The image of a perfect woman in the 1950s is familiar to all of us – a diligent wife, slaving around the house all day, preparing delicious meals for her hardworking husband, taking care of the children, and all that with a smile, of course. This image was reflected a lot in the ads of that era too. Inspired by them, photographer and video editor from Beirut, Lebanon, Eli Rezkallah created a series called “In A Parallel Universe” where he switched up the gender roles portrayed in those ads to reveal the absurdity of such stereotypes with humor.
“Last Thanksgiving, I overheard my uncles talk about how women are better off cooking, taking care of the kitchen, and fulfilling “their womanly duties,” Rezkallah writes on his website. “Although I know that not all men are like my uncles and think that way, I was surprised to learn that some still do, so I went on to imagine a parallel universe, where roles are inverted and men are given a taste of their own sexist poison.”
Scroll down to see these funny recreations of old-school ads for yourself!
More info: elirezkallah.com
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@Robert Williamson, the artist is a he, not a she.
Load More Replies...I mean it's no wonder our mothers and grandmothers grew up with this attitude. It was everywhere in their society.
According to Logopedia website, that logo is from the 2007-2017 period, later than the 'original' ad purports to be from. So, seems something more was photoshopped than the 'reversed' ad. http://logos.wikia.com/wiki/Hardee%27s
I haven't seen one of Carl's Jr/Hardee's burger porn adds in awhile (you know, the ones with the sexy women models). Maybe they wised up about how stupid those were.
The ad was later and meant as a slap to those "good old days" so this is a take off on a take off not realizing it was a take off!
Look closely and you'll see that sexism and racism are both HUGE parts of Carl's Junior/Hardee's ad campaigns to this day
Very interesting! Can you point to an example?
Load More Replies...That was not Hardee's logo. The star came from their merger with Carl's Jr. in the late 90s. They wouldn't also describe their own food as "sloppy and hastily prepared".
Should have had a bearded lumberjack dressed in tight jeans, as they walk around today and say they don’t weAr a beard because it’s cool
Load More Replies...Men can open purses. Bras, on the other hand...
Load More Replies...This is a good idea but I can't remember the last time I purchased a rubber band... If there is one in my house I wouldn't know where to look.
Load More Replies...Huh? How did anyone even think this made any sense in the first place?
I can open jars that strong men, like my husband, cannot.
Load More Replies...F**k I hate those old style ketchup bottles. How did they not think of the "upside down"
Eh, this one is pretty demeaning both ways. Not cool in either case.
That's the point. This is how women were treated for ages. And still are by many people.
Load More Replies...Damn, this is straight up dystopian, LOL. XD How did people get this misogynist back then? o.o Geez. :p
The positioning of the woman in the illustration (especially how low her head is) is hardly accidental. In the modern photo, the man's head is in a more normal position for simply serving breakfast, albeit demeaning.
I'm just super shocked, that these adds actually existed.... OMG ..... What am I looking at???
it's still actually worst for the woman... her face is level with the table...he's still above it...also he's looking over her (past her)...while the alpha-female looks at him
Funny, how the man in the old ad seems genuinely happy, and the woman feels very submissive, while on the new add, the woman doesn't seem as content and the man manages to keep his back straight even then.
why are either wearing a tie in bed? the temptation to choke them would be to great.
Nah if she's bowing her head he should have done the same. otherwise it's not a real reversal because bowing your head is considered a sign of submission and that is the center focus of the first one a serving a man and servants aren't supposed to raise their head or make eye contact unless told to.
should point out it’s not ok either way, i just realized i sounded sexist towards men there didn’t mean to sorry
Load More Replies...all those vintage ads are horrible, but this one? this is a whole new level of wrong.
why does the woman STILL have to be in high heels? Heels were originally made for men anyway...
Needs high heels to make it look really sexy. ( bitter sarcasm) Hi heels are painful and damage leg hip and foot tendons.
Load More Replies...As a man that sometimes cooks for his wife, This has actually happened. Burned the food, but the beer survived.
Okay.. drink your fresh beer anyway and take me out to dinner, I am starving sweetheart... - to add to the passive aggressive behavior of the add
I would not mind a woman that beings beer each time I fail at cooking
The new one is merely sexist toward both. Look at the differences between the man's suit in the old one and the woman's suit in the new one. They can't help being sexist against the women. If they weren't, her suit wouldn't be "snug" or "form fitted".
No her suit looks nice. BTW his suit on the left IS form fitting. Fitted to HIS fit & trim form. Women looking like women is NOT sexist. I prefer NOT to be hidden away in boxy "mannish" clothes.
Load More Replies...either way it's not ok. but people seem to be ok when the role are reverse and it's the men who are in that situation. people find it funny.
It's not meant to be funny, it's reversed to show how terrible the standard was back at the time (and honestly STILL is in many cases).
Load More Replies...Some men 'won't like' this new version of the ad, but some definitely will! It depends on what sort of weird s**t the guy is into.
Hardly the same one looks like she's about to get hit hard the other one looks he is about to enjoy his spanking.
When I was a little girl, all the women did all the work even more so when get together s happened. Men sitting around talking and then even getting served beer or anything else. I hated it then and even told the Aunties and grandmothers and mom, they just laughed. I still don't think it was right and these add are not funny either way. Sorry to be a downer but this spanking thing hit home.
I'm glad you spoke out to your family. You were a strong girl.
Load More Replies...Damn, these are really sexist ads. I had never seen them. Glad to see things changed for good.
Things have improved, but we don't have full equality yet.
Load More Replies...That is a damn fine machine, I would be totally chuffed if someone was thoughtful enough to buy me a good tool for the house (actually I already have a great vacuum but who does not want a hoover?).
Hey, reading the manual - isn't that rather unbecoming to a man? ;)
Meh to Hoover, I love my Shark, it was an awesome present! :)
as a man who loves to vacuum, and who possesses adult-sized onesie would be tickled pink to get a vacuum brand new under the tree on Christmas
Haha I think they would be more funny if they leave the man in theis "man attires" and look, not a girly looking boy IMO.
So is he. It is just a bit old fashioned. Like these adds. ;)
Load More Replies...Sadly, I can vouch that not only are these ads real, my grandfather drew some of them. I thunk it's the fact that the company names have been replaced that's throwing people. Other than that, the originals are the original, text, type, and picture.
The original Leggs ads are just disturbing. Psychopathic serial killer s**t
Dishwashers are not lazy people. It's a perfectly acceptable job for a man providing for his family.
Artist forgot to solve gender issue here. First picture portrays a family, where dad and the kid is hanging out in the living room, doing nothing, not giving a f*ck about poor mom slaving away in the kitchen. Second picture could just as well be a dishwasher at a generic restaurant. Plenty of those in the 50s too.
They made her look overwhelmed in the old one, overwhelmed and unhappy. lBut, he looks like a professional. This is a fail since it looks like she starts it with a mess, and he ends it will an organized arrangement of clean dishes... making him look better than her. Fail if they were trying to turn the tables.
They also forgot about the dad and the kid in the original ad, who are not helping the mom, which is a pretty important aprt, I think.
Load More Replies...There are also cups, pans, and silverware in the picture, not just plates. So, yes, 25 a day easily.
It is hard to now imagine the misogyny of these ads; although I grew up during those times.
So did I --- the bad thing about these is that we accepted the situation as normal
Load More Replies...Why is there nippels on the man picture and not on the women picture?
Lady nipples are naughty. .you must be a bad Christian. 😉
Load More Replies...The man is topless so that you can see he's a man. It's obvious that the one on the left is a woman.
Load More Replies...I grew up in the 60's and we had these kind of print ads, usually with someone smoking. Looking at them with role reversal, they are not only sexist but sadistic!
I love....this.....it shows the difference in our figures.. WOMEN ARE DIFFERENT.
Yup, Its okay to go around feeling up women's asses. Subliminal message. Today it's sexual misconduct both ways. We have come a long way, but still more to go.
thank you for doing these ads. I laugh, but at the same time, these were really sexist, where did you find them? Thanks again. I'm snowed in in Raleigh, North Carolina, so your humor helps lighten the Cabin Fever I am beginning to experience.
If these offend you... you really won't want to see the ethnic and black ads from back then. Yes, by today's standards, they are offensive. It's called progress. As a society we've matured. We don't marry off our kids for dowry at 12 anymore, do we? No. Now go call your grandmothers and thank them for fighting for change.
These originals are shocking! Such a good idea to do these parallels, and beautifully executed.
For the people whining that "both of these are wrong" and "this is degrading to men." That's. The. Point.
I’m of an age where I remember most of these ads. They’re not jokes or exaggerations. Women really were expected to be brainless, helpless, and happy to serve their husbands without complaint.
some places in our country, guys don't know those are out of date. they think it's still that way.
Wow, those original advertisements are really disgusting. Quite shows at what position were women basically a few years ago.
The saddest part is that advertisement for woman-oriented goods haven't really changed all that much. In the thisties it was "douse your ladyparts in Lysol or HE WILL LEAVE YOU YOU SMELLY CREATURE". Now it's much subtler, but the underlying message "get this product or no man ever will find you attractive" is still predominant. Just flip open any ladies' magazine and see for yourself.
So revealing to read the comments from the men with hurt feelings. :-)
Just remember that when Conservatives harken to the 'Good old days' and how happy they were, just remember this is what they are harkening to. Art reflects life. This is actually what life was like for women. They often got through it by drinking, smoking and scarfing down lots and lots of pills. Surely the men were happy but not the women and that is why the Women's Movement happened. It would have never happened if women were contented and fulfilled being treated like that.
If these offend you... you really won't want to see the ethnic and black ads from back then. Yes, by today's standards, they are offensive. It's called progress. As a society we've matured. We don't marry off our kids for dowry at 12 anymore, do we? No. Now go call your grandmothers and thank them for fighting for change.
These originals are shocking! Such a good idea to do these parallels, and beautifully executed.
For the people whining that "both of these are wrong" and "this is degrading to men." That's. The. Point.
I’m of an age where I remember most of these ads. They’re not jokes or exaggerations. Women really were expected to be brainless, helpless, and happy to serve their husbands without complaint.
some places in our country, guys don't know those are out of date. they think it's still that way.
Wow, those original advertisements are really disgusting. Quite shows at what position were women basically a few years ago.
The saddest part is that advertisement for woman-oriented goods haven't really changed all that much. In the thisties it was "douse your ladyparts in Lysol or HE WILL LEAVE YOU YOU SMELLY CREATURE". Now it's much subtler, but the underlying message "get this product or no man ever will find you attractive" is still predominant. Just flip open any ladies' magazine and see for yourself.
So revealing to read the comments from the men with hurt feelings. :-)
Just remember that when Conservatives harken to the 'Good old days' and how happy they were, just remember this is what they are harkening to. Art reflects life. This is actually what life was like for women. They often got through it by drinking, smoking and scarfing down lots and lots of pills. Surely the men were happy but not the women and that is why the Women's Movement happened. It would have never happened if women were contented and fulfilled being treated like that.
