Advertising: Damaging Stereotypes of Women
             Many women in today's society are plagued by the stereotypes portrayed in advertisements. Everyday women are striving to become thin, model-type women. Someone women's actions are affected heavily by what they see in the advertisements. These damaging advertisements sexualize teenagers, trivialize power and silence women. The models used to portray, "everyday women," are incredibly thin, tall, and beautiful. The images of women used in advertising are damaging and unrealistic.
             Advertising affects many of our actions. Jessica Moore states in her article, Women and Advertising, "Each person in America sees an average of 1500 advertisements per day, which is about one ad per minute"(1). Moore also says that most Americans believe that the ads do not affect them in any way, nor does it affect their actions, but in fact, ads influence our thoughts, attitudes and actions(1). If the advertisements did not influence our actions, then the companies would not spend two billion dollars a year on advertising. It works! Many women buy weight loss pills or participate in programs, because the women in the ads for these companies are thin and beautiful. Moore suggests that American women are trying to reach this "ideal beauty" or "perfection" and many of these women and/or young girls do not realize, perfection does not exist(2). Being unable to reach this perfection of beauty leaves the women feeling depressed about their appearance and the may feel as if they are failures(2). The advertisements not only affect what women buy, but also what they do with their bodies. Many advertisements, as Jessica Moore points out, "Portray women as sex objects...causing many women to believe that their self-worth is dependent upon attention from men"(2). Some women may act upon this idea and have sex even if they don't truly want to, bu
             ...