Shooting for Masculine Protection The rifle company Bushmaster wants you to “consider your man card reissued” as you get your hands on their manliness-boosting firearms. The advertisement features a lonely rifle depicted in front of a white background. It is clean and straight forward; this weapon will confirm your manliness. Between the lines of the poster is a sad story of gender norms that we still have to break. The reminiscence of the 1950’s nuclear family and the man as a provider and protector might strike most of us as obsolete stereotypes, but the fact is that we are still socialized into gender-groups from the moment that we are born. Even though society looks a lot more egalitarian today, Bushmasters “man card” campaign speaks to
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Through my sociological observations and my experience in the Swedish Feminist Party I have come to the conclusion that gender as an institution is oppressive to all genders and my argument for this essay is that guns reinforce gender roles. The Bushmaster campaign is clearly marketed to men, demonstrating how firearms are mainly a male issue. Research from the Bureau of Justice Statistics shows us that men are far more likely to own a firearm with 42 percent compared to women’s 9 percent (cook 3), and more likely to be killed by one at 81 percent to women’s 61 percent (Perkins 9). Between 2010 and 2012 you could log on to Bushmaster’s website and get your manliness affirmed by answering questions to prove that you are manly enough to get a personal “man card” issued (Sperling 12). It was ingenious to use an interactive advertisement on the internet to reach a younger demographic. Since the majority of gun owners are 40 to 64 years old (Cook 3), firearm producers and distributors have to make an effort to reach the younger generations. Making the campaign even more appealing was the possibility of competition, another traditionally male objective. By logging on to the site, you were able
Through my sociological observations and my experience in the Swedish Feminist Party I have come to the conclusion that gender as an institution is oppressive to all genders and my argument for this essay is that guns reinforce gender roles. The Bushmaster campaign is clearly marketed to men, demonstrating how firearms are mainly a male issue. Research from the Bureau of Justice Statistics shows us that men are far more likely to own a firearm with 42 percent compared to women’s 9 percent (cook 3), and more likely to be killed by one at 81 percent to women’s 61 percent (Perkins 9). Between 2010 and 2012 you could log on to Bushmaster’s website and get your manliness affirmed by answering questions to prove that you are manly enough to get a personal “man card” issued (Sperling 12). It was ingenious to use an interactive advertisement on the internet to reach a younger demographic. Since the majority of gun owners are 40 to 64 years old (Cook 3), firearm producers and distributors have to make an effort to reach the younger generations. Making the campaign even more appealing was the possibility of competition, another traditionally male objective. By logging on to the site, you were able