PETA and The Guerilla Girls

I found that both the PETA and Guerilla Girls proved to have effective and creative approaches to reach their audiences. I had never researched or learned about PETA until this assignment. I had generally thought of PETA as an extreme and radical group that used controversial tatics to gain attention to animal cruelty. I was impressed with the professionalism of their website and I found it informative. I was surprised by the content in the videos that PETA used to show the animal cruelty going on in society. I watched one video that was so intense I could not finish watching it. I did not think that this assignment would have such an impact on my way of viewing the meat industry. I agree with PETA in that the meat industry uses inhumane practices but I do not agree with PETA that the act of eating meat is murder. I agree that the meat industry is wasteful but profitable. After watching the videos, I realized that I take my standard of living for granted. PETA did a great job of raising awareness of the health issues that are involved in eating meat. I mean the pictures of the over crowed, dirty, and sickly, worn out chickens made me re-evaluate my faith in the health benefits of eating chicken and eggs. I think PETA did a great job appealing to different audiences. I think they clearly appealed to people's sense of ethics by showing the misuse of animals. I think they also appealed to our human nature of reason and compassion. We don't like to see or hear any other creature being hurt. PETA also appealed to our responsibility to each other by showing that the meat industry is wasteful and increases the divide between the fed and the hungry. Then finally PETA throws in some facts about the unclean conditions and health hazards of eating meat, just for those strictly logical or practical people. I have to say that approach worked best on me... I think that for some people, like myself, the idea of eating meat is so normal that it's hard to think of it as immoral or irresponsible. Some people are just so accoustomed to it that PETA realizes they have to use a variety of approaches to get people thinking about animals and the meat industry, especially if they want people to make substaintial changes to their lifestyle.

In the case of the Guerilla Girls I think that they use a more light hearted approach. I mean they cannot expect to be taken seriously wearing gorilla masks? They take a serious topic of women's role in the art world and put a humourous spin on it. They give us startling statistics and facts but they add funny pictures or witty slogans to their advirtisments. I think that they are trying to raise awareness to the fact that women have a stereotypical image in the art world. They also bring to our attention the lack of female influence in the creation of art and film. The Guerilla Girls shy away from the typical "in your face" tatics that feminist have been know to use. The girls break the stereotype of a feminist while trying to break the stereotype of the role of women in art. I really like the approach the girls use, in fact, I want to read on of their books. I realize that some people find the masks weird or even creepy, I personally find them creative and effective. The masks represent a stereotype too. The idea that big beastly creatures are male and that females should not seem intimidating. Another reason I like the mask is because it conceals their identities. Many people think they know what a feminist is or what one should look like but if you can't see their faces, it sort of prevents that stereotype from prepetuating. It shows that you can't always tell who a feminist is, and it shouldn't even matter because its about the issues facing women as a whole not about any individual. The masks help unify the girls in their cause.