15. Gender Issues in Advertising Language

My formative years were in the 1980's. I imagine this to be the time when the benefits of the feminist movement were being felt by society. I also spent a lot of time in front of the television while my mom worked. This seems like a double edged sword after reading this article. One benefit of the feminist movement was that many more women were encouraged to enter the job market and seek professional careers. One disadvantage, for me, was that since my mom was working more, I was left alone in front of the television. As sexist ads infiltrated my living room, I did not have the guidance to discern the derogatory language and images that determined my identity as a young girl. I believe that the conscious effort of advertisers to use gender-neutral language is pertinent to the development of positive self-esteem, whether for females or males.