Extra Credit Blogging Opp:
Do You Feel Pretty?
Watch this commercial about Maria Sharapova, tennis' new sex symbol, who has replaced Anna Kournikova as an object of huge numbers of internet searches. The thing about Sharapova, however, is she has game--she is a hyper-intense competitor and athlete who has now won both Wimbledon AND this summer's US Open. This commercial plays her image as sex symbol (a traditionally "feminine" role people seem to impose on her in the ad) against her screaming competitiveness (un-"lady"-like?) on the court. But HOW, exactly, does it work? What's the message, and what roles do the various people (the little girl, the hotel maid, etc.) who sing the stereotyping song play in creating the contrast? Is it a feminist message? If so, how?
You might also consider the "other," more sexualized Maria Sharapova, however. Doing lots of modeling gigs (and even, like Kournikova, and the high-achieving Williams sisters before her, a Sports Illustrated bikini shoot!), Sharapova herself seems to play both roles comfortably, and seems to think her sexual public persona is ALSO a powerful one--certainly it brings her economic power in the short term. But does she do a dis-service to her hard earned athletic success, and to women and young girls who admire her, by serving herself up for male enjoyment in this way? Which Maria would you want your daughter to emulate? Is the female sexual power of such successful women (think, for example, Madonna) a real form of women's cultural power, or does it reinforce male dominance by reducing powerful women to sexual objects, just like their other, less successful sisters?
Do You Feel Pretty?
Watch this commercial about Maria Sharapova, tennis' new sex symbol, who has replaced Anna Kournikova as an object of huge numbers of internet searches. The thing about Sharapova, however, is she has game--she is a hyper-intense competitor and athlete who has now won both Wimbledon AND this summer's US Open. This commercial plays her image as sex symbol (a traditionally "feminine" role people seem to impose on her in the ad) against her screaming competitiveness (un-"lady"-like?) on the court. But HOW, exactly, does it work? What's the message, and what roles do the various people (the little girl, the hotel maid, etc.) who sing the stereotyping song play in creating the contrast? Is it a feminist message? If so, how?
You might also consider the "other," more sexualized Maria Sharapova, however. Doing lots of modeling gigs (and even, like Kournikova, and the high-achieving Williams sisters before her, a Sports Illustrated bikini shoot!), Sharapova herself seems to play both roles comfortably, and seems to think her sexual public persona is ALSO a powerful one--certainly it brings her economic power in the short term. But does she do a dis-service to her hard earned athletic success, and to women and young girls who admire her, by serving herself up for male enjoyment in this way? Which Maria would you want your daughter to emulate? Is the female sexual power of such successful women (think, for example, Madonna) a real form of women's cultural power, or does it reinforce male dominance by reducing powerful women to sexual objects, just like their other, less successful sisters?
posted by toddo at 10:59 AM
1 Comments:
Seems like she has the best of both worlds. She can go either way which gives her even more power, she's using it to her advantage and she knows it. She's getting her name out there through two different outlets.
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