Uniting Global Feminism Analysis

Wow. Watching this film was a wakeup call. Though I find myself having and understating of the ways in which the media negatively portrays the slanted views of society, I would never have imaged that I had been so blind to such a horrific form of oppression. Looking back on the reading, Uniting Global Feminism, I better understand what was meant when the author states, “It is in the interests of all feminists to reject oppression as defined by those who experience it, rather than focusing on pointing fingers or claiming superiority over other groups.” In looking at the oppression that exists within advertising, I can see that advertising also has numerous intersectionalities of oppression that must be addressed with a critical consciousness, all of which are equally important. In creating change within the dominant discourse it is critical to address both groups as suggested, to focus on the oppression that exist and the ways in which it can be challenged. Though this is challenging work, the author reminds us that it doesn't matter how many people are involved in making the change, as long as we all recognize that the that

change needs to occur.
In watching this film not only did I recognize that dominant discourse that perpetuates oppression in various forms, I came to realize that I am a feminist.

As the reading, Feminism points out, “feminism is a struggle to end sexist oppression.” And while I was not fully aware of my biases and how I was influenced by the media in regards to the oppression that is generated by the advertising industry, I was able to gain a conscious acknowledgement of impact on not only women, but the oppressed as a whole, through the constructionist perspective of this course. It is the self-examination and the pedagogy of such critical issues such as the negative realities of advertising, that we can learn and create counter narratives as a collected group to bring acknowledgement of the various forms of oppression and realities to the table for

discussion.

In utilizing a critical consciousness to add to the constructionist perspective in offering counter narratives to the androcentric kyriarchy, I feel that a cultural understanding of the advertising realm needs to be established to effectively deal with the ways in which oppression are perpetuated. Similar to the various intersectionalities that exists within each of us, and within oppression, there are intersectionalities within advertising that maintain the functions of oppression and the androcentric views. In establishing a multidimensional perspective of the functions of adverting and the oppression that follows the intersectionalities of the advertising culture can be challenged in a way that teaches versus harms and furthers the extent of oppression that exists.