Re: Sexist Societies?
Our choices may be influenced by the media, but the media most certainly does not make our decisions for us. We have the final say in what we do or don’t do as we are not zombies. As humans, we have the mental capacities to actively decide whether or not we want to do something and there are many people who go against the expectations touted by the media. Frankly, giving the media that much credit is overestimating their reach.
As far as the latter statement, you may find it shameless but the practice you described is common in advertising/sales in various countries. not just in the west. It has long been documented in marketing that people respond better to a sales pitches from the opposite sex. This has been known by marketers for ages and has nothing to do with sex, morality, or shame but simply increasing sales, which is what marketing departments are paid to do.