Tough Guy vs Gentle Woman Perception of Society

From early on in life we are taught by either society how we should look, dress, and act. Men learn that they should be strong, and powerful while females learn to be beautiful and desirable at all times. “Bros Before Hos: They Guy Code” by Michael Kimmel speaks on how society teaches men to be masculine. While “Two Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt: Advertising and Violence” by Jean Kilbourne speaks on how society promotes men to view women as sexual objects. Both pieces of literature shows how society can mold and or change the way we think and feel. Many men feel pressured into being masculine, not showing emotion, and being tough at all times. Michael Kimmel’s “Bros Before Hos: They Guy Code” talks about how men are expected to follow this code of being masculine and any sense of femininity would be looked down upon and ridiculed. “Our effort to maintain a manly front cover everything we do. How we talk. How we walk. What we eat” (612) says Kimmel. By putting up this masculine front men aren’t really being themselves. Many of us question where did this code come from? Well, when I was a child most young boys looked up to the super heroes which all happened to be men. These super heroes oozed of violence, muscles, and when they got hit they wouldn’t even feel it. Sounds similar right, well guys believe to be a real man that they have to be super hero like. When they are mad they react with violence, and when hurt they pretend they feel nothing.” Any fatigue, any weakness, any signs that being hit actually hurt and he was like wahh! [Fake crying] Widdle Donny got a boo boo. Should we kiss it guys?”(611) Showing emotion is compared to being a child in the quote above and to be a man you have to pretend to be tough. Jean Kilbourne’s “Two Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt: Advertising and Violence” speaks on how society uses advertising to portray women as sexual objects. She also goes on to state how advertisements promote rape and violence towards women.” Male violence is subtly encouraged by ads that encourage men to be forceful and dominant”(577). She feels that when men look at these advertisements it will make them view women as only sexual object who they can subdue to anything they desire. She speaks of one particular ad “a jeans ad portraying a man sliding his hands under a woman's transparent blouse”(583) this leads men to believe it is okay to objectify women. Advertisements portray violence towards woman that can cause men believe it is okay to do the same. Society has a big way of molding how we think and feel, Michael Kimmel’s “Bros Before Hos: They Guy Code” and Jean Kilbourne’s “Two Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt: Advertising and Violence” are evidence. Kimmel states numerously how society causes men to be emotionless and put up this masculine exterior front. He states “ Guys hear the voices of the men in their lives fathers, coaches, brothers, grandfathers, uncles, priests to inform their ideas of masculinity”(611). This shows how men in society set up the way men are suppose to act. Jean Kilbourne on the other hand feels that society uses advertisements to mold the way men treat women. She believes that advertisement causes men to view women as sexual objects. She states “Many boys grow up feeling that they are unmanly if they are not always ready for action, capable of and interested in sex with any woman who is available. Advertising doesn’t cause this attitude of course, but it contributes to it”(595). She believes that advertisement promote men to be more sexual and promotes women to be nothing more than just a sexual being. Both Michael Kimmel’s “Bros Before Hos: They Guy Code” and Jean Kilbourne’s “Two Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt: Advertising and Violence” shows how society can influence the way people act, walk, and talk. People can be influenced by sources of entertainment such as T.V, music, and advertisement. They can also be influenced by people they surround themselves around such s family, friends, and teachers. Either way you look at it society plays a big role in the development of people and can cause a shift in the way one thinks and feels.