug intended to prevent pregnancy.
If we want to educate our generation and those after us about being sexually active, it must be without this double standard. This means being ingenuous about you and me being sexual creatures, even if you are not currently sexually active.
Tradition holds strong in the media and general public that women cannot be open about sex. We must address this double standard critically to realize the effects it could produce for our bodies and in our lives. No progress will be made as long as women are advertised as “virginal,” and not given the opportunity to express their own sexuality. Protect yourself, respect yourself, have fun and talk about it.
Ryan is a Salina junior in art history.
Discussion
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IMO, your notion that a double standard exists is misguided. These ads are created to attract business, so they are marketed to appeal to the potential customers and cultural stereotypes that the majority of both genders accept. If women want to express their sexuality, they should. No one is stopping them. The same goes for men that don't want to express the same. Both will be working against the grain of cultural stereotypes but that's life. Deal with it.
FYI, I don't subscribe to the notion that these ads have anything to do with the expression of sexuality. It's all about the act itself and sexuality is so much more than that.
Hi nande230231, this is the author. Thank you for your response. I agree that these commercials represent cultural stereotypes that the majority of both genders adhere to, but I do think that this sort of societal pressure stifles sexuality by telling women that is isn't alright to talk about sex. This doesn't mean that all women are uneasy about talking about it.. and I 100% agree that women and men should never be afraid to express their sexuality. It is easy for us to talk about going against the grain in a college setting... but the "majority" we talk about aren't 18-25 year olds living in a liberal town. My manager at work asks that when I take my birth control, I do it so that no one will know what I'm doing. I wonder, "who the hell cares if or why I'm on birth control"... but I suppose he doesn't want to risk our customers thinking I'm a hussie... or something. Its like the same doulble-standard we've heard repeatedly: when a guy talks about having sex, hes cool, but when a girl does, shes a slut. This is a very generalized statement, obviously, but here, like in the commercials, we are not talking about absolutely everyone, but the "majority". Sexuality is most definitely not just about sex, but sex is a taboo topic I thought would serve to identify patriarchal forces today. I am so happy to talk about this with you, and that you read my column and responded. Thanks!
My general point is that you've picked a rather petty example of inequality, and one that goes both ways. Men are losers if they aren't sexually active. Women are skanks if they are (I'm not so sure that's true anymore). As to taking the pill at work, as a customer I would be offended if a woman or man was taking an oral contraceptive in front of me. It's tacky and unprofessional IMO.
Frankly, I think other women are the ones that perpetuate the historical female stereotypes the most. It puts women on a pedestal. If all things are equal b/ women and men, why buy you dinner, open your door, do all/most of the pursuing, etc.?
I'm a 33 y.o. moderately liberal nontrad. student who took my first semester at KU the fall of '92. There's a pretty big difference b/ then and now in terms of the openness of women towards sex and talking about sex and a lot of it I don't approve of (like a female 24 y.o. TA making a "bigger is better" comment during her office hours). When you leave campus, you'll have to pick and choose what battles are worth the fight. IMO, this isn't one of them.
Thanks for commenting on my comment.
I think it's an interesting argument, but you have to remember that the Pill preceded ED medicines (Viagra) by roughly a quarter of a century. By now, I don't think it needs to be spelled out in commercials what, exactly, the Pill is used for. We know. What a lot of women DON'T know is the side benefits of one brand over another (Brand A causes less cramping, while Brand B is better for acne, etc.). Hence why they focus on these aspects in the commercial. At this point, women in the commercial talking about how the Pill 'let's me have sex whenever I want' is kind of redundant and 'no duh.' WE KNOW it does that.
With the ED meds, the differences in the brands are things like length of potency (i.e. Cialis lets you be ready for 36 hours straight). Again, everyone knows what it is that ED meds do. In their case, though, what sets a brand apart from another has more to do with its basic function, and less to do with peripheral benefits like the Pill. You can't hold it against them for selling their strongest point.
I also have to say that the guys featured in ED commercials are middle-aged dudes who, apparently, use the ED med to be able to get it on again with their wives. It's not like Viagra commercials are centered around young 20-somethings who use it to be more potent or whatever. Whereas most women in BC commercials are attractive enough that I'd hope they'd be having adequate sex, and that they'd be confident enough NOT to have to talk about it. It's like high school, the people that feel compelled to talk about it the most are getting it the least. ;-)
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