Inspired Photographer Reverses Gender Roles Portrayed in Sexist 1950s Ads

In the series titled "In A Parallel Universe," a photographer reversed the gender roles in some of the ads to reveal how absurd these stereotypes were.

Damjan

Published in Interesting
9 Jul 2020

Inspired Photographer Reverses Gender Roles Portrayed in Sexist 1950s Ads

We've all seen what the ideal 1950s woman looks like—a perfect housewife who enjoys spending her days doing housework and preparing exquisite meals for her beloved husband while taking care of their three perfect children. And, of course, this woman is never seen without a huge, beaming smile on her perfectly made-up face.

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The image of this "perfect woman" was often portrayed in the advertisements of that era. Photographer and video editor Eli Rezkallah from Beirut, Lebanon, was inspired by some of the images he encountered from the 1950s and decided to create a series based on them.

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In the series titled "In A Parallel Universe," Eli reversed the gender roles in some of the ads to uncover how absurd the stereotypes were.

"Last Thanksgiving, I overheard my uncles discussing how women are better off cooking, taking care of the kitchen, and fulfilling 'their womanly duties,'" Rezkallah wrote 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 take a look at some of Eli's ingenious recreations. You can find more of his work on his website elirezkallah.com