Drill Empower Women and Kitchen Breaks The Norms
Date
2-18-2025
Faculty Mentor
Teresa Reed, English
Files
Submission Type
Conference Proceeding
Location
8:30-8:40 am | Houston Cole Library, 11th Floor
Description
An image from a Canadian Tire holiday catalog features a boy using a kitchen set and a girl using a power drill. This advertisement challenges traditional gender stereotypes of the roles of women and men because it shows how boys and girls can complete tasks in the home or tasks that do not meet the typical gender roles, norms, or expectations but they can still enjoy them. People will be drawn to this visual because of the controversial exchange of roles and how the kids are not playing with what they are typically expected to play with based on their gender. We have lived in a world full of stereotypes, mainly when it comes to the roles of men and women in the home or their interests. As for roles in homes, women were expected to be homemakers and responsible for taking care of the cleaning and cooking, while men were expected to be responsible for providing financial support. Interests for women were expected to be towards crafts or social activities. Men were expected to focus on building things at home or in sports. This advertisement completely challenges these gender stereotypes because it features two kids playing with opposite toys of what they are expected to play with based on their gender. This advertisement portrays a message of empowerment and breaking norms and suggests a more inclusive view of what girls and boys can pursue. The people behind the advertisement had the purpose of empowering future women by normalizing the girl using the drill, demonstrating that girls can be competent and interested in mechanics or construction, which can lead to building. On the other side, we have the boy in the kitchen who serves as an example of how the interest in cooking is not just for women. This image could encourage boys to engage in activities that are traditionally associated with cooking or cleaning and normalize the fact that these activities are have witnessed how toddlers seem to play with whatever they have in front of them; they do not pay attention to the colors. As they grow up, children become more flexible with what types of toys they play with. However, gendered toy marketing can result in future gender differences. Marketing could attempt to avoid generalized colors on toys; that way, kids will be able to feel comfortable and play with their desired interests without questioning if they should or should not play with certain toys. This advertisement could be the beginning of breaking stereotypes on gender roles and proving how drills could empower women, and the kitchen could break the norms that only women were to be in the kitchen. It could lead to men being more involved in the kitchen. More advertisements like this one should be made to let people know how much the world is changing and how many individuals are leaving these stereotypes behind. That way, kids will feel less judged and pressured when deciding what they want to be when they grow up.
Keywords
student research, English, marketing
Rights
This content is the property of Jacksonville State University and is intended for non-commercial use. Video and images may be copied for personal use, research, teaching or any "fair use" as defined by copyright law. Users are asked to acknowledge Jacksonville State University. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@jsu.edu.
Disciplines
English Language and Literature
Recommended Citation
Garcia, Maria, "Drill Empower Women and Kitchen Breaks The Norms" (2025). JSU Student Symposium 2025. 24.
https://digitalcommons.jsu.edu/ce_jsustudentsymp_2025/24
