Commenting on the above ad, D & G was quoted in La Vanguardia (in 2007) as saying, “What has an artistic photo got to do with a real act?” I really hope they’ve received a hard-driving answer to that question in the past two years but just in case they haven’t, I’d be much obliged to answer it here.
Not only does the ad promote aggressive behavior towards women, it also condones it. It says that women can be dominated and that men should and can be aggresive. It says that men can be voyeuristic, that they can be invasive and abrasive and that, all the while, they look good doing it. And, what’s more, that it will be acceptable and even, in some arenas, applauded.
About a year later, Dolce & Gabbana released this ad:
See any similarities? Both ads underhandedly yet straightforwardly (it’s not a paradox in advertising) promote gang-rape. In this ad, men are still allowed to look for their own pleasure against the will of the looked-upon object. It is still espoused that men can take what they want, that they can be dominating and assert their desires, even if it means violating another person.
One interesting point to note between the two ads is that the woman in the first ad does not appear to be fully unconscious. She still has the capacity to flex her body and her eyes are minimally open. In the second ad, however, the male on the floor appears to be fully unconscious. He does not have control over his neck, his mouth is open as if fulfilling the necessity to breath and his limbs are limp and leaning against other objects or his own body. What can be inferred by this is? I’m not wholly sure except to say that the stakes certainly appear to be different among men than they are in the realm of men and women.
And, in this realm, Dolce and Gabbana has attempted to do a strange kind of equalizing work which is, of course (being that it’s D&G), highly problematic.
About this ad campaign, Stefano Gabbana said, “It’s the vision of a dream more than reality, where the whip symbolises women’s power and where the naked models refer to a classic beauty inspired by Michelangelo.”
Oh Stefano, okay, I see now. So, in order to be powerful a woman needs to be a dominatrix? And even when she is that powerful, men are still icons of classic beauty?
Gabbana said, “Since these images have offended someone, we want to stress that we wanted to represent a strong and dominatrix woman, as is today’s woman.”
Ah. Well, ladies, bring out your whips. And men, better get toned and tan. ‘Cause apparently, those are the conditions upon which equality will arrive.
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