7.Genderization

In the 1930s, dancing was an important social activity, and shampoo companies wanted women to worryabout yet another way they could smell bad.It’s a laugh to look at how ridiculous these ads are, but the appeal goes beyond the humor. I also have aninterest in sociology and psychology, particularly the way we advertise to women and how women aretreated by the media in general. I think we, as a society, are extremely cruel to women. I look at these oldads and feel as though nothing has changed. Which is sad because my mom used to go to the women’s librallies back in the ’70s, and 40 years later, we’re worse off. We don’t have the same little comic stripsmaking fun of women, but there is still intense pressure for women to fit in, not to offend people, not to beostracized. In the old ads, you can offend people in myriad ways, with runs in your stockings, by your hairsmelling, with bad breath, with your underarm odor. But today, every inch of a woman’s body isscrutinized, especially when it comes to weight.Collectors Weekly: What prompted you to start a blog about these ads?Petrovic: I ended up with piles of these vintage magazines stacked up in cupboards in the garage. At onepoint, I looked at the piles and thought, “If people out there are going to find this interesting and funny,why not share it?” I wanted to do something with it. If it’s going to take up that much space in my life, Ishould make it useful. What you see on the website now doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of whatI’ve got to upload. And that’s a year and a half’s worth of me getting on the computer several times a weekto scan and upload the ads to the site.Collectors Weekly: When did this sort of advertisement begin?319 She Culture CRT: Genderization