Men Are From Earth, Women Are Also From Earth

The Playbook (How I Met Your Mother reference--written by Barney Stinson)

Men are reckless and stupid--they default to their "lower" brain more often than not. At least, that's what this image would have you believe. In this creationist rendition of intellectual inequality, men are painted as savage--hence the nudity and primal nature of the cartoon (yes, I understand Adam and Eve wouldn't have clothes, but the setting and time frame are rather deliberate).

The first line sums it up--then it's expanded on beneath. The advertisement, while extremely dated, represents a facet of misogyny that views women as feeble, physically incapable, or even a detriment to men as a population. The woman is faceless and anonymous, as she attempts to pull herself up with the help of the careless yet confident men. Undoubtedly, the advertisers have taken many different steps in establishing her as symbolic of all women, and establishing women, by a general rule of thumb, as "beneath men." Such an ad seems to claim that men are required to be strong, athletic, outdoorsy, and assertive, while women exist to please the man when he returns from his excursions, hence the line, "Indoors, women are useful--even pleasant."

Evidently, these are the two easiest and most effective ways of being a "good wife." If this doesn't force an idea of patriarchy and a woman's role in it down your throat, then I'm not sure what does. There's no insight I have on such an image--it's worth a thousand on its own... or maybe just the two--sex and sandwich. All this says is that women need to provide for men in the home, and satisfy their every whim. Complete that with an overtly sexual picture of a blond bent over, and you've got a tornado of matriarchy headed your way.

The roles of men and women are concepts that biologists and historians attempt to definitively outline, but the dynamic of every relationship and the independence and strengths of each individual make it impossible to do so. From what the images depict, and what T.V. shows such as I Love Lucy and Leave it to Beaver say, dated though they are, women are "supposed" to stay home, cook, clean, and please their husbands sexually without a fuss or reluctance. Men, on the other hand, are "supposed" to be strong, command authority, provide financial stability, and guide women. Obviously social consciousness has evolved a great deal since the days of Lucille Ball, but there are still many competing schools of thought. Feminism as a school doesn't believe that men are stupid, but there is certainly some fervent opposition to patriarchy in the form of backlashing (women who claim men are stupid and need women to keep them from doing dangerous or reckless things). Modern feminism seeks only equality, and to draw attention to the double standards of gender stereotypes--the same aim of I Want a Wife.