Housewives ever since the mid-20th century had a particular image. In movies, ads on TV and in print media you would see a wife with perfect hair and makeup slaving over the stove, hoovering, working in her garden or ironing with a serene, calm indifference on her face. This diligent wife had dedicated her life to taking care of every wish and whim of her husband and kids. She found great joy in having just one sole purpose behind her existence: serving her family well.
Gratefully, things have changed immensely since those ‘dark’ ages of gender conformity. Or so it seems. Women enjoy much more independence now. We’d love for you to tell a woman now how her place is in the kitchen and her priceless reaction to it. Looking at the ads in this article you’d say that feminism was much needed after all.
A post shared by Eli Rezkallah (@elirezkallah) on Nov 6, 2016 at 7:57am PST
Fine-art photographer, video director, visual artist, founder and creative director of Plastik Magazine and Plastik Studios, Eli Rezkallah from Beirut created a series called “In A Parallel Universe”. In this series, he took some vintage print ads and then switched the gender roles. By doing so, he revealed how absolutely stigmatizing and absurd such stereotypical notions were.
The inspiration for this comes from a personal incident which he relates, “Last Thanksgiving, I overheard my uncles talk about how women are better off cooking, taking care of the kitchen, and fulfilling “their womanly duties”. Although I know that not all men think that way I was surprised to learn that some still do, so I went on to imagine a parallel universe, where roles are inverted and men are given a taste of their own sexist poison. “In a parallel universe” is a series of fictional images, recreated from real ads in the mad men era, that question modern day sexism: showing it through a humorous light to spark a conversation through role play – a conversation that we need to have, uncles.”
You don’t say.
Brand: Alcoa Aluminium, Origin: USA, Decade: 1950s, Image type: Magazine Advert
How about maybe your give your wife a hand with the dishes?
Brand: Lux, Origin: USA, Year: 19656, Image type: Magazine Advert
No, please, just don’t push it.
Brand: Chemstrand Nylon, Origin: USA, Decade: 1940s, Image type: Magazine Advert
That cannot be the only possible way they could have wanted a girl around the house.
Brand: Mr Leggs, Origin: USA, Year: 1962, Image type: Magazine Advert
What’s more pathetic? A woman serving him breakfast on her knees or him thinking that wearing that tie in bed looks cool?
Brand: Van Heusen, Origin: USA, Decade: 1940s, Image type: Magazine Advert
Christmas must have really sucked back then.
Brand: Hoover, Origin: USA, Decade: 1950s, Image type: Magazine Advert
How did this seem okay?
Brand: Mr Leggs, Origin: USA, Year: 1962, Image type: Magazine Advert
My Hardee’s craving just went down the drain.
Brand: Hardee’s, Origin: USA, Decade: 1940s, Image type: Magazine Advert
Can you tell if that’s sarcasm?
Brand: Schlitz, Origin: USA, Decade: 1940s, Image type: Magazine Advert
Apparently physical assault puts you in the mood for a cup o’ joe. Or maybe it’s the other way around. We can’t really tell.
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