Image in advertisement raises concerns from readerDate: 8/23/2022 I received a note last week from an Amherst reader who expressed concerns about an ad for the Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival that ran in our papers.
The reader shared with me the following letter he had sent to the festival organizers: “Dear Springfield Jazz & Roots Fest,
“On page 9 of the August 11-17 copy of the Amherst edition of The Reminder (thereminder.com) there is an ad for your festival. This ad has a number of musicians on it, including one woman who is wearing a see-through tank top that fully exposes the upper half of her body. To be clear, the material of the shirt provides the same level of opacity as thin nylon tights; that is to say, practically none at all. I believe the ad was also on the cover of the previous week’s Reminder.
“Whoever this musician is, she can wear what she wants in music venues and promotional materials that are age controlled. But you had the choice to picture her in this outfit or another when you placed an ad that ends up in the homes of thousands of families across the region. In choosing this image, you’re doing no favors for how women are portrayed and valued in our society. Specifically, as the dad of a young woman, and of two young men in whom I’m trying to instill respect for everyone, I have to tell you that at best your choice is thoughtless.
“I think an appropriate response would be an apology in The Reminder, along with a redesigned ad to show the region what your ad will look like next year.”
As yet I’ve heard nothing from the festival organizers in terms of an explanation or apology, but I thought I should address some of the points made by the reader.
I can say that no one in this organization presented any objections to this ad, and all ads are indeed reviewed for a variety of reasons.
I completely understand the issues parents face in coping with the images, messages, commercials and attitudes a child can experience in traditional and social media. As an aging boomer I will readily admit that there are elements in popular culture that certainly surprise me, especially when compared to those I saw as a kid many years ago.
The difficulty people face sometimes is the interpretation of these elements. For instance, the photo in question could be seen as the body image endorsed by the musician in question. She posed for the photo and released it to the festival organizers. She has no problem with it, apparently.
Should we respect that decision or should it be criticized? Is this body-shaming?
Other people may see the image as one that unnecessarily sexualizes a musician, regardless of what the musician intended.
In a way, it’s “damned if you do and damned if you don’t.” How much should a parent censor and how much should they explain?
The way we portray ourselves – even non-celebrities like you and me – in social media, for example, is an ongoing struggle. Every day people post thoughts and images that others might find objectionable. Sometimes that is the intent – some people enjoy shocking others – and sometimes it isn’t.
Certainly, as someone with young grandchildren (ages 9 and 14) I’m concerned about the images they see on various media and what, if any, messages they post.
Not to sound patronizing, but I’ve thought the best policy is to talk to kids about what they see and how they feel about themselves. Young women are under tremendous pressure by society to meet ever-changing norms about appearance. Young men receive mixed messages about how to view and treat women.
Communication is vital.
Parenting has never been easy, and it’s even more difficult today. Trying to second-guess how something a child experiences is going affect that child is like reading tea leaves. Being a parent is the toughest job there is, and there’s no class for it.
Giving your children the emotional and intellectual tools to navigate through life is essential, though. They will see many things that confuse them or potentially negatively affect them and they need to know how to process those images and experiences for their own mental health.
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