Real maleness or something like that
Call me stupid, but I dont understand why this commercial was made. In fact, I think this Burger King commercial sucks donkey butt (and Im sorry I just offended all the good donkeys out there!). It seems to me that Burger King is trying to protect the “real” man by showing the world that real men eat meat. Real men would even walk out on their date if they knew they could get meat instead of “chick food”. Is it true that the “real maleness” is threatened? If so, by who? Gay men? single moms? Men giving birth? Meterosexual straight men? Butch lesbians? Aliens with effeminisation guns?
Personally, I dont believe in such a thing as “real maleness”, especially not the one being thrown at us through in tv commercials, FHM magazine etc. Most men I know would not meet the requirements for “real maleness” and wouldn’t be considered “real” men by many people, even if they tried. By requirements I mean, for example, heterosexual, meat-eater, beer lover, footballfan (or another sport). A real man must also be very handy, he must love working on his car, and he’s always ready for sex. Always.
Hm. I should stop blogging at 3am cause I keep losing my train of thoughts. I have no idea what I was going to write here. Hahah! I’m therefore gonna stop and ask some questions to the readers: What is “real maleness” to you? What does a real man look like, what is he like? Do you believe there’s a “real maleness*”?
*heck, I bet I could’ve used “masculinity”, but hey, you know, whatever.
July 5, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Its a commercial because its the easiest way to insult someone. Every boy when s/he’s growing up gets told ‘you’re not a man if you dont do this’ at some point in time.
(If only it was that easy! I love meat >.>)
July 9, 2008 at 8:24 pm
I thought Burger King had more female customers than male… aren’t they afraid of loosing some customers because of this commercial?
July 10, 2008 at 1:10 pm
I have the hardest time trying to explain maleness/ masculinity as a cultural construct to people. It seems to be one of those “I know it when I see it,” hot buttons for people.
Then again, what do I know? People have told me I “think like a man” all my life. Who knew it was possible to have gendered thoughts?