Chris R. Katz. Advertising and the Construction of Violent White Masculinity.

Chris Refsdal
10/12/07
WGS 220-05
Katz, Jackson. Advertising and the Construction of Violent White Masculinity. (pgs. 349-358)

Description:

• Media descriptions justify and legitimize male violence and continue to use non-gendered terms to describe it, despite that the majority of violence is committed by males. (pg. 349)
  

Analysis:

• Hollywood “action-adventure” actors portray overly violent characters as a method of reassuring men that one area of masculinity was still attainable for them: physical size and strength. (pg. 351)
• Rock and rap artists legitimize anger and violence by making it seem “rebellious” and “cool”, not hesitating to make a profit off of it as well. (pg. 352-353)
• Sports athletes and military personnel are two major icons that appear in advertisements, reinforcing the violent nature of men, some times as a method of “masculinizing” traditionally feminine products. (pgs. 355-356)
  

Vision:

• Alternate non-violent methods should be employed in advertising to males so that levels of male violence will be reduced. (pg. 357)
  

Strategy:

• In depth analysis of other areas where violence is portrayed, such as comic books, toys, comedy, and music videos, should be studied in order to gain further understand of how violent masculinity is contstructed. (pg. 357)