Colton Elzey Core Post #1 "[F]or male viewers tradition is restored"

Angela McRobbie's piece analyzing post-feminism presents several interesting concepts regarding the term and social movement generally as it is reflected in everyday life as well as within popular media. McRobbie described the ideology behind the post-feminist movement as existing through a form of "double entanglement", in which one must call back to the Big Brother roots of 1984 to apply double think, and accept both "the co-existence of neo-conservative values in relation to gender, sexuality and family life" as well as "liberalisation in regard to choice and diversity in domestic, sexual and kinship relations" (255-6).  In short, her essay suggests that post-feminism allows a space for feminist theory--which modern culture has radicalized in a negative connotation--to exist because it is recognized as an element of the past, outdated and historicized, or one that has been "taken into account", and such is required due to social pressures that have created a culture of repudiation of the term, rather than ambivalence. 

McRobbie's analysis drew from an array of advertisements as well as popular media narratives such as Bridget Jones and Sex in the City. Her discussion of TV advertisements--both involving glamorized female figures--as backing to an argument that supports a new view of feminism by undoing it. The concept of sexualized, objectification that feminism would originally oppose, is not done here because McRobbie explains that the modern generation understands irony and accepts freedom of expression, sexuality, and such as displays of freedom not control. However, what I would posit that her essay lacks, is a candid look at both of these ads for what they are: advertisements, aimed at garnering viewers, influencing commerce, and selling products. As she explains, for the hetero men in the car "tradition is restored", they are back to a space where they can gaze upon a female body without shame. McRobbie explains that this objectification is a positive form, and an element of post-feminism (displaying that freedom and status were achieved) because of the objectification, and the irony behind the display of skin, and that both adverts display this as the woman's choice to do so, thus presenting positive movement in the gender battle. However, again, these are ads, designed not as forms of self expression, but for the purpose of capitalism--and that showing a nationally recognized super model slowly removing clothing items as she slips into a beautiful sports car signals to the audience the benefits of owning that car.

In summary, I don't think analyzing the ads as displays of positive representations, or even elements of post-feminism where "the fight is over, and status has been achieved," is accurate, considering there is not narrative arc behind the objectification, simply the goal of marketing a product.    

*I should leave a note here that my background in feminist and post-feminist theory is very limited, so there's that.