Letters to the Editor: Women aren’t the ones to blame for sexploitation in advertising

To the editor: Marketing executive Andrea Javor tells us in her pro-marketing op-ed that we shouldn’t blame Sydney Sweeney for the Novig ad (“Sydney Sweeney isn’t bringing back sexist advertising — women are,” Sept. 18). We weren’t born yesterday; we know the responsibility for this ad lies with the people in Javor’s industry, not Sweeney. We also know that women are not to blame for this ad any more than women are to blame for the heavy reliance on sexploitation of our images in advertising throughout my entire lifetime, which is now clocking at 68 years.

Javor goes on to accuse women who protest exploitative advertising of “kicking the door shut” on some bold new fantasy world in which sexism is no longer a part and parcel of advertising. There is no logic so confounding as that when it comes to a rich, powerful and culpable industry. She warns us to stop taking the bait, rather than admitting the liability lies with those dangling bait that reinforces a vulgar and dangerous element of patriarchy.

Maybe it is time for advertisers to consider the toll on women in the way of rape, murder and domestic violence before dangling more irresistable bait for women to lunge at.

Bethia Sheean-Wallace, Morton Grove, Ill.