In our previous blogs, we have discussed the many
roles that women play as athletes. We have also discussed the discrimination
and prejudice that takes place in the sports world. But what about the women
who are off of the field? Not every individual is able to participate in the
actual game. There are many tasks that are done behind the scenes. As the new
Proctor and Gamble ad exemplifies, that role is delegated to women and more
specifically, mothers. As said in the article by USA Today, “being a mom is the
hardest job in the world. But it's also the best job you'll ever have”
(Hanashiro, 2012). Simply put, this is what society tells us is the norm.
In this short film, women are shown waking up their
child, washing dishes, doing laundry, making meals, providing transportation,
and being personal cheerleaders. If you had not yet noticed, each woman is
performing these tasks on her own. Where are the men? It appears that being a mother
means adhering to society’s norms. Across the world, a mother’s role is
unanimous. It is not a shared responsibility but instead a full time job held
by the mother.
It is important to notice, that this standard is
held in all social classes. The Proctor and Gamble advertisement shows families
in many different countries, cultures, and sports settings. Different sports,
such as gymnastics, track, swimming, and volleyball are shown. Each of these
sports conveys a different level of social class, particularly the knowledge
and Proletariat. The knowledge class includes individual sports such as
gymnastics, performed by an American child. The Proletariat sport is a team
sport, in this case, volleyball. Although there is a difference in social
class, the mother’s role remains the same – supporter and nurturer.
The media guides woman in a direction of motherhood.
Motherhood might not be every woman’s forte or desire. However, as the Proctor
and Gamble ad shows, women who do not conform to this standard are excluded and
ostracized. There are many more roles that women have in life and the media
must show these as well. Every woman has a different mindset, different goals,
and different dreams.
Word Count: 362
Bibliography
Hanashiro, Robert. "Video: Sports Moms Have
Hardest Jobs in World." USA Today. Gannett, 26 Apr. 2012. Web. 27 Apr.
2012.
<http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/04/video-sports-moms-have-hardest-jobs-in-world/1>.
