Advertising ‘incredible insult to women’

Press, 18 April 1978, Page 10

Advertising ‘incredible insult to women’

Television advertising is * mass assault on women’s ! s e I f-confidence. Sister O’Regan, who works with i families in Aranui, said at I the opening of a seminar for iwomen in Christchurch. The advertisers always [saw women as consumers, never as thinkers. An extraordinary emphasis was placed on cleanliness.

“We have to have white teeth, soft skin, gleaming hair, a white wash, an immaculate kitchen floor, spotless stove inside and out. a bathroom that knows neither a wet floor nor a steamed-up mirror,” said Sister O’Regan.

The advertisers who told women all this was necessary could easily have w' men enslaved to a housecleaning pattern that would appal their grandmothers, who did not have laboursaving devices. Sister o Ke'*ar suggested mothers could make appropriate comments on such advertisements while their children wi 1 watching television. She described cosmetic advert’«ements as incredible insults. Their logic was that the “real you was not enough, not half enough.”

"if we soak that stuff often enough into our subconscious, of course our self-esteem is damaged,” said Sister O’Regan. “Television advertising has an influence on us, but as the advertising experts themselves claim, the real place to set at us is through the women’s magazines.”

Women in general — even' [more than men — lacked [ confidence in themselves. 'Many women reacted strong-’ ly against that assertion, be-! cause it did not apply to them or because they did not want to admit it was the [truth. i “I used to think that alii this talk about women lack-’ ing in confidence was pushed just too far. but I must admit I have greatly modified my views,” she said.

Although there were plenty of confident, highly competent women in many spheres, they were not the majority. Sister O’Regan said she had formed the opinion mainly by listening to and observing what was apparent in her daily life. “There is much to Bonder on when a women tells you that she deliberately sees to it that she does not outshine her husband in conversation even though she may know more about that particular topic than he does,” she said.

“Or when a long-time secretary describes how she carefully puts forward suggestions so that her boss thinks he thought of them first. I find such selfeffacement quite mindboggling.” A number of widowed and separated women had told her that they had only begun

to discover themselves as persons when they were on their own. They had then i begun to realise' a potential; they had never been aware' of in themselves. Many. women who said they were happv in their marriage still felt they were living someone else’s life — that of their husband or children. Sister O’Regan said she also met women whose lives seemed to have lost their purpose because their children had become independent. Her advice to women was to “practise a bit of healthy! non-conformity.” That would counteract the “slavish conformity” demanded bv advertisers. While practising a[ little sturdy independence. [ mothers should give their i children the chance to do the! same.

Women should practise doing things about which they lacked confidence. Talking changed nothing. The set-backs and embarrassments. the small success and triumphs, the not-giving-up were all part of the learning process. “The solution to lack of confidence lies in your own hands, and no-one else’s,” she said.

They should improve their vocabulary so that they could be more articulate. Then they should learn to speak out in public, perhaps by starting with small groups.

“Don’t go alone into any situation where your selti confidence may take a I knock. It’s amazing the way the presence of a third perIson can change the way «e are dealt with. Keep well in mind that people who administer our bureaucracy 'are paid to serve the community: we call them public servants," she said. Sister O’Regan warned the women/ to be wary of the "minor official.” who made up for the dullness of the i job by a little show of supe- [ riority or power, or even plain rudeness. “My advice: don’t let them do it.” Her “infallible recipe for building up confidence was | to “affirm another person as we grow.”

“If you want to grow in confidence and healthy selfesteem, build up someone else. Concentrate on building up their confidence, and by some strange and rich paradox you will see your own confidence grow,” said Sister O’Regan. . , About 80 women attended the opening function for the “Positive Solutions to Pressures on Women” seminar arranged by the regional women’s decade committee. More than 140 will spend todav at workshops at the Aranui High School. Registration will be welcome no later than 8.45 a.m.