All Bubbles, Suds, and Smiles

The majority of modern America consumes a lot of media on a regular basis. According to a UCSD research study, in 2008, Americans consumed information for about 1.3 trillion hours, an average of almost 12 hours per day. Within the domain of television specifically, we watch as orchestrated scenes play themselves out before our eyes. As I start this blog, I would like to acknowledge that I recognize that over the years our society has made improvements in its portrayals of men and women.  However, I think it is easy to overlook the more subtle gender assumptions that the media makes even today.  Take a look at this commercial, for instance.

This ad for a washer and dryer set starts off with “Amy Clark” talking about all the time and energy she used to devote to doing her laundry.  She is unnaturally bubbly/sweet and overly passionate about laundry.  If anyone can find me a commercial with a man this involved in and committed to the subject, I would love to see it!  Some of the worst offending quotes within this video are:

• “It gets everything white…even the socks that my husband and son insist on wearing outside without any shoes on.” This little precious side note, accented with a tone of voice that implies “Haha…Men…you know how they are” and a near rolling of the eyes, implicates the males in her house as unrefined, careless, and defiant by nature.
•  “Sometimes I get sidetracked or put off folding clothes, and leave a load in the dryer for a few days.” This clearly indicates that she is the only one that ever folds the laundry in her home.  I do not understand how Amy could get sidetracked from fulfilling her laundry tasks.  Doesn't she realize it is her duty as the woman?  Maybe she hasn't had time to watch the hundreds of commercials that depict the wife doing the bulk of the housework.
• “Clean clothes and big savings…What is better than that?”  Well, I know clean clothes and big savings are all I live for.