Sexist midcentury ads re-created, flipping gender roles

[Mister44]

That grin says, “Yes, I can blow myself…”

[Akimbo_NOT]

It’s the tie isn’t it?

[Melz2]

@Barleycorn

My cognitive dissonance is kicking in. It can’t be true…

Are you ‘Jack’s Complete Lack of Surprise?’

@Mister44

Even with the gender swap, the people presented are still unrealistically beautiful people

That’s part of the point. You’re overthinking this.

[Tamsin_Bailey]

Isn’t it “Ha, these are still bullshit ideas!” Then again, that’s our, hopefully more nuanced, view from here in 2018, which is undoubtedly very different from the view from the 50s, where misogyny ruled Madison Avenue.

[Melz2]

Oh, I’d say misogyny still has quite a strong grip on our society, only now it’s not longer vise-like.

[Tamsin_Bailey]

Well, I’m not going to argue there. It is arguably better now but fixed? Hell no.

[Melz2]

@Tamsin_Bailey

It is arguably better now but fixed? Hell no.

Not by a long shot; we still have such a long way to go.

[GulliverFoyle]

@Melz2

Not by a long shot; we still have such a long way to go.

In the key of Tom Lehrer…

The Sexual Harassment Prevention Song

[Melz2]

Seriously though, that was fabulous; thanks for posting it.

[Magdalene]

@Melz2

none of the stereotypical archetypes we’ve been force-fed by our society are accurate representations of real, three-dimensional people with individual agency

This is a good explanation. The “haha burly guys in aprons” joke swap of traditional gender roles isn’t the point here.

[Melz2]

@Magdalene

This is a good explanation.

Danke.

And now, an ode to the best unexpected, gender-flipping character arc of 2017; Steve Harrington, once a 2-dimensional cliche of the high school popular jock, now a full-fledged ‘soccer mom,’ replete with dish towel over his shoulder:

[knappa]

It went from patronizing, to comforting: I am happy that I didn’t burn the beer.

[codinghorror]

These are so so awesome. A lot of the gender inverted stuff is kinda boring and predictable but these are such a hoot! Maybe because it’s the classic pure dipped in mahogany and brass 1950s sexism.

[Nelsie]

Helvetica’s perfectly respectable. Arial, on the other hand…

[BakaNeko]

It looks like one of those fancy art books by German publisher Taschen.

[Kii]

@Magdalene

I think you make a good point, but it’s worth noting that most women don’t fit that representation femininity either, which is a big part of the absurdity.

Yes, this. The women in the original ads are representations of the ideal at the time. Stilettos in the kitchen, corseted-looking waists, perfectly coiffed hair and dramatic make-up. I get Mister44’s point, but I think by using the very pretty, done up men in the parodies, it highlights the sexism better than using a buff man-bear. I think a buff man-bear in many of the parodies would make things too absurd, too funny. It would lead to more amusement but less introspection.

That said, I would love to see a man-bear in stilettos in the kitchen one. I would laugh.