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Sexist tech tool of the day

Via Foolish Gadgets

Thanks to curvyglo for the link!

Posted by Miriam - April 01, 2009, at 10:00AM | in Sexism , Technology

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18 Comments

Wow. They don't even try to hide their objectification. "All you need to do is plug it in (I can’t bear myself to say “her” as this is more of a thing than a person)."

What a great way to start off my day.

[0+] Author Profile Page Teresa said:

Wait, so it doesn't even serve a purpose? It's not, like, a pencil sharpener or a paper weight or something? Not that this would be any better, I just can't imagine who would spend money on a mini, plastic, half of a pair of legs that does nothing but "shake." Wtf? How is this even remotely amusing/clever?

[0+] Author Profile Page Femgineer said:

It amazes me that someone designed this. Someone actually thought "Hey, you know what is a good idea? A USB shaker that is shaped like a woman's lower half." And no one with authority said "No, this is a bad idea."

But, I guess that can be said about most technological novelty items.

[0+] Author Profile Page laurajd said:

this is just so stupid....and pointless...may I say....

What kind of asshole would buy this product?

More importantly, what kind of asshole sat down and DESIGNED this product?

[0+] Author Profile Page vegkitty said:

I have a pig that does that. Except it's a speaker for my mp3 player. AND IT'S A FUCKING PINK PIGGY.

[0+] Author Profile Page CleiacHost replied to vegkitty :

To a lot of people? So is this!

[0+] Author Profile Page Colleen88 said:

I was going to ask what this actually does. But apparently I have my answer, nothing but objectify. Lovely. Also does a male version exist? Like can I plug in a man's lower half?? Just curious.

[0+] Author Profile Page curvyglo said:

twas my pleasure to send it in...
honestly, what is so appealing about dismembered women, anyway?
this is ridiculous.
oh, and i'm with Colleen88: jiggling male parts? bring it!

I don't think this is really that offensive.

Stupid, yes. Offensive, not so much. I have a flesh colored stress ball that has a nipple on it. It's totally gross looking, but funny. When it gets left out, women and men alike play with it.

I also have one of those little toys that wind up and walk, except it's a penis. Just the tip. With little red feet. So it bobs when it walks. Also very funny.

Although I have noticed the menz don't find it quite so funny. It's not the whole penis and where it "ends" is painted red. Blood?

There is a certain point where stupid little toys like that normalize the human body and let you look and touch and laugh casually (not meanly) in a way that you can't often do in US culture. Honestly, I think if the human body were not so taboo, if you could admire it even in an abstract form, some of the dangerous and damaging things that happen might be less so.

It's like when you try to control a teenager and shelter them from reality - when they go into the real world, they often rebel and make a lot of retarded decisions.

My two cents.

[0+] Author Profile Page katemoore replied to larana :

Normalize? I think it does the opposite. It's saying "Ha ha, look at teh funnay genitalz!"

No, not in a literal sense. But in the sense that it starts conversations - hey, this doesn't look like a real boob! - Maybe that's not the right way to use the word normalize, but I've heard people start talking about things in a way that would never come up (in a good way). Probably this wouldn't work for everyone, but some of my roommates have been wonderfully immature. Small steps :)

But yeah, what the hell IS the point of that thing???

(At least it's not an electric pencil sharpener or something!)

First of all, about the "flesh colored" bit.

My flesh is medium brown - about the color of coffee when you put milk in it.

About half of the world's population have flesh around the same color.

Another quarter of the world's population have flesh that's a rich, dark brown.

So, how is the medium pink color of the skin of 25% or so of humanity "flesh colored"?

My flesh doesn't look like that!

Why don't we say "Caucasian/East Asian skin tone flesh tone" instead?

Or just call it pink and be done with it.

Beyond that, the whole disembodied nipple squeeze toy item you describe sounds massively disgusting - the kind of toy a Ted Bundy or Jeffery Dahmer would have in his living room.

There is a kind of serial rapist chic aspect to disembodied women's body part "toys" that I have a major problem with.

Uh-oh, you said "retarded!" Get ready to duck the flying tomatoes! :P

[0+] Author Profile Page timothy_nakayama said:

Creepy. As an aside...I've noticed that polka dots on clothing seem to be considered feminine territory.I have seen many boxer briefs for men in hot pink and many other colours, but even today I haven't seen polka dots on men's underwear. Hmmmmmm.

There's also a USB toy that is a stripper on a pole. The fast you type, the faster she dances.

Aside from how pathetic that it, the damn thing is like $60!

http://www.amazon.com/Cables-Unlimited-USB-Pole-Dancer/dp/B000XPC5EG

[0+] Author Profile Page Elizabeth replied to Katy :

and of course she's blonde, straight-haired and white. (sorry, I added in straight hair, because I've started to notice that curly hair somehow isn't in style...or something).

[0+] Author Profile Page H. said:

OK, at the risk of having people throw things at me...I'm not against this kind of fetish toy

IF (and that's a big IF) there is an equivalent for women. Where is the USB powered gyrating man-crotch?

That's what gets me upset. Why must it all be pussy-in-a-cup and life-like-gelly-boobs, etc., etc.? Where is the equivalent in the market for women? Sure, there's sex toys, but there's no (or very few) gag toys like these, and that is where a simple funny toy starts becoming sexist.

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