Cosmetics and Science: Connecting Women and Animals

The way women are treated and the way animals are treated are intricately connected. It seems that in order to better the position of women, it is also important to consider the treatment of other and all beings as well.

After reading Lori Gruens article, “Dismantling Oppressions: An Analysis of the Connection Between Women and Animals,” I realized just how closely the treatment of women and animals are linked.

One major way that this connection is perpetuated in our society is in the dressing up of women. Through magazines, movies, and television, women are told how to act and look. This can frequently invole women covering their bodies in products that cause harm to animals.

For example, women are often told via advertising and other media that they must wear makeup. Many of these marketed cosmetics are tested on animals and as a result, force animals to undergo very harmful procedures. After the animals bodies have been used and abused during tests often performed by white men, they are killed and tossed away.

Where the real connection between animals and women comes in is that women are told to wear makeup because it pleases men. Therefore, the pain that animals undergo for cosmetics and the conditioning of women to wear the cosmetics are costs that are made to please men.

Furthermore, the fact that men own most corporations that market women’s products and that science is mainly driven by men drives the connection forward. In order to change the way women are treated and judged, it is necessary to also understand the effects hierarchies have on other facets (animals and nature) of life as well.

“Dirty laundry keeps women busy”; The Corporate Cold Wash

On the inside label of enjoi shirts, even before the washing directons, there says: “Dirty laundry keeps women busy.” Although this message is harmful to any and everyone who reads it, the fact that these shirts are targeted for adolescent and young adult boys is particularly frightening.

These messages that enforce traditional and damaging gender roles can be found anywhere; one needs only to turn on TV and watch for 30 seconds to prove this. Perhaps the new Reebok commercial will flash on in which the focus of the commercial (and the camera) is the buttocks of a woman. Is this really necessary? Will beer only sell if it objectifies women and conditions men to treat them in this way? And even so, is it okay for corporations to become morally bankrupt just to increase sales?

The close connection between marketing and objectifying women while hyper sexualizing men is a larger problem than many want to acknowledge or admit. Because this connection is evidently marketed to very young individuals, there holds little hope for the future as far as the freedoms and treatment of women and men.

In the instance of the enjoi labels, the narrowing down of women to the domestic sphere is completely unnecessary; I would imagine this to be true even for their sales. Since the label is inside of the shirt and away from the visibility of the buyer, it certainly doesn’t seem like it would affect sales either way. However, what it does affect is the many women who are continuously being pressured to perform in particular ways because of these messages.

Furthermore, if people are buying these shirts and supporting the companies—despite whether he or she knows about the label on the inside of the shirt—it is unlikely that these messages will change. For big corporations, little else matters other than sales. It is important to know what we are buying and to make sure we agree with any and ALL the messages the companies sends out. If the sales are not affected, these harmful messages will continue.

"Rock You Like a Hurricane"

While working at the Writing Center in our new Breese Hall location this week, the song “Rock You Like a Hurricane” by the Scorpions was blaring from the hallway. Wow, is 80s rock ever catchy! I sat there, tapping my foot and singing the lyrics in my head, excited about hearing a song that I haven’t heard in a while.

It was not long before I got sick of the song, however, for a few reasons. First, any song that is put on repeat can get annoying, especially a song by the Scorpions. Second, I actually wanted to get some work done in the Writing Center. But the main reason I got annoyed with the song is because I actually started listening to the lyrics. Lines like “The bitch is hungry, She needs to tell, So give her inches, And feed her well”, “The wolf is hungry, He runs to show, He’s licking his lips, He’s reading to win, On the hunt tonight, For love at first sting” and, of course, the chorus “Here I am, rock you like a hurricane” are all very offensive to women. The entire song encourages the representation of women as prey, being hunted by masculine predators.

It’s a bit horrifying to think about many of the 80s rock bands’ lyrical messages. While it is common to hear lyrics that objectify women and promote an ultra-masculinity in genres such as rap and pop, it’s a bit unsettling to think of many 80s songs doing quite the same thing.

This instance brought to my attention that the devaluation of women and violent representations of masculinity is really everywhere, not just rap lyrics and action movies. It is important to be aware of the messages we are receiving and to think about the lyrics and not just getting wrapped up in catchy beats.