Washers, Dryers and laundry detergents are all marketed towards women because of their traditional role in the household. Check out the cheer website http://www.cheer.ca/en_CA/cheer-laundress/cleaning-clothes.php. This link should take you to an interview with Cheer Laundress, Rose Spires. Read it :)
Here is a small blurb from the interview;
Q- Why do you feel responsible for fighting for the bright?
A- Rose: I spent 20 years defeating the dingies in one home. I took great pride in my work. After the estate shut its doors, I felt empty, love. I knew the dingies were out there, and it was my job to rid the world of the whole lot.
The ideas that women are responsible for care taking and that they are responsible for the home and family, is still very real today. Laundry is not a tough job as it was in the past, and yet it remains marketed toward women because the duty is one of the private sphere. Anyone can do laundry, female, male and children. This interview is reminiscent of old time values, yet many people still buy into it today.
Danger Powers
What's really interesting about this is how domestic responsibilities are positioned in a masculine way "fighting the good fight." Women's domestic work is not only expected, it's absolutely necessary (at least that's how the ads makes it look). The Lysol commercials are a lot like that, where cleaning is necessary to protect the family.
ReplyDeleteThe militarization of domestic work is a little creepy. On that note, time to do some laundry :P
Macho Muffin