Advertising, Marketing & Stereotypes

Women make over 80 percent of purchasing decisions in the U.S. and are primary consumers of a wide spectrum of products and services, but they are significantly underrepresented in the advertising and marketing fields. The advertising sector is overwhelmingly male-dominated and managers and account executives continue to rely on sexualized and objectified images in their marketing. Such campaigns can be harmful to women and girls in reinforcing stereotypes about consumer preferences and gender roles. Marketing to “tweens” (ages 8-12) and teens has added new psychological and economic pressures on girls to conform to unrealistic standards and increase consumption.

Volunteering in the United States, 2011

Submitted by asklar on Sun, 04/08/2012 - 10:49pm

The volunteer rate rose by 0.5 percentage point to 26.8 percent for the year ending in September 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. About 64.3 million people volunteered through or for an organization at least once between September 2010 and September 2011. The increase in the volunteer rate in 2011 followed a decline of equal size in 2010.

These data on volunteering were collected through a supplement to the September 2011 Current Population Survey (CPS). The supplement was sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The CPS is a monthly survey of about 60,000 households that obtains information on employment and unemployment among the nation's civilian noninstitutional population age 16 and over. Volunteers are defined as persons who did unpaid work (except for expenses)
through or for an organization. For more information about the volunteer supplement, see the Technical Note.

Volunteering Among Demographic Groups

URL:

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/volun.nr0.htm

Women across generations: expectations and aspirations

Submitted by asklar on Sun, 04/08/2012 - 10:39pm

Almost every week there is a new headline about women’s position in society: on unemployment, parenting, women having or not having ‘it all’, the gender pay gap, and women’s representation in politics and on company boards.

And while there has certainly been progress for many women in the UK – as shown by more women entering the workforce and gaining educational qualifications – persistent challenges such as the pay gap and under-representation in many areas of society remain. This, alongside dynamic social and demographic trends, highlights the diversity of families in today’s society.

URL:

http://ippr.org/research-project/44/8462/women-across-generations-expectations-and-aspirations

In Protest, Democrats Zero In On Men's Reproductive Health

Teaser:

For perhaps the first time in recent history, male reproductive health is at the forefront of political debate.

Editorial:

From NPR:

In at least six states, lawmakers — all women and all Democrats — have proposed bills or amendments in the last few weeks that aim to regulate a man's access to reproductive health care. It's their way of responding to the ongoing debate around contraception and abortion, said Jennifer Lawless, director of the Women & Politics Institute at American University.

Some would prohibit men from getting vasectomies, such as Georgia's House Bill 1116, which states:

"Thousands of children are deprived of birth in this state every year because of the lack of state regulation over vasectomies."

Others, like an amendment proposed by Oklahoma State Sen. Constance Johnson, restrict where a man can ejaculate, effectively outlawing all manner of sexual acts. The amendment says:

"Any action in which a man ejaculates or otherwise deposits semen anywhere but in a woman's vagina shall be interpreted and construed as an action against an unborn child."

And Ohio State Sen. Nina Turner recently put forward legislation that would require men seeking drugs like Viagra to first get a cardiac stress test to ensure their heart is ready for sexual activity. Oh, and they would also have to obtain certification from one of their recent sexual partners that they are indeed experiencing problems with erectile dysfunction. And they would be required to see a sex therapist before getting a prescription.

The bill states:

"The physician shall ensure that the sessions include information on nonpharmaceutical treatments for erectile dysfunction, including sexual counseling and resources for patients to pursue celibacy as a viable lifestyle choice."

[...]

Source:

NPR

URL:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/03/15/148695307/in-protest-democrats-zero-in-on-mens-reproductive-health

Date:

March 18, 2012

Affiliate:

"Feminazi": The History Of Limbaugh's Trademark Slur Against Women

Teaser:

When Rush Limbaugh first began using the term "feminazi" in the 1990s, he said that it described "a specific type of feminist" and that there were "probably no more than 25 of them." However, since then, he has used the term as a broader slur to attack feminists, pro-choice activists, and progressive women.

Editorial:

From Media Matters for America:

Limbaugh Debuted "Feminazi" In Early '90s, Saying It Refers To "A Specific Type Of Feminist"

[...]

Source:

Media Matters for America

URL:

http://mediamatters.org/research/201203120004

Date:

March 13, 2012

Affiliate:

Associated Issues & Expertise:

Women react to Rush's apology: Not accepted?

Teaser:

The outcry over Rush Limbaugh calling birth control activist Sandra Fluke a “slut” and a “prostitute,” seems to have worked. Several days after his attempt to slut-shame the Georgetown University law student, Limbaugh issued a rare apology on his website, saying "in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologize."

Editorial:

From MSNBC:

The outcry over Rush Limbaugh calling birth control activist Sandra Fluke a “slut”and a “prostitute,” seems to have worked. Several days after his attempt to slut-shame the Georgetown University law student, Limbaugh issued a rare apology on his website, saying "in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologize."

The conservative radio host also claimed he wasn't against birth control, according to a transcript of his show.

But the apology may be too little, too late for scores of women who felt personally stung by the attack.

[...]

Source:

MSNBC

URL:

http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/02/10564407-women-react-to-rushs-apology-not-accepted

Date:

March 5, 2012

Affiliate:

Some women feel naked without makeup

Teaser:

Nearly half of all U.S. women have negative feelings about their image when not wearing makeup and link "bare face" with being unattractive, a survey found.

Editorial:

From UPI:

This survey, conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of The Renfrew Center Foundation, also indicated one-quarter of the women surveyed began wearing makeup at age 13 or earlier.

Adrienne Ressler, national training director for the Renfrew Center Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to the treatment of eating disorders, said the survey also indicated 16 percent said they felt unattractive when they didn't wear makeup, 14 percent said they felt self-conscious without makeup and the same number felt naked without makeup.

Source:

UPI

URL:

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2012/02/26/Some-women-feel-naked-without-makeup/UPI-80421330318784/

Date:

February 28, 2012

Affiliate:

Associated Issues & Expertise:

They’re, Like, Way Ahead of the Linguistic Currrrve

Teaser:

From Valley Girls to the Kardashians, young women have long been mocked for the way they talk.

Editorial:

From The New York Times:

Whether it be uptalk (pronouncing statements as if they were questions? Like this?), creating slang words like “bitchin’ ” and “ridic,” or the incessant use of “like” as a conversation filler, vocal trends associated with young women are often seen as markers of immaturity or even stupidity.

Right?

But linguists — many of whom once promoted theories consistent with that attitude — now say such thinking is outmoded. Girls and women in their teens and 20s deserve credit for pioneering vocal trends and popular slang, they say, adding that young women use these embellishments in much more sophisticated ways than people tend to realize.

[...]

Source:

The New York Times

URL:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/28/science/young-women-often-trendsetters-in-vocal-patterns.html

Date:

February 28, 2012

Affiliate:

Associated Issues & Expertise:

An Upside to the ‘Angry Black Woman’ Stereotype?

Teaser:

For centuries, the angry black female has been a pervasive stereotype in the United States.

Editorial:

From The Washington Post:

I’ll admit it may seem odd that being labeled “angry” could serve any black person well. Let’s face it, leaders of the Civil Rights movement likely adopted a non-violent stance for both moral and practical reasons.

But in a recent study I conducted with Robert Livingston and Ella Washington of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, we found that black women leaders who displayed dominant behavior when interacting with subordinates got more favorable reviews than their white female or black male counterparts who behaved the same way. In fact, black women were evaluated comparably to white male leaders who displayed similarly dominant and assertive behavior.

Existing studies have shown that professional white men have been granted greater status and power when they’ve expressed anger rather than sadness. Our findings suggest that black women may benefit from such expressions, too. In other words, because assertiveness and dominance are stereotypical characteristics for black women, they may not provoke the same backlash as they would for white women and black men.

[...]

Source:

The Washington Post

URL:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-leadership/the-angry-black-woman-is-there-an-upside-to-the-stereotype/2012/02/15/gIQAuz5mHR_story.html

Date:

February 17, 2012

Affiliate:

Associated Issues & Expertise:

The Status of Women in the U.S. Media 2012

Submitted by asklar on Fri, 02/17/2012 - 11:05am

There is a crisis of representation in the media. We live in a racially and ethnically diverse nation that is 51% female, but the news media itself remains staggeringly limited to a single demographic.

The media is the single most powerful tool at our disposal; it has the power to educate, effect social change, and determine the political policies and elections that shape our lives. Our work in diversifying the media landscape is critical to the health of our culture and democracy.

Consider the Following Statistics

According to the Global Media Monitoring Project 2010, 24% of the people interviewed, heard, seen, or read about in mainstream broadcast and print news were female. Only 13% of stories focused specifically on women and 6% on issues of gender equality or inequality.

URL:

http://www.womensmediacenter.com/pages/the-problem

Romance & Real Estate: How Your Housing Situation Affects Your Love Life

Teaser:

Where you live affects who you date—and who will absolutely refuse to date you. In honor of Valentine’s Day, the real estate website Trulia commissioned Harris Interactive to conduct a survey looking at the intersection of attitudes about housing and romance. Are homeowners regarded as “marriage material” more so than noncommital renters? Are people more interested in potential mates if they live alone? Just how bad is your love life impacted if you live with your parents? When it comes to dating and housing, what’s hot and what’s not?

Editorial:

From Time:

While owning a home has always been a part of the traditional American Dream, it’s apparently not a deal breaker (or maker) when it comes to dating. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of unmarried U.S. adults said that homeowners had no significant “home advantage” in terms of attracting dates. Only 28% of those surveyed said they’d prefer someone who owned a home. So you can’t really use the fact that you’re a renter as an excuse for why you can’t find a date. Well, perhaps guys can use that more as an excuse than the ladies: While just 19% of men say that they have a preference for dating homeowners, 36% of women prefer dates who own property.
[...]

Source:

Time

URL:

http://moneyland.time.com/2012/02/14/romance-real-estate-how-your-housing-situation-affects-your-love-life/

Date:

February 14, 2012

Affiliate:

Associated Issues & Expertise:

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NCRW is a network of leading university and community based research, policy, and advocacy centers with a growing global reach dedicated to advancing rights and opportunities for women and girls. We also have a Corporate Circle comprised of senior diversity professionals from leading U.S. and global member companies and a Presidents Circle of college and university leaders who share our commitment. NCRW harnesses the collective power of its network to provide knowledge, analysis, and thought leadership on issues ranging from reducing women’s poverty to building a critical mass of women’s leadership across sectors.

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