Violence, addiction and eating disorders are only some of the negative effects of advertising. Jean Kilbourne, an internationally acclaimed feminist author and speaker, will speak at Sacramento State on Wednesday about how advertising influences our society as a whole.

“My focus is how advertising and marketing contributes to the toxicity of society and the problems that follow,” Kilbourne said. “People aren’t aware of how the media pervades people’s lives.”

As a part of HERstory month, the Women’s Resource Center at Sac State pooled resources to get Kilbourne to lecture to students on campus.

“This month recognizes women for their history and accomplishments,” said Lindsay Brent, coordinator for the Women’s Resource Center. “What better way for us to celebrate women than by bringing such a powerful figure to campus to have her talk about the issues we face as a society.”

After seeing some of her films and lectures herself, Brent said Kilbourne’s lectures are anything but boring or monotone.

“Just the way she presents herself is inspiring,” she said. “She involves the audience members and talks about issues that they can actually see in their everyday lives.”

Lecturing about her new film “Killing Us Softly,” Kilbourne will be on campus at 3 p.m. Wednesday in the University Union Ballroom.

Her lecture, “The Naked Truth,” will focus on the influence of advertising on people’s lives, specifically looking at the alcohol and tobacco industries.

“People need to be aware of what the tobacco industry has been up to for a long time,” Kilbourne said. “It is important to see how these industries target their audience and want to create addiction.”

Besides alcohol and tobacco, Kilbourne said she will also be discussing the image of women in advertising.

“The fashion world has only extremely thin models as the standard of beauty and certainly everyone is affected by the obsession of the ideal image of women,” shesaid. “This idea creates a climate in which eating disorders are definitely more than likely to flourish.”

Speaking about issues with body image is not only important to women, but also to men, Kilbourne said.

“The negative effects of advertising not only effects women, but all of us &- our whole society,” Kilbourne said. “Men are subjected to just as much media corruption, even if the focus is centered around subjecting women.”

Agreeing that men are just as vulnerable, Brent said everyone is encouraged to see Kilbourne’s lecture.

“Men are affected by these negative images because they live by these women every day,” Brent said. “They have sisters, mothers and aunts who they love that are affected by the advertising market.”

Kilbourne said she will continue to visit universities like Sac State to lecture because she is passionate about sharing her message.

“I have been doing this for 35 years. I wouldn’t travel around to spread the word if I didn’t feel passionately about this,” Kilbourne said. “It’s really important to get this message across to everybody &- college students and more.”

Erin Rogers can be reached at [email protected]