I am working with Commodity Lesbianism, an article written by Danae Clark. The main problem Clark identifies is that consumer culture appeals to heteronormative standards of society. The main question Clark poses is; how does this harmful rhetoric within society relate to the consumption of representation standards? Clark writes, “Implicit in these investigations, however, has been an underlying concern for the heterosexual woman as consuming subject” (Clark 484). Clark approaches this argument by revealing explicit examples of the appeal to gay and lesbian communities (in specific) through implicit advertising. Clark also explains this through the definition of ‘‘gay window advertising’’ (Clark 486). Companies like Calvin Klein market to their consumers through advertisements not explicitly stating anything about heterosecuality while having two actors of the same sex portraying a scenario. This makes consumers who would be angry about explicit homosexual advertisements still buy the product being marketed. Clark also talks about consumer appeal through the notion of the fashion industry. Fashion companies appeal to the male gaze and uphold patriarchal standards. Clark quotes Arlene Stein, “Lesbian-feminist anti-style was an emblem of refusal, an attempt to strike a blow against the twin evils of capitalism and patriarchy, the fashion industry and the female objectification that fueled it” (Clark 487). By looking at the consumer appeal through challenging the male gaze, we are able to discern how advertising systems become societal pillars. Implicit and explicit advertising techniques no matter what the intended audience is, holds details that are specific to certain communities, whether it be the LGBTQ+ community or otherwise. I find Clark’s analysis to be persuasive and informative. The argument ties into the content I am learning right now in Social Issues in the Global World, a class I have to take to fulfill my sociology requirement. We talk about how topics each week reinforce capitalism and its benefits to those who hold positions of power. Last week we covered the relationship between capitalism, neoliberalism, and the audiences placed on the center stage within media advertisements. In many outlets of media, audiences who identify as a part of the LGBTQ+ community are not given platforms or advertisements, especially those of color within the LGBTQ+ community. Clark highlights this well, as does Parker by bringing Kimberle Crenshaw and the conversation surrounding intersectionality within media. I do not find myself resisting any points made in Clark’s analysis. I agree with Clark’s focus and how the argument encapsulates the idea of companies knowing who their audience is and using the power capitalistic social tools imbues on them to explicitly appeal to a heterosexual environment, or reject the idea that there could be other ways of viewing advertisements. I would take Clark’s analysis further into the constructs of society as we know it, and try to tear down patriarchal pillars that form our day to day lives. Clark could also be a good resource for my sociology class as we delve further into the specifics of standards within society and how they form a heteronormative construct as well as a white centering of voices (i.e, Kimberle Crenshaw and her thoughts on intersectionality), thus provoking the conversation behind someone’s identity and how we choose to perceive others. 

Works Cited

Clark, Danae. “Commodity Lesbianism.” Out in Culture, 1995, pp. 484–489, 496-498., https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv1220htt.35.