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Now here is a Barbie that you don't see everyday. This one was done by Loanne Hizo Ostlie. She is a bad-ass artist who sells Barbies on ebay with the hair re-rooted in diverse styles that are more representative of Black women today.
I often have this image on my desktop because it's the closest image of Barbie that resembles my look and we all need a little affirmation every now and then. It's not to say that Barbie with locs is problem free. But this work is an important contribution and it should be acknowledged.
I don't know if I am on a hair kick because I am still reeling from Chris Rock's Good Hair shenanigans, but I can't help thinking about this image in the wake of the disappointment regarding these new black Barbies that were released this month.
Here are just some of the notable quotables about the hair texture of these new Barbies:
A 'So In Style' hairstyling set that allows girls to straighten their dolls' hair completely has alarmed observers, who say it will fuel the "beauty issues" that many black girls have ."Black mothers who want their girls to love their natural hair have an uphill battle and these dolls could make it harder," said Sheri Parks, an associate professor of American Studies at the University of Maryland.
Barbie's skinny figure has long come under fire for promoting an unrealistic body image. But Kumea Shorter-Gooden, author of Shifting The Double Lives of Black Women in America, said the diminutive, primarily Caucasian frame of Barbie dolls had a more negative impact on black girls.
"They are already struggling with messages that 'black skin isn't pretty and our hair is too kinky and short'," she said.
Mattel needs to employ Loanne as a consultant if they truly want to create a doll that represents black women.
Back in March, we mentioned that the FDA had recently approved a new female condom (FC) for distribution in the U.S.
Well folks, that new female condom has officially hit U.S. markets, and is now available for our all-American consumption. The FC2 is made of a new, thinner, material, is less likely to squeak during use, and is about 30% cheaper than the original FC.
My colleague Audacia Ray has a post up on Akimbo about why this news marks exciting progress for US women's access to safer sex materials.
Now, I know that the FC often gets a bad rap. Previous commenters have touched on some of the many criticisms it often faces- it's not readily available, it's too expensive, it squeaks, it looks funny, the materials' unfamiliar, it's uncomfortable, it's unnatural, it's inconvenient, it's not effective enough, etc. And part of this criticism is understandable because the FC is a relatively new form of contraception and- let's face it- not many of us use FCs on a regular basis, or even know someone who does. How many of us have even seen an FC for sale in a drugstore? Or seen women carrying around FCs in their wallets the way men often do with the male condom?
The anchor said, "laugh if you want, but the things taking off!" Imagine that, women are tired of dirty toilettes we can't sit on, waiting in long lines, holding it for miles or when in the woods almost falling into a stream. Why would women want a simple solution for that?
You thought My First Stripper Pole was bad (which was thankfully taken off the shelves), but it looks like there's a new toy in town selling the sexualization of young girls.
This one isn't a pole dancer kit per se, but a pole dancer doll who goes up and down and all around! There might be divided opinions on the popularization of pole dancing as a form of fitness or even the consideration of it as an Olympic Sport, but teaching young girls and giving them toys highlighting a dance that seems to continue its historical purpose - for the male gaze - is just not okay.
h/t to T-Square.
From the early 80s...
And now.
I wasn't all that surprised to find that people are having a hissy over the world's first breastfeeding doll. Why, do you ask? Because apparently the doll not only will turn little boys on, but promote early pregnancy - to, um, 5 year olds.
Spain is the maker behind Bebé Glotón, which means "gluttonous baby." The box the doll comes in includes a halter top with flower nipples (heh) to direct the child where to put the baby to feed it. Innocent enough, right? But between the headlines ("Baby Glutton the breastfeeding doll. A 'sucky' idea?") to shocking Fox News' abhorrence over the idea that breasts are meant for anything but sexual pleasure, I'm ready to throw down:
I'm appalled by the haters who are the ones stigmatizing and sexualizing a perfectly natural act that children often imitate. Will folks ever be able to realize that our body parts are not purely for public consumption?
Related:
Is there a breastfeeding backlash?
Bill Maher: Boobies Mine!
The Case Against Breastfeeding
Would you like some creepy with your morning coffee?
A reader alerted us to this. Dismembered body parts just never get old! (Not really as offensive as the others, but still bizarre as hell.)
More after the jump. It's like the gender stereotype monster threw up.
Seriously, marketing pink products to women is sexist. Many genders like pink!
Are they saying we are little girls that like pink? I am sure there is a relationship between marketing pink to little girls and grown women buying products that are pink, however, overall I think that is a weak relationship. Personally, I have never been a fan of pink, my favorite color is purple. The only grown folks I know that like pink are high femmes or gay men, but I guess that is just me.
Check out Wired's take on new games for girls released in 2009, in which all but one ("The Daring Game for Girls") is about fashion, boys, princesses, modeling, and more fashion. Well, there is a detective game, but you solve mysteries using your "feminine sixth sense," so I wouldn't necessarily put that in the feminist-friendly category. In the post, Tracey John compares games targeted towards girls with typical "boys' games":
Some parents worry that videogames might cause their children to become violent and antisocial, but what if the opposite were true? What if games could make kids exceedingly likable and fashionable?...
The weird thing is that you can view these "wholesome" games as being just as bad for girls as Grand Theft Auto's random bloodshed and rampant criminality is for young, impressionable boys. And while GTA's influence on boys has been dissected to death, what about the Nintendo DS' upcoming avalanche of games for tween girls? What kinds of values do preteens learn from these titles? Valuable life lessons, or bad habits?
While it's an interesting comparison, I don't know if I would say the problem is that the games are making girls more likable; it's that they're pushing narrow and damaging standards of what they need to be or look like or who they need to like to be liked.
When I was a kid, Super Mario Bros. and Tetris were the games I played. Not to say Mario Bros. didn't have issues, but still - what the hell happened? Folks finally realized female gamers were marketable and had to feminize the shit out of it? Does anyone know of new games targeted towards younger girls that aren't completely warped?
*Possible trigger warning*
While we haven't been the biggest fans of Amazon as of late and their history of selling a rape simulation game (which they did end up banning), it looks like another game involving violence against women seems to have"slipped" past their radar. "Stockholm: An Exploration of True Love" is a game that allows the user to experience,
"...a terrifyingly vivid exploration of Stockholm Syndrome, a psychological condition in which a captive falls in love with her kidnapper. And you play the part of the kidnapper. With a limited number of options, you must figure out how to make her fall in love with you."
This includes using poison gas on the victim, sexually assaulting her and using psychological abuse against her in efforts to make her "love" you. Unbelievable.
Contact Amazon and let them know that profiting off of sexual and psychological abuse is completely unacceptable.
h/t to Jennifer for the heads up.
And voilà! A women's laptop is born.
This isn't the first time we've seen Dell market their products to women in a ridiculously cliché and sexist way, but their newest product was worth noting. Meet Della, the new Dell mini netbook that is being pitched to women as cute, compact and in colors with lady adjectives like Promise Pink (which actually donates $5 of your purchase to the Susan G. Komen Foundation - a good thing) and Cherry Red.
As Kristen Shoemaker at Liliputing says, it's not so much the references to everything cute to draw women that's so insulting, but when the "Tech Tips" section suggests you use the Della to manage your diet and exercise program, we have a wee problem. What's interesting is the note at the top of this section saying that editors have changed the article in response to some "feedback," which I believe (and hope) may be because of some of the complaints that women tech bloggers like Kristen and Nicole Price Fasig have made.
But regardless of what they've omitted, marketing a product to a woman by dumbing down the language and making it cutesy and fashionable isn't good marketing - it's insulting. The very pitch on Dell's homepage website featuring Della says, "Find out how technology fits your lifestyle." I guess in this case, "lifestyle" seems to be your gender.
This is not to say that there's anything wrong with accessorizing your laptop or finding a netbook adorable - it's when you assume that only women will have interest in it is when a line is crossed.
Not just want. Need.
Having an Iphone has made these last few days in Austin a lot easier. Between the GPS and the scheduling function that SXSW has set up, I haven't been lost (unless I don't have service.) I understand I am very, very lucky to have an Iphone. I saved up for it and didn't splurge on other things, along with having a phone with an antenna (!) until a few months ago. Needless to say, similar to Nezua, I really love my Iphone.
If you are a nerd, like me, you have heard that the Iphone has released a new version of their Iphone software. It is going to add a whole new list of features that the current software fails to have. I am really excited about these new features. But as much as I love my Iphone, I have never thought seriously about having sex with my Iphone. I am going to be totally honest with you. Sometimes I want to make-out with my Iphone-it is just simply a divine piece of technology-but I haven't personally thought about using it as a vibrator or as device to have phone sex with someone.
These authors disagree. Both, My Sexy Professor and Gizmodo are discussing different ways you can have sex with your Iphone. Last year at SXSW I wrote about a panel that discussed the ways that humans interact with technology to have sex. I think this brings up really interesting questions about the role of technology in our sex lives. Generally, discussions of the role of technology (and by this I mean in the geek world, not dildonics) is generally skewed towards male sexuality (teledildonics, pornography, etc) but does the Iphone allow for a new more female centric form of sex via technology that the geek world has ignored until now?
Who knew there could actually be more than one set of boob-related speakers?!
I forgot to cover this after seeing its commercial, but luckily reader Saira reminded me today. One A Day vitamins are marketing their new product, Teen Advantage for Him and Her, and it ain't pretty.
It's not even the gendering of vitamins in general or even the pink and blue bottles they come in that really get me, but their contention of what's important for teen boys' and girls' growth:
Complete Multivitamins for Teen Boys & Girls to Support:** Healthy muscle function with Magnesium (for Him)
* Healthy skin with Vitamins A and C, Copper, and Iron (for Her)
That's right ladies. Who needs muscle function when you have the clear skin to attract strong boys to pick stuff up for you?
This advertisement for Chaser clothing was featured in a not-so-recent issue of Flaunt Magazine; it's about a year old but I still think it's too egregious not to point out. (It was the open mouthed thing that really put me over the edge.)
Via Ad Feminem, who has the company and magazine contact info for complaints.
This video via Feminist Law Professors is an ad for Kotex in Australia that has gotten over 185 complaints. I think the beaver is cute and the commercial, annoying at worst. So why are people finding it so offensive? Must be because the beaver is so furry. Sorry, I had to.
(Whoops, Jessica has posted on this before, but we'll leave it up for funsies.)
Shiny Shiny brings us the latest in feminized gear: a pink heart-shaped guitar for Guitar Hero. Okay, I get that some folks like the color, but can I just say I'm so incredibly sick of products being marketed towards women simply by slapping some pink on them?
I mean, there's pink laptops, tools, websites, iPods, pocket knives - even cigarettes! The pink madness has to end. In fact, I think one of my new year's resolutions will be to avoid all things pink (with the exception of cotton candy Jelly Bellys - I love those things).
What's your least favorite pink (or otherwise gendered) product?
This is an oldie but a badie.
If someone got this for me for Christmas, I may have possibly beat them with it. This "sexy furniture" created by Mario Philippona isn't new to us, but reader Mary alerted us to the piece and I just had to share.
Couldn't be more offensive, right? But perhaps not as bad as his Winespread, which is bluntly described, "You can stick your bottle in a wide spread sculpted pussy."
Warms the heart, doesn't it?
It's that time of year, folks when the editors of Feministing (along with suggestions from readers) put out a list of the year's best feminist-minded gifts. And of course, given U.S.' economic crisis, we've also suggested a list of charities that could use your help this year as well.
Feel free to leave your own ideas in comments!
Activist-y gifts
Sticker Sisters has a ton of great, well, stickers. But it also has kick-ass t-shirts, magnets and buttons for the activist in your life. This one - meant to be stuck on offensive ads, products, whatever - is my favorite.
Buy your friend the gift of liberal discounts with the Liberal Card.
Or shop at MADRE's online store to support women worldwide.
Feminist Fashions, Housewares and Knick Knacks
Gotta love Miss Wit's stylings...
Not to mention our very own Feministing gear!
And nothing says "thank you for being a friend," than an homage to The Golden Girls.
I am woman, hear me roar. And write.
Or consider giving patriarchy the finger with some subversive cross stitching.
Ladypart-inspired gifts
Show your uterus you love her with a plushy toy.
When you go red, buy green.
And if you're buying sex toys this year, make sure that they're made of safe - for your body and the environment - materials.
Support feminist organizations!
Make it a very happy holiday for one of these amazing organizations (don't forget - leave others in comments!):
The Mautner Project, a national lesbian health organization.
SisterSong, a reproductive health collective for women of color.
The Women's Prison Association, a service and advocacy organization that helps women with criminal justice histories.
The National Advocates for Pregnant Women, which works to protect the human and civil rights of pregnant women.
Give the gift of feminist media
Gift a gift subscription to BUST, Bitch, Shameless, make/shift, or New Moon.
And most importantly, spread the feminist love around this holiday season! Support blogs that aren't widely-read, local organizations and grassroots campaigns that don't get the same media attention big orgs do - whether that means volunteering, donating, or even dropping them a note of support.
Check out JC Penny's new viral marketing campaign for their jewelry line. Not only does it paint men as clueless assholes, but it also promotes the tired idea that all women want is quiche-eating, jewelry buyers. I just find this one insulting all-around.
Nikon's S60 camera detects different people's faces in a soon-to-be-taken photo. And what better way to demonstrate said feature than by depicting dark-skinned jungle dwellers and teenage girls in their underwear?
The ad copy reads: "The Nikon S60. Detects up to 12 faces."
Um, yeah.
You can find Nikon's corporate contact info here.
I generally love RedEnvelope for their nice gifts (though a bit overpriced), yet this made me laugh out loud. Of course the picture of their monogrammed branders (of your monogrammed choosing) has to be of "son" and "dad." Because there's nothing manlier than doing some grillin' some steak and branding your manliness into the meat.
Apparently Motrin got lots of mothers peeved when they ran the following ad:
Just a tad condescending. Ick. The response to the ad (yay online activism!) was so overwhelming, that Motrin apologized and is removing the ad from circulation.
Via Rad Campaign, Writes Like She Talks and LA Moms Blog.
Elle, PhD noticed a little something (ok, a big something) about how some science kits are marketed to kids:
She notes:
And while the "boy's" kit promises to boost your brain... the "girl's" kit promise to relax you and let you experiment with different fragrances. The boy's box is also covered with words like "go wild" and "erupt" and "blow your mind,"while the only thing that promises to be exciting about the girl's is the foaming and frothing of bubbles.
Then reader Maggie sent along a link to One-A-Day vitamins for teens:
It says, under the picture:
- Healthy muscle function with Magnesium (for Him)(Emphasis mine.) These are only two examples -- things I'd probably just roll my eyes at in the store and walk on by -- but it's worth pausing sometimes and thinking about how pervasive this messaging is. These aren't even cosmetic products! They're selling science kits and vitamins on the stereotype that girls want to smell nice and have soft skin, not strong muscles and big brains.
- Healthy skin with Vitamins A and C, Copper, and Iron (for Her)
Related:
Heels for Babies: Not Funny.
Who needs credit cards when you have a junior vagina?
Barbie Girls and the culture of consumption
Because you're never too young to start adhering to patriarchal norms
Padded bras for six year-olds
Branded: The Buying and Selling of Teenagers by Alissa Quart
Packaging Girlhood: Rescuing Our Daughters From Marketers' Schemes by Sharon Lamb and Lyn Mikel Brown
Then to cheer yourself up, check out New Moon and Teen Voices, which provide non-stereotype-laden takes on girlhood today.
Really?
Thanks to Maranda for sending this in. I can't think of any explanation for this, it is just reprehensible.
UPDATE: The ad says, "Easy Drinking Taste. For people who like things that are "easy" and "drinking." It is hard to read.
Happy Friday, feminists! Time for some booze-blogging. I'll admit, I laughed out loud at this sexist ad circa 1990 (via):
(Here's another from the same series.)
Then I read this post from Lauredhel about a series of offensive Jim Beam commercials in Australia. Let's set aside, for a moment, the rank sexism and anti-gay themes in these ads, and take a broader look at how whiskey is gender-marketed. As the manliest of manly drinks. I mean, take a quick Google Image tour of whiskey/bourbon/scotch ads.
I mentioned this to my coworker and fellow whiskey-lover Phoebe today, and she pointed me to this 2006 New York Times article:
It's been going on for years, actually. When I was in college and went out with my oversize football player boyfriend, we'd order drinks, and every time I'd be served the frosty piña colada with the pink paper umbrella that he'd ordered, and he'd be served the tough-guy Scotch-rocks that was mine.
Been there, totally.
Though I still drink Scotch periodically, at some point I switched to Maker's Mark bourbon. These days, I order it in a tall glass to ensure that the ratio of booze to soda gives me a fighting chance of getting to the appetizer without falling out of my chair. But among some male bartenders, I've noticed more than a tad of residual resistance to the notion that the female of the species can drink hard liquor unadorned by grenadine or chunks of oxidizing pineapple.
I am concerned about putting these on little babies, are we trying to ensure they are inundated with sexist imagery from birth?
It would be so much cooler if she was giving the finger, don't you think? I have thought of all kinds of different things I want to put the Feministing logo on, aprons, actual mud flaps, underwear....other ideas? Where can we have our gal flicking people off for their sexist attitudes?
And for those who perhaps take issue with our subversive appropriation of the mudflap girl, I suggest checking out a post Ann did on the topic.
The BBC has a video about new Sarah Palin action figures that you can get in several "looks": business suit Palin, a Lara Croft-like superhero Palin, and (my personal fave) Schoolgirl Palin. Fucking seriously?
So Hillary gets a nutcracker and Palin gets a schoolgirl outfit - obviously both of these come from a place of fear of women's power. With Hillary, just call her a ballbuster; Palin, just sexify her so she's not a threat but just another hot chick to look at. Either way, blech.
The company's contact info is here, if you'd like to give them a piece of your mind.
Thanks to Katrina for the link.
Anything that's going near your delicates shouldn't have any razor-like abilities. Seems pretty logical to me. But don't tell that to the creators of the Womaniser, the sex toy that opens up to reveal it's a shaver. *Shudder*
If a vibrator is going to be a transformer, there has to be something better it can change into...any ideas?
Copyranter points out this latest Wonderbra ad, one in a long line of...interesting takes on boobies and bras.
It seems that the Wonderbra will not only allow you to crack through glass walls (not painful at all, of course), but they'll also allow your girls to hold umbrellas, make train-riding a little more interesting, ensure that you don't have oh-so-horrible "pancake tits," and will even make you bodacious once you're dead.
You know, I think I'll stick with my un-Wonderbras - they may not make my breasts boobs-of-steel, but they also don't reduce me to a body part.
American Apparel, who puts out some of the classiest ads around, is apparently now selling soap. And in case you're not sure how to wash yourself, the site has an instructional video of a nekkid tousled hair lady to help you along. Blech.
On the upside, at least this will encourage some hipsters to clean themselves. Maybe.
Thanks to Sarah for the tip.
And that's not easy to do. I'm not sure if this is an actual Guinness commercial or something some oh-so-clever asshole concocted and put online, but either way I'm horrified. I mean, I'm not anti a good sexy commercial, but this is just anti-sexy. There is nothing appealing about women being portrayed as silent slightly shaking receptacles/beer coasters. This really ruined my day.
Via Broadsheet and many, many emails.
Reader Carolyn points out that there's something kind of hilarious about an abstinence thong. Also, you have to love the tagline: "Earn your right to wear white."
Have you ever wanted to sport a shirt with Gloria Steinem, bell hooks or Frida Kahlo on it? Well, now's your chance. Check out KMStitchery - which touts itself as eco-friendly feminist fashion. Hotness.
Are you sick of only wealthy women being able to afford "designer vaginas"? Well worry no more! Now hating your genitals is easy, affordable, and comes in packaging that looks like a cross between My Little Pony and White-Out!
Liquid Virgin "work to temporarily tighten the walls of the vagina." The drops also contain Potassium Alum, which according to the website (and I'm super curious as to why they felt like sharing this fact), often appears in cartoons: "The character eats some Alum and their mouth is shown to pucker up. Often seen on Tom & Jerry."
With the Tom & Jerry seal of vaginal approval, how could I say no?
I don't even really understand what this shirt is all about. But it's being sold on Amazon. And it's grossing me out.
Thanks to Anique for the heads up.
It seems that someone thinks it's hilarious, oh excuse me - "heelarious" - to make fake high heels for infants. Yes, I know it's supposed to be funny and clever. But then why does it just make me sad?
Via The F Word and The Frisky.
Thanks to, somewhat appropriately, Mz.Stilletto for the link.
Via Consumerist, we find out that Kmart is claiming their True Love Waits sweatpants have absolutely nothing to do with abstinence.
A spokeswoman for Sears Holdings Corp., which owns Kmart, told The Buzz the pants have absolutely nothing to do with taking any kind of position, either way, on abstinence. "It was not associated with any group or any cause," said Amy Dimond. "It was just a graphic put on the pants."Piper & Blue, Kmart's private label brand, designed the sweatpants as part of its summer collection that hit stores in late April.
Although the pants were not designed to make a statement, Dimond admitted that "there may be some (customers) who made the (abstinence association), but it was not the intention."
Oh, wow. How stupid of me! When I saw the description of the pants on Kmart (right after "drawstring waist) as having a "bold abstinence screen print," I must have been hallucinating. Oh wait, no. There it is.
Note to Kmart flacks: If you're going to lie, make sure to cover your tracks.
Aw, shit. Kmart is selling abstinence-gear for juniors.
Featuring what Kmart calls a "bold abstinence screen print," the True Love Waits sweatpants come in blue, yellow and gray. I also think it's no coincidence that on the same page they carry "Life is sweet" pants. I have no idea if the pants are in any way connected to the True Love Waits organization, but I'm disturbed nonetheless.
Thanks to reader WM for the link.
Many of you have emailed us about this Klondike commercial. And I agree, it's atrocious. Not only does it feed into the sexist idea that men deserve a cookie for being halfway decent human beings, but it also denigrates men by suggesting that they're animals, unable to resist any ass that that happens to pass their way. Thumbs down.
Because what home would be complete without a kneeling ass chair?
Shakes has a ton more in her series on disembodied woman things...
Okay, so it's not exactly back-to-school time. But these school supplies from the fabulous Sticker Sisters are a must have any time of year. (Though I totally want a pen that says 'action is glamour'. But I'm just cheesy like that.)
Deborah Brenner is the author of Women of the Vine and proprietor of Women of the Vine Cellars. While writing the book, Deborah and winemaker, Signe Zoller met and teamed up in 2006 to launch a first-of-its-kind wine company; bottled and produced by Women of the Vine Cellars.
From 2002-2005, Deborah ran her own marketing and public relations firm, SmallFishBigPond, and worked with such companies as Cinecitta Studios of Rome, Quantel, NBC and CNBC. Prior to that, Ms. Brenner spent over 16 years working in the film, television and the post production industries and was involved in four technology startups.
Here's Deborah...
I couldn't help myself, I needed one.
UPDATE: To those who asked... the "/" symbol is akin to "end" in coding. Hence, /patriarchy = end patriarchy!
Via Gizmodo and a ton of emails from you lovely readers, we find the "Bitchcruiser" bicycle, which apparently is for sale on eBay. Sometimes, there are just no words.
For more in disembodied misogyny, check out Shakesville's ongoing (horrifying) series.
Via Hear Me Roar, we find out that David & Goliath has pulled the oh-so-funny rape t-shirt (at least online, it seems). First Wal-Mart's panties and now this - we're on a roll, folks!
But don't worry, they still have the classic "I'm too pretty to do math" shirt. (Sigh.)
You know, I just have no words. I'm too fucking mentally and emotionally exhausted to yet again explain why rape isn't fucking funny.
Lodge your complaints here.
Thanks to Ariel for the link.
A premium denim company, Fiorana, is has created a "Latina-cut" jean.
"The Latina body is different in waist and hip structure," says Mike Braden, Founder and President of Fiorana, Inc. "When wearing Anglo cut jeans, there is always a fit problem around the waist area. Our 'Latina Cut' collection will provide the American Hispanic woman a sexy, sophisticated premium jean that caters to their feminine curves."
'Cause all Latinas look like J-Lo? What? Laura Martinez responds,
Still, reading and re-reading the staggering conclusions of the apparel maker's internal research among Hispanics, I couldn't help but wonder: Could it be that the jean maker is simply generalizing about what a Latina body is supposed to look like? Either that or I'm going to have a serious talk with my parents, as perhaps I am really not what they told me I was, but the adopted child of a non-Latino, voluptuously challenged family clan from some far away place.
I am absolutely, 100% in favor of a wider range of denim cuts and styles (cue commentary about how hard it is for every woman to find jeans that fit well). And I don't have a problem with culturally-conscious marketing. But this is different. It implies that curvaceous is the only "authentic" Latina shape. Women like Laura Martinez, who aren't particularly curvy, don't count. I mean, is Fiorana planning on rolling out a style of jeans for every race/ethnicity? "African cut," "Asian cut," etc.? The company would *never* make a "Caucasian cut." Why? Because it's acknowledged that white women come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There's not one specific shape stereotype attached to the "white ass" (unless I'm unaware...). But, uh, last time I checked, women of all races came in all shapes and sizes. Perhaps Fiorana should stick to selling jeans by their measurements, not by ethnic stereotype.
Copyranter is on a roll with the vintage sexism! (You can view the full-sized ad my clicking on the picture.)
This 1974 ads reads: "Be the you he likes. Good to be around, any day of the month." You know, not like those bitches who don't take Midol. They get dumped.
Amazing.
I don't really know what to make of this ad for Target that's hanging in NYC's Times Square. I mean, there's a part of me that feels like it's just an innocuous ad that passed through the cracks without someone noticing that the model's vag was in the center of the target. But then I think about how much money is spent on advertising, how many people it's vetted through, and how so much of advertising is deliberate. And then I puke a little. Thoughts?
Jeff at Shakesville has more about Target's, well...interesting response to complaints about the ad.
Thanks to Jeff K for the link.
This one has got to be on our next Disturbing Product Poll, despite the fact that it's a little more, um, complicated than your typical sexist toy. Move over Real Dolls, "re-born" babies are becoming a trend in the US and UK. And it absolutely terrifies me.
Thanks to MAC for this disturbing shit. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go buy a stroller for my new fake baby.
Yes, that's a child's size. A toddler size. And then I die.
While misogynist pencil sharpening products are all the rage now, we can't be too surprised about a "moaning" beer bottle opener. Either way, it's just as heinous.
Because then when someone makes an asinine comment, I could just silently point to the wall.
The Philippines Bureau of Customs seized several sex dolls from PETA, who have been using the dolls to protest against KFC in Thailand, Japan and the red light districts of the Philippines with a banner reading, "KFC Blows."
Wow.
And what a great way to teach our gals about finance during this holiday season o' debt - a credit card that doesn't run out.
Thanks to Amy for the link.
I've never been much of a boat person, and now I'm pretty sure I never will be. Say hello to the Butt Buoy, a lovely way to float relaxingly on the water and appeal to your inner misogynist. Good times.
Thanks to Katie for the link.
Reader Scarlett saw these oh-so-charming panties in the junior department of her local Wal-Mart on Kildare Farms Road in Cary, NC. There's nothing quite like telling adolescent girls that they don't need to worry about finances since they have their very own moneypot between their legs.
Contact customer service here and corporate offices here: let them know that preteen vaginas aren't commodities.
Photo by Steed Media Service
In the 1990s, Celeste Beatty traveled Europe, Central America and Africa as an exchange student to study local beer brewing customs after perfecting duplicates of American ales like Samuel Adams. She founded Harlem Brewing Company, the maker of Sugar Hill Golden Ale (delicious, I've tried) in 2000.
Harlem Brewing recently sealed a partnership with the major distributor Manhattan Beer Distributors, which supplies 35 percent of New York City’s market. The deal is helping to get Sugar Hill Golden Ale into bodegas, supermarkets and restaurants around New York City.
A native of North Carolina, Celeste gives 10 percent of her company’s income to charity, usually to jazz organizations. Here's Celeste...
Apparently there's more than one woman-hating pencil product out there. First there was the headless doggie-style sharpener, and now Shakes shows us this: Lusty Linda the pen holder.
You'll note from the packaging that Lusty Linda can utter "8 lusty sayings," which fall into one of two categories—"good mood" or "bad mood," controlled by the click of a switch. Says one site (screen cap) that sells Lusty Linda, "too bad all women did not have such a switch." Ho ho ho!
Her "bad mood" sayings include "Ow," "Help, Help!" and "Get out you, you dirty old man." You know, because rape is hilarious.
Recently "men's rights activists" scoffed at the idea that we were offended by the pencil sharpener, which blogger Glenn Sacks wrote "depicts a conventional, common sex act which women enjoy." (What woman enjoys fucking without her head, I don't know.) I wonder if they'll find more excuses as to how "Help!" and "Ow!" are actually cries of unabashed pleasure.
This promotes rape. If you buy one of these things, you are promoting rape. If you laugh at one of these things, you are promoting rape. If you don’t laugh but still think that it’s a harmless joke, you are promoting rape. If one of your friends has one, or thinks it’s funny, and you don’t say anything about it, you are promoting rape.
How many more times do we have to say it? Rape is not funny.
Than a stark reminder of how the world sees women? (It seems the perfect woman is almost always dismembered and frequently being penetrated.) Just fucking kill me now.
Thanks to Journey for the link.
Tiara included!
We should be excited that there's a new book coming out specifically reaching out to young female gamers, but not with this cover and pitch:
Do you want to take on the boy's at their own game and beat them every single time? You want to prove that games AREN'T just for the guys anymore! Are you, your daughter, your niece or your best friend a Nintendo DS or DS Lite girl gamer? Tired of other gaming publications ignoring all your favourite games in favour of the latest big boy's toys? So you want all the latest gaming gossip and the hottest hints and tips especially written for you? So do we, and its about time. The Girl's Guide To Gaming! is the must have accessory for all Nintendo DS and DS Lite gaming girls, just like you. (Emphasis mine.)
It doesn't get much worse than this.
I'm actually kind of speechless on this one. And that doesn't happen often.
Thanks to John for the link.
What better way to start the week than a reminder that women are nothing more than headless piss depositories!
By the way, Shakes has a great round-up of some other dismembered woman parts as fun novelty products. Good times.
Thanks to Mary for the link.
It's time to bring out the heinous in Halloween.
Between sexy mustard and Anna Rexia, I don't know which is worse. But when these ridiculous, "sexy" costumes start getting marketed to kids is when the nausea really starts to kick in. Girls costumes categorized as "occupational" on this site include "Major Flirt Child," "Nurse Child," and "French Maid Child."
The women's "occupational sexy costumes" are disturbing as well; their careers consist of being "Ella Mental," (shown after the jump -- because tied up and mentally ill just screams sexy), "Shop-A-Holic," "Trophy Wife," "Working Girl," and a "Deviant Housewife."
So a crazed shopaholic, deviant trophy/whore of a wife fits the bill of what it means to be an "occupational" woman for Halloween. Hot.
Apparently, in light of Bush claiming that we don't use torture methods in our war tactics (cough-bullshit-cough), it is OK to use torture imagery to sell products. Add a little sexy, sultry, brunette action and you are good to go.
It is all about sex and violence to sell products and women's hair products are so important that of course we need the strictest of *interrogation* tactics.
Thanks to Dianne for the link.
In addition to being heinously ugly, this shirt represents some serious misogyny. And it's being sold at Wal-Mart. A woman in North Carolina who noticed the shirt is also a stalking victim, and she's justifiably horrified.
"People don't realize how serious stalking is," she said. "You constantly live in fear, look over your shoulder and suffer from psychological and physical symptoms due to the stress of the stalker."She wondered aloud: What's next?
"Some say it's rape, I call it hot sex"? Or: "Some call it domestic violence, I say I'm just teaching her a lesson"?
Exactly. "Joke" shirts like these only further promote the idea that stalking is just romance taken a little too far. It's not. It's about power and control, and it's fucking scary as hell.
The NC Coalition Against Domestic Violence says that they're taking action and have been in contact with Wal-Mart. So far, no response.
I suppose we shouldn't be surprised however, when you consider the company's history with sexist shirts...
Here's some contact info for Wal-Mart's corporate offices, but they seem pretty nondescript. If anyone has better contact information, leave it comments.
Thanks to Alaine for the link.
Birth control pill cases with a built-in alarm to remind you when it's time to take them. Amazing!
I think the American flag design is pretty hilarious:
Contraception is totally patriotic!
And if you remain unconvinced, the site has the stats to change your mind:
- 58% of women sometimes forget to take their pill
- 16% of women have at least one pill left over every month
- 1 million women in the U.S. become pregnant every year due to taking the pill incorrectly.
Via the gals at Nerve, who prefer the leopard print.
After last week's ever-so-disturbing "Jingle Jugs" (which Rebecca Traister reminds us of the ever-so-popular song that accompanies the product, "Titties and Beer"), reader ekf sent me another dismembered body part product for your "browsing" pleasure. Shudder. Beware, the description makes it all the worse:
Slip into something a little more comfortable for work with the hot, hot, HOT Body mouse. Rock this body all day long at your desk, working or surfing the Web for…well, you know. ;) Designed to feel good in your hand, the Body mouse will give you something nice to think about when you need a break from crunching numbers, designing web sites, or whatever it is you do all day long.
Perhaps the creepiest thing I may have ever read. Feel free to let them know how you feel about this charming product.
Okay, I started shaving my legs when I was a young teen--so I'm certainly in no position to hate on hair removal. But this just seems...creepy.
Now Nair, the depilatory maker, is finally breaking that mold — by aiming at even younger customers. This year the company introduced Nair Pretty, a line aimed at 10- to 15-year-olds or, in industry parlance, “first-time hair removers.�
It's that "first-time" reference that give me the heebie jeebies. The Nair Pretty marketing scheme is half hilarious, half terrifying. Hilarious because of the obvious attempt to speak to young people in contrived slang:
It's not that you're obsessed or anything but maybe you've noticed that the hair on your legs (and other parts of your body) is just a little bit thicker and darker than before. Chill. You're growing up...it's all good.
I almost expected the next line to be about "getting jiggy" with hair removal. But it's still terrifying because the message of Nair Pretty is that you can't be pretty unless you're taking care of that unsightly leg (and everywhere else) hair.
And as Gawker put it, "We're probably months away from Baby Brazilians."
Via Broadsheet
Just in case you didn't get the oh-so-subtle hint the first time around, Tom Ford wants to make sure that you know he has the most cock-like cologne around.
This may be one of the most heinous (and most ridiculous) displays of dismembered women's body parts I've ever seen. The question is, is it more disturbing to dismember with functionality like a sink, or just straight up for display?
The fact that this product in particular is being used as a substitute for a dead animal makes it a wee more heinous for me, but it's a toss-up.
Thanks to zuzu for the heads up.
Scented underwear? Huh?
Melon scented underwear utilizes a new technology that weaves the same material from a drier sheet into the underwear fabric, creating a powder fresh scent that lasts for up to fifteen washes. The underwear not only smells great but it's light seamless fabric feels like second skin. This is the most comfortable pair of underwear you will own! The underwear comes in 4 colors (thong and fullback) and has a variety of melon signature color bands on the top.Melon, started by Brooke and Meredith Sloane two sisters from Los Angeles, has become the leading designer of sexy-funky lingerie. Through word of mouth and celebrity support, they have already built a name for themselves synonymous with quality and style.
Questions and terror are rolling through me. Why would I want my cooch to smell like a dryer sheet? My vagina and
I agree with Slut Machine, "Three little letters come to mind: UTI."
Gross. And, they're temporarily sold out on Drugstore.com. Call me crazy, but I don't really want a "powder fresh" crotch. And maybe my drier sheets are just cheap, but I don't think they're soft enough to hang out in that particular area.
Here's something a little lighter for the end of your Thursday...
Strangely, the brassiere has been getting a lot of media attention as of late. AlterNet has everything you'll ever need to know about the bra, including the myth that it was almost named a Titzling. (Come on, you can't tell me that's not a little funny.)
Playtex has also been getting crazy press for the new launch of their new bra campaign called "Girl Talk" in which they tell you to basically treat your boobs like people. You know, "The Girls." I suppose it could be seen as a step up from the '94 ad (mentioned in the AlterNet piece) after the jump.
It's time for that semi-regular feature where I complain about Axe advertising campaigns. Reader Juniper alerts us to the fact that, in the latest series of ads for this disgusting cologne for the desperate, Unilever is clearly making light of hilarious issues like rape, sexual harassment, and stalking. The premise: Women are becoming sexual predators when they get a whiff of Axe. This video (sorry, it's in Spanish -- only one I could find) should give you the gist:
Ah, but as with all Axe campaigns, the actual ads aren't the worst of it -- it's the companion websites that are truly wretched. In this case, the site contains lots of cheeky faux headlines urging men to not walk alone at night (ha! get it? the threat of street harassment and sexual assault is hilarious when the genders are reversed! ugh), or making light of police abuse (hysterical!). The whole campaign is hinged on the idea that intimate-partner violence against men is not only a-OK, but completely desirable. Revolting. (Yes, I know they're just stupid ads and that this Unilever's way of appealing to a certain subset of male consumers. It's still not funny.) Plus the site's whole "naughty to nice" feature, which has yet to be launched, promises more clueless exaggerations of the virgin/whore dichotomy than you can possibly handle.
I feel like this would make a far more appropriate Axe ad:
Okay, not really. But this ad for Clorox does end up unintentionally showing how women have been doing household grunt work for generations.
The worst line in the commercial says that "even a man or two" has done the laundry. As if all the women watching are supposed to have some little laugh to ourselves about the inequitable division of labor. "I do shit work for free, tee hee!"
(Also, as was pointed out by tipster Jessica Hicks, depending on how you listen to the line--it could be read as a little dirtier than intended.)
Without wading into the "should feminists wear makeup" debate, I wanted to point to this great post over at Racialicious, "Sorry! We don’t have that in your color. . .", prompted by Wendi's discovery that her favorite makeup line doesn't have tinted moisturizer darker than "beige."
In actuality, as per usual, women of darker skin tones were simply being ignored, and when the industry remembered us for a moment, our needs were considered to belong to a niche market, calling for a separation of default skincare and makeup products from the ones for “women of color.� I understand the need to highlight a new set of products for a certain population, but at the same time, why aren’t colors that are made for the beyond-beige ladies just a part of the regular lines? Why must we so frequently be singled out, somewhat as a reminder of our phenotypic foreignness in a market that still considers light skin not only the default, but the beauty norm.
Go read it.
I don't wear much makeup at all, have only worn foundation twice, and didn't know tinted moisturizer existed until recently, so I haven't encountered this problem. Has anyone else? I wonder what they think women of color should do about our nipples?
If you thought Cheaters was bad, this just takes it to the next level of sick. The use of technology to aid in the harassment and abuse of women is not a new phenomena. Given the nature of our overly public lives, half the information people need to stalk and harass you, is part of public information, usually self generated. But so what right? I mean you should be able to write about yourself and not have to worry about someone taking that information and using it against you in some capacity. That is just one issue.
What about people that are installing spyware on your personal technologies to track what you do and who you call? This includes GPS monitors in your car and spyware on your computer to even tracking your cell phone calls. Our frighteningly voyeuristic culture does not cease to disgust.
Spyware has been around for years, and so have software packages marketed specifically to suspicious spouses.But so have wiretapping laws which make electronic interception of other people's conversations illegal -- making use of such spouse spying tools a likely violation of federal law. That should make you scratch your head when you search for "cheating spouse" on your favorite search engine and find thousands of links to software products specifically intended to spy on husbands or wives.
In at least one high-profile case, a software maker was indicted by federal authorities for marketing spouse-spying products. In August 2005, Carlos Enrique Perez-Melara was indicated in the Southern District of California for creating and selling a product called "Loverspy." Four Loverspy users also were indicted.
But the legal action hasn’t slowed the use of spy technology in abusive relationships, Southworth said. If anything, the tools are more common now and much easier to use.
You can read more here. Only read the comments if you want to get really angry.
I read last week about Mattel marketing a new Barbie website and other types of "virtual play" for girls. Even though it's still in beta, in its first 60 days, the Barbie Girls site signed up three million members, and is adding another 50,000 every day. (I tried to log in and poke around the site, but it's been so jammed with visitors that I couldn't get it to load.)
One of the reasons Barbie has historically had such a hold on young girls (and what I loved about Barbie as a kid) is that she's a grown-up. I know this is one of the critiques of Barbie -- that she presents a very screwed up image of what an adult woman is supposed to physically look like. As a kid, I loved Barbie because she wasn't a baby doll -- I had no interest in playing mommy. I used Barbie to act out how I wanted to be as an adult. My Barbie was a journalist. She wore men's sweaters sometimes. She always drove the red convertible. In her spare time, she was the frontwoman of a rock band.
What didn't she do? Go shopping. Sure, she had lots of fun outfits, but having her "purchase" more was never part of my play routine. When I searched for descriptions of what Barbie is actually set up to do in her popular new virtual world, every article I found only mentioned her ability to shop for stuff like "miniskirts, tiaras or home accessories." In other words, training girls to grow up to be women who are first and foremost consumers.
A Barbie virtual world seems so much more pernicious than Barbie the 10-inch doll. It's still got all the body- and beauty-standard issues that the old-school version has. But at least girls can more easily impose their own personalities and interests onto a doll. It requires imaginative play. I'm sure that Barbie Girls has been focus-grouped like crazy, and that TONS of young girls want their Barbies to do nothing but go shopping and get makeovers. But it's really terrible (not to mention a wasted opportunity) to not include other activities. Why couldn't they join a virtual rock band, or run for virtual office, or play virtual sports? (I can think of several great organizations that would have made perfect partners for a website like this.)
As the site stands now, though, where would a kid like I was fit into the Barbie Girls world? From what I've read, the site features no fast cars, no rock band, no newsdesk. Just credit cards and cosmetics.
If anyone tries to tell you that gender roles aren't conditioned, take them to Target.com.
While Pottery Barn's featured gender-specific rooms from a couple of years ago were pretty puke-worthy, Target's categorization of toys by gender is severely disappointing. Let's take a gander:
It couldn't get more obvious when I noticed there was a "Girls' Tech Toys" section, which was a tiny relief for about 2.5 seconds until I went to the page; these "tech toys" weren't much more than a Barbie electronic purse set, a Barbie and MP3 player in one, and a nearly three-hundred dollar electronic pony. (Where, oh where did the girl-pony phenomena originate?)
And not to mention nearly everything is pink.
The saddest part is that you will find these gendered toy categories at almost every large retail store like Target. Anyone know one that doesn't?
A big thanks to Kelley for pointing this out.
Yes, I know. We've talked about the engagement ring thing before. And it's certainly something I go on about in my book (shameless plug alert!). But it's been a while, and this article in Slate has seemed to hit a nerve across the blogosphere.
Meghan O'Rourke doesn't pull any punches:
But there's a powerful case to be made that in an age of equitable marriage the engagement ring is an outmoded commodity—starting with the obvious fact that only the woman gets one. The diamond ring is the site of retrograde fantasies about gender roles. What makes it pernicious—as opposed to tackily fun—is its cost (these days you don't need just a diamond; you need a good diamond), its dubious origins, and the cynical blandishments of TV and print ads designed to suggest a ring's allure through the crassest of stereotypes.
It's always been the consumerism behind engagement rings that bothered me most. As if you can't really be in love without spending a substantial sum of cash. I guess it just always struck me as..well, unromantic.
I have guys friends who have grudgingly dropped thousands on a ring just so their eventual wife could have something to show off to her friends. I have friends who have shocked me with their expectation of a bauble that cost more than a down payment on a house.
This isn't to say I'm against rings altogether. When my friend Lauryn (a Feministing founder!) got engaged, her boy bought her this amazing art deco sapphire ring that he spent forever looking for, and made a little book about the ring's history and how he came to find it. It was from the heart, not the wallet.
Thoughts?
I find it interesting that out of all of the things that you can make a stun gun be disguised as, some thought a tampon was the most appropriate.
The Pink Stinger looks like a tampon but is an actual stun gun, can dispense up to 50,000 volts of power and shoot up to 14 feet away.
Next up: Pepper spray maxi pads. Word.
I really am kind of speechless on this one. I mean, dismembered feet? Vaginas on feet? Pussyfoot?!
But if you want a worse image than the one above, go to the website and scroll all the way down. Yeah.
A perfume priding itself as “The World’s First Spiritual Perfume," apparently takes the scents from the Bible and puts them in a bottle of the oh-so-holy “Virtue.� Because spending the $80 per bottle will make you a true Christian woman!
Additionally, Kentucky has finally opened their $27 million Creation Museum, in which the story of the Bible can apparently be defended by science. Check out Salon's tour of the museum, where they found one room dedicated to condemning abortion and homosexuality. (Aw, a whole room dedicated to us 'lil ole heathens? You shouldn’t have!)
So if you had to, which one would you spend your money on? I would normally say I'd be interested in going to the museum but the pictures in the Salon article scare me a little.
Dove's Real Beauty Campaign has had its fair share of successes and critiques, yet while they have been pushing this idea of "real beauty," it seems that they also think that should exclude your armpits. Like we don't have enough body parts to obsess over.
The slogan, "Are you sleeveless ready?" says enough about what they're trying to pitch, but I've heard the commercial is pretty irritating, more or less saying that their newest deodorant will make your underarms look soft and gorgeous (as opposed to their gross existence before). The website says:
"Every woman can have softer, smoother underams and show them off in sleeveless styles that make her feel beautiful."
Because seriously, who likes a girl with dry and not soft-as-a-baby's-ass underarms?
Thanks MAC for the story.
I love me a good tshirt, and our gal Jaclyn Freidman has made several. After publishing an article on drinking and rape, Jaclyn received some less-than-polite comments. Including a couple that called her a "lying, man-hating whore." (Because she decided to write about being sexually assaulted in college--the nerve!)
Here's Jaclyn's response: "Well, I gotta say, that hurt. A lot. Until I realized it only had power because I let it. And what takes the piss out of a phrase faster than putting it on a cute tshirt?"
Indeed. So now you can buy shirts that say: lying man-hating whore; working hard to undermine your marriage; I hate your freedom; and hairy-legged lesbian. Fun.
A totally ridiculous story graced the front page of the Washington Post on Monday: Apparently more energy-efficient light bulbs would be flying off the shelves if only women weren't such hypocrites. You've got to read to the second page to get anything resembling actual data:
A Washington Post-ABC News poll released last week showed that while women are more likely than men to say they are "very willing" to change behavior to help the environment, they are less likely to have CFL bulbs at home. Wal-Mart company research shows a similar "disconnect" between the pro-environmental attitudes of women shoppers and their in-store purchases of CFL bulbs. [...]Utility company surveys show the same gender-based bulb-buying pattern in the Pacific Northwest, which has the highest CFL market share in the nation, about 11 percent. Men have been aware of CFLs longer than women, have bought them earlier and have installed more of them in the house than women, according to surveys that the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance has been conducting since 2004.
That's interesting. But most of the article reads like a '50s sitcom script rather than truly exploring reasons for this beyond the aesthetic. (Are women buying fewer fluorescent bulbs because of the up-front expense? Are they less aware of exactly how much less energy these bulbs consume?) I'd also be interested in reading some legitimate research on the "eco-gender gap": how men and women differ in their implementation of environmentally friendly lifestyle changes. I'm not looking for an eco-battle of the sexes or anything, but a serious investigation. Without the stupid "wife test" anecdotes.
Related: The Ms. cover story this month is about women leaders in the environmental movement.
But Mom, if you don't buy him for me who will teach that bitch Barbie that you can't just go around wearing miniskirts and not expect something to happen?
You know what's not funny at all? Rape. So it makes sense that dolls of rapists wouldn't be fun or funny either. But I guess I'm not a movie marketer, so what do I know.
Apparently Quentin Tarantino's character from the new Grindhouse movie Planet Terror, Rapist Number One, is being made into a toy and sold at Toys R Us stores across the country. Seriously.
Garance doesn't buy that the doll will be widely avaiable, and thinks that this is "a manufactured outrage over a disgusting action figure based on a failed movie — all designed to generate publicity at one of Hollywood’s biggest online draws, while also turning rape into a joke."
Well, any way you slice it, my breakfast is still ruined.
That didn't take long.
Mattel is featuring their new line of cars at today's New York International Auto Show: toy cars designed especially for girls.
While you would think it might be a positive thing to create a toy car line for girls in order to help eliminate the stereotype that women aren't interested in cars, but this line of product does anything but. Polly Pocketâ„¢ recently created Polly Wheelsâ„¢, which includes a "Race to the Mall" race track. The finish line is a shopping boutique, I kid you not. Apparently after two years of research of what girls would want from a toy car, this is what they came up with.
Women get discriminated enough at car shows, it's sad to see such a ridiculous display being featured at this one.
Well I know what I'm drinking tonight!
Wow, Axe sure does know how to woo the ladies, huh? I mean between dismembered leg towels and mouse pad skirts, what woman could resist?
Helena D. Lewis is an actor, playwright, poet, and social worker. She performs her autobiographical one-woman plays across the country chronicling with humor her life as a certified alcohol and drug counselor and HIV/AIDS educator. Helena has appeared in multiple movies such as “Golddigger Killer,� TV shows, and slam poetry festivals. She is currently a member of the troupe, HerStory, a multi-cultural group of female performers who are touring the U.S.
Helena will be performing her play, “Call Me Crazy� at the Nuyorican Poets Café from March 22 to March 25th. Make sure to catch it. You definitely won’t forget it.
I interviewed Helena over email. Here’s Helena…
Oh, gross. This makes me never want to have anyone touch the girls again. Ew.
These things are ridiculous, but a ban? Seriously?
"People are making a joke out of it," [Maryland delegate LeRoy] Myers said yesterday. "But I think it's a pretty serious problem. You have body parts hanging from the hitches of cars. We've crossed a line."His bill would prohibit motorists from displaying anything resembling or depicting "anatomically correct" or "less than completely and opaquely covered" human or animal genitals, human buttocks or female breasts. The offense would carry a penalty.
Also good to know:
A hunter could still throw a freshly killed and uncovered deer in the back of his pickup, though, because the deer's body parts would be real, Myers said.
We can all recognize that Myers is semi-crazy (the man referenced deer balls in a serious manner), but I asked myself if I'd feel the same way if a female legislator was protesting plastic breasts hanging from bumpers. And I have to say, while I would in all likelihood find them distasteful, I wouldn't be interested in passing legislation to ban them. As Meredith Curtis of the Maryland American Civil Liberties Union said, "The solution to speech we don't like is more speech."
Plus, this is one of those items that serves to warn you away from guys that you probably don't want to be dating anyway.
You can have control of the tube and the girl! The bikini top also flips up so you can access the channel up and down buttons; it's very classy. Not only is this the tackiest thing I've ever seen, but I pity the person who actually owns such a horror of a device.
...the titties. Yet another effort to save breasts moreso than the women attached to them. I think this particular shirt says it all:
Check out this disturbing Indian commercial for Fair & Lovely skin whitener (made by Unilever, which also manufactures Dove's "real beauty" products... and Axe). Here's a synopsis:
One TV commercial aired in India (often referred to as the Air Hostess advertisement) “showed a young, dark-skinned girl’s father lamenting he had no son to provide for him, as his daughter’s salary was not high enough – the suggestion being that she could not get a better job or get married because of her dark skin. The girl then uses the cream [Fair & Lovely], becomes fairer, and gets a better-paid job as an air hostess – and makes her father happy�.
Sexism, classism and racism, tied up together in a neat little 60-second spot! A similar ad for a whitener made by Pond's -- also a Unilever brand -- drew criticism a few years ago:
"Those ads are incredible," says Malaysian social activist Cynthia Gabriel, referring to the Unilever ads. "Whitening creams are capitalizing on a market that's quite racist and biased toward people who are lighter."
Responded a Unilever rep:
"Our TV commercial was never intended to suggest any correlation between skin color and beauty. We leave that to each individual to interpret according to his or her culture, background and education."
High-end whiteners are also sold by Chanel and Shiseido in the U.S. But they're huge in countries like China, India and Malaysia, where they help perpetuate the idea that whiter skin = more respect = success in life. They also pose health risks.
As Salon points out, the popularity of Fair & Lovely (the best-selling whitening cream in the world) provides fodder for a debate about whether marketing to lower-income populations helps or hurts them.
Not surprisingly, [manufacturer] HLL claims Fair & Lovely is doing good by fulfilling a social need. They argue that 90 percent of Indian women want to use whiteners because it is “aspirational…. A fair skin is like education, regarded as a social and economic step up� (Luce and Merchant, 2003).
But Fair & Lovely isn't a step up or solution; it only enforces the prejudices that contribute to economic and social inequality.
Lately I've heard many friends rave about the NuvaRing as a method of hormonal contraception. No more remembering to take a pill everyday! The down sides? It's not covered by many insurance plans. And you MUST remember to replace it once a month.
Soon that may not be the case. The Population Council is currently conducting clinical trials of a vaginal ring that only needs replacing once a year. Researchers hope this could reduce failure rates.
Testing should be complete in 2009.
I guess we shouldn't expect better from Axe. I'm sure it makes watching internet porn feel so much more like the real thing. This is one of those products that is a clear signal to RUN if you see it in the home of someone you're dating.
Via.
(Also, this isn't the first time the mouse has been compared to ladyparts...check out this ad for Playboy online.)
I can imagine it now...
The guy at the bar who has spent the last fifteen minutes making bad feminism jokes after I told him about what I do is now inexplicably asking me for my number. Instead of wasting my breath to tell him what I think about him, I just hand him a card. Perfection.
A children's shirt depicting a male stick figure pushing a female stick figure out of a box ilicited some complaints from shoppers.
"I thought that shirt was very offensive, and I'm sure people who made that shirt thought it was cute," District Attorney Evert Fowle said Friday. "But when you prosecute 728 domestic violence cases a year, it's not cute."The shirt was removed briefly after a customer protested, but later returned to shelves. As it stands now, the final word from Kmart corporate is that the t-shirt will continue to be sold.
"We respect the opinions of our customers," [Kmart] said in a statement issued from corporate headquarters. "However, we believe these attitude Ts are meant to be light-hearted in nature."
Cause what's a little light-hearted assault, after all?
Thanks to David for the link.
Brought to you by the same folks who created the doggy-style table.
Brought to you by the same folks who created the doggy-style table.
British superstore Tesco is selling stripper poles in the children's toy aisle. The perfect gift for your padded-bra wearing, bikini-modeling 8-year-old!
The Tesco Direct site advertises the kit with the words, "Unleash the sex kitten inside...simply extend the Peekaboo pole inside the tube, slip on the sexy tunes and away you go!
My initial reaction is that this product doesn't look much different from the packaging of certain Barbies, Bratz, or other toys marketed toward girls. Which actually says a lot more about the state of girls' toys than it does about this particular product. But it's supposedly an excercise product for adult women, and now Tesco has agreed to only sell it in the fitness section of its stores. Seems a more acceptable fit in that aisle.
That's not to say I'm not disturbed my the mere idea of a stripper pole marketed at girls. I just wouldn't go quite as far as the crazy fundies, who decry the pole's phallic nature and say it will "destroy children's innocence."
Can something reek and be tasteless at the same time?
While we're already familiar with the disturbing commercials that Axe body spray has aired in the past, their newest product, Axe Lab eau de toilette, appeals to male consumers in a really, really gross way.
If you go to the website and click on the "Stimulation Chamber," you'll be able to see the "profound effects Axe Lab has on a willing female body" and "cause a physical sensation by clicking on the dosage levels." I kid you not. They focus on three body parts of "participants" for you to watch quiver, shudder and sweat as the "experiment" takes place. (The thighs are the worst.)
Message: Women are sexbot automatons you control with your manly scent (among other things).
The fake heat-sensitive images in the "Dirty Mind Control" section of the site are also awful. They supposedly show what's going on in the "female test subject's" mind in response to the putrid stench of Axe. Keep in mind this is Axe World, where even women's personal sexual fantasies are designed to cater to men. How did Procter & Gamble guess that my sex fantasies always include donning 5-inch heels and slapping my own ass while eating a banana? Must be all their "pharmasexual research."
The Axeholes have been touring with Playmate Sara Jean Underwood, who vouches for the scent's supposed irresistibility. She's assisted by other big-breasted women in white lab coats who act aroused when men test it, as well as a "hologram girl" who you can "dose" with the push of a button.
The result is a bunch of moaning employees and horny consumers who buy it and end up suffocating every person who passes them. (I don't know if y'all have ever actually smelled Axe products before, but that shit is pretty nasty.)
The whole thing is pretty fucked up. We can just see the movie now: "Girls Gone Wild for AxeLab." Ugh.
-- Vanessa & Ann
What could be more important than making sure the carpet matches the curtains? Just think, now the Pink Taco can be a reality.
Introducing the Orgasmatron 3000.
After being invited to take part in a design exhibition on the theme of a Bordello, [artist] Dominic Wilcox came up with his own take on the subject.This Leather clad washing machine and saddle aims bring the fun back to housework. This product is made to order, info above.
I know it's meant as art and not for sale on the floor at the Sears appliance center, but the Orgasmatron is interesting nevertheless. Is it meant for men to buy for their wives when they want to send a message that women should take pleasure in housework? Or is this a good personal investment because it means you'll be happy to do your laundry on a regular basis?
Put another way: Is this a tool of the patriarchy, or does it simply mean clean jeans with a few orgasms on top? Discuss.
And check out the controls on this sweet baby, below the fold.
Via the lovely ladies of Unibloggal.
I met one of the gals of Sticker Sisters when I was at the NOW conference this summer--their products are too cool. (See above.)
Sticker Sisters also now has shirts, buttons, posters--even school supplies. Make sure to check it out!
HP digital cameras are now offering a "slimming" feature. No gratuitous Photoshopping necessary!
Make a t-shirt. I figured something funny should come out of this whole thing. And since there's been so much boob-hating going on, we're going to donate 20% of the profits we make from this shirt to Breast Cancer Action, "the bad girls of breast cancer."
Also, the lovely Ann has created some new Feministing merch at Cafe Press.
Thanks to Ray for the shirt design.
That's comedian Cathy Carlson's catchphrase. She uses it in all of her standup routines, and has had it printed on a whole line of clothing and stickers.
I actually really like the message. It mocks the old "You fight like a girl/play like a girl/etc." adages. And it boldly says, 'Hey! Women like to get off, too.' (Sadly, that's still a pretty radical message.)
Carlson recently tried to trademark the phrase, but was denied because the law says trademarks cannot be granted for "immoral, deceptive, or scandalous matter," says Patrick Shanahan, the investigating US patent attorney.
Citing Section 2 (a) of the Trademark Act, Carlson’s application to register the phrase “You cum like a girl� had been refused on the grounds of being “scandalous� and “vulgar,� with the phrase’s offending verb defined as a “vulgar slang term for ejaculation at the time of orgasm.� Shanahan provided examples of similar rejections and explained why other attempts to register phrases with “cum� passed muster and Carlson’s didn’t. He also suggested why the word “orgasm� might make a suitable PG-13 replacement.
Yeah, but "You Orgasm and Ejaculate Like a Girl" doesn't have quite the same ring to it. The government has approved trademarks for other phrases with the word "cum," including Cum Partay (bumper stickers) and Cum Together (adult DVDs). They're acceptable because "those are just different spellings of the word 'come,' and don't refer to somethng explicitly sexual. Riiiight.
It's also worth noting that the government, apparently in an effort to make her understand why the phrase was offensive, emailed Carlson's personal account with dozens of photos of women covered in ejaculate-- with no letter of explanation.
“What does this have to do with my shirt?� Carlson remembers thinking.
Clearly US patent attorneys can't read the phrase "You cum LIKE a girl," without mentally switching it to "You cum ON a girl." Ann at Feminist Law Profs highlighted this problem with prepositions:
Carlson is correct that Shanahan’s inability to conceptualize “cum� in any way other than a male ejaculating on a woman is disturbing, especially since cumming like a girl suggests an absence of semen altogether.
Absolutely. My savvy lawyer pal Erin also reminded me that Dykes on Bikes was involved in a long-running trademark battle for similar reasons. (Apparently the government considered the word "dyke" offensive.) But other phrases that I find immoral/offensive -- sports team names like the Redskins, for example-- are trademark-protected. Not okay.
Volkswagen is putting out a Barbie car. Battered self-esteem and body issues not included.
And you thought Abercrombie was bad? Check out the latest from Delia's. And yes, I know "tight" is slang for cool. But I think we all understand the double entendre here. And it's fucking nasty--especially considering Delia's clothing is primarily marketed towards pre-teens.
Kitchen Tables has the corporate contact info; go let them know that sexualizing little girls is never in style.
In comments about the Purity Princess Survivor Kit over at Pandagon, Auguste links to what the Virgin-Property-of-Daddy tee should really look like:
Hilarious, especially in light of research on virginity pledgers.
The Purity Ball industry appears to be expanding. Cee Cee Michaela, star of UPN's Girlfriends and Purity Party planner extraordinaire, is selling the Purity Princess Survivor Kit. At $65, it includes:
Over 50 items enclosed including the Purity Pledge, the Pink Abstinence Card , valuable information on STD's and your worth as a girl created by God! From nail enamel quick dry spray, a cute polka dot shower cap to nail glue, a pre-threaded sewing kit, and a dual make up sharpener...this kit is for you! Great for going off to College the Birthday Girl or even a COMING OF AGE gift for when she finally gets her period.
Because nothing says COMING OF AGE quite like a dating ritual with daddy and learning to properly clean the house. And is it just me, or does the use of the word "survivor" in conjunction with the Purity Ball concept make it sound like a veiled reference to child sexual abuse? (Cee Cee does call herself a "Survivor," but not in that sense.)
In related news, one of our favorite purveyors of purity gear is back with ever-more-offensive designs. This one (below the jump) is surely marketed at Purity Ball princesses:
Ok, I have no idea why I find this so appealing...but I do.
Pepperface is designed "to provide dependable, effective self-defense without compromising style or convenience."
Shit, you don't even need the pepper spray part--the Bedazzled exterior is enough to blind an attacker!
My friend Laurin noticed this creepy ad for pube-sculpting product Naughty Nad's. The packaging reads:
Surprise that someone special or simply indulge your wickedness by personalising your most intimate region. Bikini designs are Landing Strips, Bermuda Triangle, Heart and Thunderstruck.
Ew. As Laurin says, "i'm not anti-grooming per se, but i can't help but get creeped out by this new marketing ploy for nads. i'm thinking of crafting a giant middle finger out of my "private" hair, snapping a photo and mailing it directly to ms. ismiel herself." Maybe I'll do the same.
And as if the "pussy" ad wasn't disturbing enough, the company initially asked women to send in "real-life images of pubic hair grooming." The worst part? More than 400 women actually responded.
See also: The Great Pussy Debate of 2006, and its accompanying ad.
The latest issue of Clamor Magazine hits newsstands September 1, and features extensive coverage of American Apparel's "co-opting of progressive values to hype an otherwise less-than progressive workplace." It features parody ads like the one above, which reads:
Kristina, born to an Iranian mom and Belgian pop, is a native Ohioan. She’s seen here sporting an emerald 100% cotton racerback tank. Unfortunately, her brand devotion to AA could never land her a spot in their ads: Dov Charney thinks short hair on girls is “unnatural.�
Indeed, Kristina would never make the cut at AA. Female employees/models must be fully waxed and stripped down to their tube socks. Sure, the company's sexed-up ads feature half-naked and provocatively posed men, too. But the female ads are far more condescending. Compare these two ads, both selling AA's "Summer Shirt":
Meet Melissa. She won an unofficial wet T-shirt contest held at the American Apparel apartment in Montreal. Her prize for winning was a travel mug from McGill University, and the satisfaction of a job well done. Melissa is wearing our new ultralight Sheer Jersey T-Shirt, AKA "The Summer Shirt," available at our stores and online.
And the male version?
Meet Memo. He's a 31-year-old creative director living in Mexico City (where this polaroid was taken). Memo is wearing our Summer Shirt with bootleg Playboy Bunny briefs from a street market down there.
Yeah. As John Straub writes in Clamor, "The company possesses a downtown textile factory straight out of the ’40s, a sexploitation ad campaign from the ’70s, and a marketing strategy so sophisticated it almost seems to come from the future. Old-world manufacturing paternalism meets sexy transnational marketing: has American Apparel vertically integrated different eras of capitalism?"
Charney & Co. are less than pleased with Clamor's coverage, and are threatening the tiny indie magazine with legal action. I think this means the folks at Clamor have struck a nerve and are doing something right. Props to the editors/writers for pointing out that AA's non-sweatshop stance doesn't make up for its proto-porn advertising campaigns or the fact that Charney reportedly thinks sexual harassment is OK as long as you're a hipster.
We tallied the votes (drum roll), and it looks like the winner of Feministing’s Second Annual Disturbing Product Poll is the misogynist monstrosity above!
It seemed like a lot of folks had difficulty deciding between the �battered" shirt and this one. Either way, they’re both pretty puke-worthy.
Other favorites were the “doggie style" table and the Vulva cologne.
We had a tie for runner up, see after the jump...
It's that time again! The lovely pic above is last year's winner. I don't know if woman-torso-toilet will ever be beat.
After the jump you can find this year's nastiest, dumbest, and most sexist consumer odes to women. And email me with more products--I know I've missed some. Vote in comments.
Let the fun/horror begin...
Sure, The Rabbit had a cameo on Sex and the City, but can it dance?
The OhMIBod "automatically vibrates to the rhythm and intensity of the music." So you get down while you get off.
More than just a pleasure toy, OhMiBod harnesses the iPod movement and popularity to bring a higher level of acceptance and openness about sexuality in a fun and liberating way.
I don't know about all that, but I dig anything that goes with my iPod. Now I just have to work on my "alone time" playlist...
Via Gizmodo.
Sure, The Rabbit had a cameo on Sex and the City, but can it dance?
The OhMIBod "automatically vibrates to the rhythm and intensity of the music." So you get down while you get off.
More than just a pleasure toy, OhMiBod harnesses the iPod movement and popularity to bring a higher level of acceptance and openness about sexuality in a fun and liberating way.
I don't know about all that, but I dig anything that goes with my iPod. Now I just have to work on my "alone time" playlist...
Via Gizmodo.
Just wanted to give a shout out to the California chapter of the National Organization for Women who made this kick-ass shirt I bought at the NOW conference. I love it. (Vanessa even bit my styles and bought the same one. It's that cool.)
Just in case any manly-men out there were feeling threatened by racecar driver Danica Patrick's Rookie of the Year status and admirable fourth-place finish at the Indy 500... Not to worry! Deep down, she's a girly-girl.
That's right. Patrick is the spokeswoman for Secret deodorant, which is apparently now strong enough for a woman who allows herself to be packaged and sold as a nonthreatening feminine ideal who happens to drive real fast. Proctor and Gamble must have offered her an amazing amount of money, because prior to inking her deal to represent Secret, Patrick made a point of not endorsing beauty products, choosing instead to lend her name to ads for antifreeze, windshield wipers and washer fluid.
Today she's an advertiser's dream: A properly feminine sports heroine.
Other sports marketers agree, ticking off Patrick's attributes as if she herself were the product. She can be sexy, of course. But she also can project wholesomeness, an extension of the high school cheerleader she once was. She's 24, but her petite size and playful nature help her relate to children (see "Danica Divides Decimals" in Scholastic Math magazine).
Secret has made the "product" interactive by creating an advergame -- a recent marketing trend that brilliantly combines advertisements and video games, two media that are particularly good at objectifying women. Today it launched "Danica's Secret 500 Challenge," in which Patrick will "show the boys who's boss."
I'm torn. I don't think women should have to adopt stereotypically masculine attributes in order to be taken seriously as athletes, and I think it's great that Patrick is proud of her more traditionally feminine qualities. But those qualities seem to have been exaggerated by marketers to the point where she's a caricature, almost a dippy cheerleader who's just hanging out in the garage with the boys. Thoughts?
Well, it can certainly try.
Among the normal components of the "Miss Army Knife" like a flashlight and scissor, this pocket knife also contains a needle and thread, a nail file, a mirror, and a "secret compartment to put an emergency bottle of perfume!" Barf.
Via Popgadget.
A new electronic device designed by a student at London's Brunel University reminds women about taking their birth control pills.
The 'Remember' device also advises users what to do if they have forgotten to take their pill.It continually predicts the user's current level of protection and glows red if it is too low.
The pill is more than 99% effective against pregnancies, but research suggests 70% of women forget to take one a month, and 10% forget it at least four times.
Remember reminds women when it’s time to take the pill with alerts like an alarm, a light and a vibrate mode. The longer you don’t take the pill, the quicker and louder the alerts will sound.
Inventor Lai Chiu Tang says, “I had heard and read so much about the massive consequences of simply forgetting to take a pill that I began thinking about ways of reminding women. But after further research I discovered that forgetting to take the pill was only part of the problem. Lots of women didn't know what to do after missing a pill or, worse still, didn't even realise they may be unprotected.�
That’s pretty hot...I have to admit that when I was on the pill, I was the queen of missed doses.
A new electronic device designed by a student at London's Brunel University reminds women about taking their birth control pills.
The 'Remember' device also advises users what to do if they have forgotten to take their pill.It continually predicts the user's current level of protection and glows red if it is too low.
The pill is more than 99% effective against pregnancies, but research suggests 70% of women forget to take one a month, and 10% forget it at least four times.
Remember reminds women when it’s time to take the pill with alerts like an alarm, a light and a vibrate mode. The longer you don’t take the pill, the quicker and louder the alerts will sound.
Inventor Lai Chiu Tang says, “I had heard and read so much about the massive consequences of simply forgetting to take a pill that I began thinking about ways of reminding women. But after further research I discovered that forgetting to take the pill was only part of the problem. Lots of women didn't know what to do after missing a pill or, worse still, didn't even realise they may be unprotected.�
That’s pretty hot...I have to admit that when I was on the pill, I was the queen of missed doses.
I hear from a few design friends that these watches are pretty cool, but I ask you: could you ever wear something called the Pimp Watch?
The latest release from Pimp Watches is apparently for women--the Pleasure Seeker. At least it's not the Bitch Better Have My Money watch, I guess. Sigh.
The New York Times reports the ghastly news that petites sections are disappearing from high-end department stores, and some short, older, mostly wealthy (these stores are expensive) women are upset.
While stores may appear to be "long obsessed with that Seventh Avenue archetype, the tall, thin, leggy lady," I can say definitively, as a slender woman who's 6'2", they don't actually make clothes to fit us, either. My inseam is 36 inches. which means the average pair of pants is between six and four inches too short for me. Sleeve length is an even bigger issue-- I've gotten used to bare wrists.
I certainly have nothing against shorter women, but I can't help but get pissed off when I read articles like this. Women who are shorter than 5'3" have more clothing options than many of us on other ends of the spectrum. You can always have clothes taken in and shortened, but you can't magically extend sleeves and pant legs (or expand waistlines or bustlines, for that matter). So some while short women are whining about not being able to find whole sections of clothing tailored to fit them, I have NEVER seen a section of a store devoted to attire for the long-limbed.
But I'll also say that I've never met any woman who doesn't complain about finding clothes to fit her body. The traditional sizing system is seriously flawed. It doesn't work for women of a variety of shapes. Stores that have switched to more specific sizing-- a variety of cuts, lengths, widths, etc.-- have been met with rave reviews.
This is why I learned to sew. I'm much happier for it.
Madeleine Shaw would never be caught taking a pill to stop her period. In fact, she loves and honors her period. And wishes more women would, too.
Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Madeleine [below right with business partner Suzanne Siemens] is the founder and partner of Lunapads International Products Ltd. Madeleine, now 38, had a lot of different career ambitions in her life, including being part of the foreign service, a fashion designer, and a social worker. But designing and making washable menstrual products ended up being her calling. And her feminist vehicle for change. Here’s Madeleine…
A message of love from the folks who brought you my favorite abstinence shirt.
Who knew Satan was so political? I also love that this is in quotes. Did someone from ChristianShirts.net get an exclusive Dark Lord interview?
Barbie needs to back the fuck up.
Mattel can have their Mod Barbies and their weird other collectables. But they can’t have the pin-up girl!
Mattel, the maker of the world-famous doll, is now targeting adults, as well as kids and collectors, with its Pin-Up Girl Collection.The first of three Pin-Up Girl Barbies is now available - Way Out West Barbie. The cowgirl wears denim shorts (a la Daisy Duke) and has a lasso.
Following this summer are Hula Honey (in a cocoanut bra and grass skirt) and Lady Luck (a Vegas lounge singer).
Sigh.
Who knew it was Female Stereotype Awards Week? Swiffer just announced the winners of its "Amazing Woman of the Year" contest, and Maxim released its annual Hot 100 list.
Most of the Swiffer honorees actually appear to be doing something in addition to cleaning the house, from running camps for foster kids to writing rape shield legislation. "These five women have been chosen for their amazing contributions to their family, career and local community," as the press release puts it. But it's clear that "family" is the one hard and fast requirement. Childless women apparently fail to amaze the Swiffer judges. All winners are identified in the first sentence as mothers, which makes sense because of course mommy does all the housework.
And Maxim once again names 100 celebrity women who have "a tremendous amount of buzz surrounding them, undeniable beauty and a promise of greater things to come." Translation: Famous women willing to be slathered with Vaseline and photographed in porny poses. There are some smart, funny, outspoken women on their list (Sarah Silverman, for example), but they're predictably recognized for their bodies and not their accomplishments.
If you want to see some women recognized for more than their tight asses and spotless kitchen floors, just wait a few months. The REAL hot 100 will be announced soon. And women don't have to be wearing either a wet negligee or Mom Jeans to make the list.
My initial reaction when I saw this was that it was just kind of cheesy and dumb.
But an op-ed in the Vermont Guardian says there's more to it:
For many women, the phrase “barefoot and pregnant� remains a potent reminder of a very recent societal expectation that they stay in their place — the home — and quietly reproduce....Poking fun at these challenges allows young women to laugh them away as somehow irrelevant. But ignoring these hard-won rights certainly will make them go away. Are we taking a teddy bear too seriously? No. Viewing such challenges through cutesy images and Vaseline-smeared lenses dumbs down our sensibilities at a time when women need to stay sharp and smart.
Thoughts?
I know I’m posting this three months too early, but I just had to do it.
You must check out this new book that’s being released in August about the marketing schemes that are being used to make girls into boy-crazy, pink-obsessed shopoholics.
Packaging Girlhood: Rescuing Our Daughters From Marketers’ Schemes is a parent guide on how to teach girls to subvert the market and the media that essentially “packages� their girlhood. Here’s a snippet of their mission statement:
“We show parents the image of girls (sexy, diva, boy-crazy, shoppers) that's being packaged and sold, pretty in pink. We write about how ‘girl power’ has been co-opted by marketers of music, fashion, books, cartoons, TV shows, movies, toys, and more to mean the power to shop and attract boys, and how girls are encouraged to use their ‘voice’ to choose accessorizing over academics, sex appeal over sports, and boyfriends over friends. We expose these stereotypes and the very limited choices presented of who girls are and what they can be.�
Hell yes. I love this catchphrase the most:
“You can’t turn off the world; so teach your daughter to READ it and read it well.�
Do you think it would be okay to buy the book even if I don’t have daughter?
Now you can track your fertility in style! (If you’re into lace, that is.)
Ovü is an armband with a thermometer on the inside that tracks the wearer’s Basal Body Temperature (BBT). Here comes the slightly creepy part:
The thermometer constantly takes in temperature in the underarm and tracks the changes. When the change is significant enough to imply a hormonal change (usually because of ovulation), the device triggers a melody to play.
Lalala, time to make the babies! How do you explain away the tune emanating from your armpit to coworkers, I wonder?
Eew. Do you really need your computer to look like this? (I know, nothing hotter than a chopped-in-half woman. Very Boxing Helena.)
IZ Reloaded calls this a "sexy piece of work." Well, it's certainly a piece of something.
Via Boing Boing.
No, it's not an alarm clock. It's a digital menstrual cycle tracker shaped like a compact. It even comes with a mirror so you can check out those pre-period breakouts. Yeah...I don't get it either.
Thanks, Tennessee Guerrilla Women!
A reader over at Nerve's Scanner noticed the following Q&A on her package of Tampax:
Question: "Will using a tampon cause me to lose my virginity?" Answer: "No - you do not have to worry about losing your virginity when using a tampon. The hymen is an elastic membrane with an opening in the center. It normally has enough room and elasticity for a tampon to pass without any harm, even after the tampon has absorbed the menstrual flow. No matter what you have heard, wearing a tampon doesn't change anything about the person you are."
Whew! Now I'll be spared the expense of re-virginization surgery.
The answer on the Tampax website didn't go so far as to assure me I'm the same person whether I'm wearing a tampon (or having sex) or not. But I'll take the Nerve reader's word for it.
Other burning questions from the Tampax site include, "Can I go to the bathroom while wearing a tampon?" and "Can I use two tampons at the same time?" Which made me wonder if these were really FAQs for 12-year-olds.
Turns out they are. Maybe it's because I don't read Teen Vogue or watch a lot of TV, but I didn't realize that Tampax markets the Pearl tampon exclusively to teen girls. The language is so clearly designed to play to their insecurities, with phrases like "tampons are more discreet than pads and help keep your period more private." Also, this:
It's not about how old you are. It's not about what you do for a living. It's not about being a mom or a career woman. It's a way of being - a state of mind. Pearl Girl - a woman who's sensual, confident and comfortable in her own skin.
It's apparent they focus-grouped the hell out of this language-- so it doesn't even make much sense. Although I guess Tampax could do worse than convincing preteen girls that a tampon is like a state of mind... at least it's absorbent.
I’ll be eternally grateful to Popgadget for pointing me in the direction of tools made for women that actually aren’t pink. It’s a miracle.
I just saw this advert and all I caught was, "Be a man, take back the shower." I thought it was funny. It is interesting (and predictable) how men are now being included in the marketing to get cleaner, prettier, younger looking etc. Almost every line of bath/beauty product now has a mens line.
So I looked it up and it is Dial's new ad campaign to "Take Back the Shower." I shudder to think that this is a reference to "Take Back the Night." The ad goes on to say, "Washcloth? We don't need no stinking wash cloth." Nor do they need proper grammer. But anyway.
Is this gender equity? No. It is capitalism finding more things to market, more flaws to find and more products to fix it. And this ad is attempting to tap into "masculinity" to sell a bath product. Don't fall for this boyz.
I don't think men should "take back the shower," I think they should just admit they always use all the "girly" products in the shower.
A German perfumer has thought up the ultimate sex appeal to entice the object of your desire: the scent of a vagina.
Yes, people, the perfume that will revolutionize the way we smell is here, and its name is Vulva.
Broadsheet makes a good point (which I can’t seem to access the link to from Unfogged) and says:
“But there's something I can't figure out: Who needs this product? The Web site calls the fluid "the object of every man's desire," so it seems it's being marketed to people who want to have sex with men. . .But if you're a woman, and you want to use the scent of a real vagina to entice a man ... you already have a real vagina!! You don't need to buy this! If you're a man who wants to become the object of every man's desire ... is the scent of a real vagina really going to attract the kind of guy you're looking for?”
They also suggest the perfumer comes with a companion fragrance called “Nut Sack.” Anyone have other suggestions for a good name to capture the essence of a man?
You know, I had totally forgotten how much I liked Subversive Cross Stitch’s stuff. Glad I had Nerve to remind me.
I am probably the least crafty person in the entire world, especially among my friends (what is it about feminists and crafts?!). But when I made this for the boyfriend last holiday season, the pain of making it was worth the end result. Anything that validates my potty-mouth holds a special place in my heart.
After an extremely successful (and well publicized) girlcott of Abercrombie & Fitch, the clothing company has come out with some new and improved shirts.
“Brunettes have brains” and “Blonde with a brain” aren’t exactly super-inspiring slogans, but they sure beat “Who needs brains when you have these.”
Happy Worker, who brought us GeekMan, MoneyMan and BossMan, is coming out with their latest toy for grownups--SuperMom.
SuperMom, who Happy Worker says they created as a way of “exploring the challenges and pitfalls of modern motherhood,” comes with a ton of accessories and can transform from calm, collected mom to super frazzled mom. Complete with rollers in hair and screaming baby.
I’m not really sure how I feel about this. Is SuperMom really “a heroine for hard working moms” or just a tacky parody?
Never mind that the name of this contraption sounds like it should be a spinoff of E!’s Dr. 90210. What’s really important is that it will vibrate your breasts into perfection.
Step 1: Rub some “healthful liquid” on your boobies.
Step 2: Adjust the vibrate button and shake the girls for a good 15 minutes.
Step 3: Go look at yourself in the mirror and try to pinpoint when your life went so terribly, terribly wrong.
This is just genius.
Mystery Date reveals the most terrifying accessory of all time: the Manhunt Scarf.
Apparently this was put out in the 60s by Mademoiselle Magazine. And if the pink silkiness of the scarf isn’t enough for you to love it, check this out--it’s also a game. A Manhunting game!
You’re supposed to use the scarf as game board:
“Take one die, any number of girls, and toss. Use shells, pebbles, anything small for markers. First girl home is first girl married.”
Wowza. But that’s not all. On the way to the Home & Him finish-line, players land on squares that say things like, “You didn't put your perfume on this morning. Back to GO” or “You broil a great hotdog. Ahead 1.”
Who knew that the road to domestic bliss was paved with wieners?
Via Gawker.
Announcing the Amazing Housewife, er, "Amazing Woman of the Year" competition, brought to you by Swiffer and Cindy Crawford:
An Amazing Woman is an inspiration not only because of all she does to make her world a better place, but also how she does it. Maybe she runs her own home-based business while her children are in school, volunteers at a homeless shelter once a week and cleans on the weekend. Or maybe she cleans her home a little bit each morning, works during the day and is able to keep her weekend free for family and volunteer projects.
So even if she has to hold a job outside the home, an "Amazing Woman" is a homemaker above all else.
The one thing Amazing Women have in common is the creativity they use to get everything done. They team up with other women in their neighborhood, they order groceries and clothes on the Internet, or they use day planners to keep their schedules on track.
Using the Internet? Keeping a day planner? Amazing!
There are countless ways Amazing Women contribute to their world.
Ordering groceries, sweeping, dusting, ironing, mopping... countless ways to contribute. Something tells me the Amazing Woman of the Year's main contribution to society will be a well-Swiffered floor.
Amazing Women use innovative products in their homes so they can manage all of their responsibilities. That�s why they use Swiffer� products.
Thanks, but I'll be nominating amazing women to the REAL hot 100 instead. There's no housework requirement.
What's funniest: incest rape, statutory rape, or just plain old vanilla rape? Apparently these guys can't decide either.
Check out more "humor" shirts after the jump. And people ask why I'm a feminist...
Thanks to Andrea for the link.
Ew.
You must know that it took a lot of stomach to put this picture up.
While we've shown you guys the disturbing boyfriend arm pillow and the super creepy girlfriend lap pillow, this one takes our pillow products to a whole other level.
"The Breast Pillow" is another body part to rest your head on when your lover's away. (Or can serve as a replacement for a lover altogether. After all, all you need is some boob nuzzling to kill the pain!)
Searching for the perfect menstrual accoutrement wasn't super high on my list of priorities. But when Popgadget pointed me to the DivaCup, the internal struggle began.
The DivaCup is a reusable menstrual cup made of latex-free, medical grade silicone. It markets itself as safer and more environmentally friendly than tampons.
The DivaCup is very sanitary, comfortable, reliable and convenient. It holds one full ounce (30 ml). Since the entire cycle is an average of 3-4 ounces (90-120 ml), most women find that the cup is not even half full after 12 hours...Depending on your flow empty the cup 2-3 times per 24 hour day, wash and reinsert. It can be worn up to 12 hours, even overnight.
So it's the whole collecting-is-better-than-absorbing idea, which I'm kind of into considering recent health concerns about tampons.
A couple of years ago I became an Instead-convert. The Instead softcup is kind of like the DivaCup but it's disposable, so it's not as environmentally friendly. I've never tried the DivaCup, but it doesn't look as comfortable as Instead--it's got that weird pully-outy thing at the bottom. Another positive of Instead: it's a-okay for intercourse. Not so much with the DivaCup (again, cause of the pully-outy). But I'm open minded...
Has anyone given Ms. Diva a try and want to share?
(And yeah, I know I didn't mention pads. Sorry, they just remind me of junior high.)
The Feminal (such an unfortunate name) is a portable urinal designed specifically for women. And it’s purple.
Women, you can stop worrying about finding a restroom when you travel with a portable urinal. You won't be forced to use dirty or deserted rest stops when nature calls at inconvenient times. Can be a real lifesaver if you're stuck in traffic!The Feminal® is designed so that a woman can urinate in a reclined, seated, or standing position. When the Feminal is gently pressed against the body, the unique shape creates a leak-proof seal. Includes cap. 4-cup capacity.
If you’re not a fan of rolling around with 4 cups of pee but want that non-squatting convenience, check out the P-Mate.
Personally, I think I’ll stick with holding it.
Offensive t-shirts are popping up everywhere (remember these and these). Check these out, they go from offensive to more offensive. This is the description for the above shirt,
Do you have a substance abuse problem, an eating disorder, and low self esteem? Then you may have what it takes...
What does having an eating disorder and low self-esteem have to do with being a coked-out whore? If you are going to be offensive, do your research.
Thanks to Alex for the link!
Come on, like you don’t want to know if they escape eternal hellfire?
I have to give some props to my boyfriend for getting me my favorite holiday gift this year: The Subtle Safety Defensive Ring.
This ring is so bad ass. It looks like a normal ring, but it actually folds out into a self defense device--kind of like mini brass knuckles. Awesome.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to kick some New Year's Eve ass.
This just makes me want to barf. Pottery Barn Kids has taken the initiative not only to perpetuate gender roles, but sell it for a shitload of money.
The company’s new “Retro Kitchen Sets” has done extremely well in sales this holiday season, even considering the pricing, which ranges between $250 and $650. (By the way, this kitchen is purely for play.)
The kitchen set is (of course) in their “girls’ rooms” section, which comes separately with a washer, dryer and vacuum; in short, they decided to gather every domestic household item they could think of and throw it into the girls' section of the site.
As for the boys, they have a number of different themed rooms to choose from, including the “airplanes bedroom,” the “trains playroom,” and the “thomas sports playroom.”
When asked about the kitchen set only being included in the “girls’ rooms” section, company spokesperson Lauren Nelson replied, “I think girls tend to be better at domestic play. Boys have tool sets and train sets.”
WOW. Is it just me, or do you hear the theme song from "Leave It To Beaver?"
I’m all for making fixing your car fun, but this is a bit nutty. I mean, does this company really think that slapping some pink on tools will make women want them more?
My new favorite tech and product blog Popgadget hits the nail on the head:
They look more like ‘Barbie does tools’ than anything that you would want to seriously whip out in case of a car emergency. If you got caught using one of these things in public, wouldn't you be somewhat embarrassed?
But hey, if you really like pink go for it I guess. Just don't be surprised when someone laughs at the cutesy bag for the jumper cables.
From the Abstinence Clearinghouse:
Want a unique giveaway item for your next class or abstinence presentation? These suckers, in cherry flavor, are a fun way to get the message to teens: Don't Be a Sucker! Save Sex For Marriage.Ahem. No comment.
Is to have these people shot.
Well, not really, but these definitely may be the most offensive and infuriating shirts I've ever seen. Just check out the new products on their homepage, and be prepared to gag.
What really pisses me off is that they seem to think that labeling the shirts as "offensive" somehow makes it okay for them to sell.
Thanks to Jen for pointing out this garbage.
I love the idea that someone would put this poster up in their teen daughter's room. Forget about being pregnant--I wouldn't want to tell my dad anything with bug eyes like that. It looks like lasers are about shoot out of those motherfuckers. And is that a halo around his head? Shiver.
New research says that many seven to 11 year-old girls maim and destroy their Barbie dolls. Duh.
Many girls thought it "cool" to mutilate Barbie because she was just a "plastic" doll, according to the Bath University study of 100 youngsters.Dr Agnus Nairn said: "It's as though disavowing Barbie is a rite of passage."
I certainly have memories of cutting of my Barbie dolls’ hair into buzz cuts and twisting their heads and bodies into unnatural positions. I believe I even gave one a black eye with some nail polish. I never fucked with any of my other toys or dolls--just Barbie. Curious.
Any other Barbie-maimers out there?
My menopausal worries are some years off, but I thought yesterday’s NY Times piece on hot flash pajamas was pretty cool.
The various inventors of this new sleepwear all seem to have had essentially the same eureka moment - on a night when they started getting hot flashes of their own. They were all active and fit women, with years of experience with perspiration. And they realized that the temperature fluctuations of menopause called for the same wicking fabrics as running, hiking or exercising in the gym. "When I first had hot flashes, I would change my T-shirts through the night," said Wendy McClung, a co-founder of HotCool Wear, in Toronto, which began making Hot Mama pajamas in 2000. "One night I grabbed one of my running shirts, and I thought, 'My goodness, this is what it is like to sleep.' "Hot Mama sleepwear is made of CoolMax, a polyester fabric used in workout clothes, finely milled to make it light and soft, like cotton flannel. Wicking J. Sleepwear, from a company in Evergreen, Colo., uses a similar fabric called Intera. And Wildbleu, a Seattle brand, uses one called Dri-release. The polyester fibers are designed to lift sweat from the body and allow it to evaporate quickly, said Helen Rockey, the founder of Wildbleu.
Now if we could only get some cramp-pajamas...
Still searching for a holiday gift for the special someone? I'm sure she'd love a "motorized version" of 50 Cent's "manhood."
The rapper is apparently too busy to have sex with every woman who wants him, and so created this waterproof, vibrating model of himself. Sounds like a must-have for fans:
"Blue is my favourite colour so it will probably be blue. But I don't know how big - I don't know if big is better because I'm not sure a man wants his woman playing with a really big dildo."He is quoted in Britain's Mirror as adding: "But I want to do something like that, to create something popular and exciting for women."
As long as what's "popular and exciting" isn't also emasculating their boyfriends.
OK. I'm going to throw up now.
Thanks to Anna for the link.
In case you’re still looking for holiday gift ideas, why not go with a torso table? Sigh.
Holland cabinet maker Mario Philippona has designed “erotic” furniture using female anatomy as his inspiration.
If you think the above is creepy, wait till you see the Boobycase (yes, that's what it's called) and a cherry wood torso table where “the drawer opens through a springlock button in the virgina.” I don’t know about you, but my ‘virgina’ wants nothing to do with springlocks.
Samsung is selling a new cell phone for women. It's not only sparkly and pink-- bonus features include offensive gender stereotypes!
The phone has a built-in shopping list, fat calculator and favorite fragrance list. Plus, says Samsung marketer Jenny Goodridge, "You can put in your birth date and it will tell you if you are intelligent, attractive or emotionally stable. You can't be all three on any day... It's pretty funny." Hilarious!
The phone also has an ovulation calendar. There aren't details on how it works, but this is the one feature that might actually be useful.
Samsung is looking to sell the phone to women ages 24 and younger. And though I'm in the target market, I can't seem understand the "girly appeal." Sigh. I'm probably not having an "intelligent" day.
I know boobs are great and all, but who knew they were potentially world-saving?
A leading lingerie company has joined Japan's fight against high fuel use, unveiling a heated bra for winter.The fluffy creation contains special pads filled with an eco-friendly gel that can be easily heated in a microwave or with a hot water bottle.
The design also includes a furry boa designed to double as a winter scarf.
Lingerie giant Triumph unveiled the bra months after PM Junichiro Koizumi urged Japan's office workers to ditch ties to save on air conditioning.
Being padded, the new bra packs a little more bulk than most regular designs, but the Japanese arm of Triumph insisted the look was more chic than sheep.
"We hope this will not only help prevent global warming but also provide a little fashion chic to the office," the company said in a statement.
The bra, which comes only in white, also features a pendant shaped like a chilli pepper dangling on its front.
Um, ok. I’m all down for eco-friendly clothing, but this freaks me out a bit. Partly because I don’t like idea of my breasts bursting into flames due to some kind of malfunction. (And because it kind of reminds me Bjork’s swan dress.)
Abercrombie and Fitch announced on Friday that they would stop selling some of the shirts that prompted a “girlcott” by Pennsylvania teens.
"We recognize that the shirts in question, while meant to be humorous, might be troubling to some."
A&F didn't specify which shirts would be pulled.
Via Broadsheet.
My roommate Alli has a serious catalog problem--she gets at least three a day. We have no idea what kind of bizarre mailing list she’s on, but damn do they love sending us stuff. (This is my explanation of why I was looking through a teen clothing catalog. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.)
Imagine my horror when I came across the above shirt in Alloy--a catalog marketed to teen girls. You have got to be fucking kidding me.
In other icky-shirt news, a group of high school students in Pennsylvania are speaking out against Abercrombie & Fitch over a shirt that reads: “Who needs a brain when you have these?" How sweet.
I couldn’t find that particular shirt on the A&F site, but they have plenty others to get squeamish over.
Bluetooth technology has come to sex toys (and all of a sudden I want to become more tech-savvy).
“The Toy” is controlled by text messages sent to your vibrator.
Basically, it’s “worn internally” (let’s leave that one alone, shall we?) and when an SMS is sent from the phone it’s linked up to, it turns into vibrations, depending on what has been written (each letter has a different effect). Again, I’m going to leave that to your imagination. Oh, and in case you’re worried that your Bluetooth Vibrator is going to show up on everyone’s list of bluetooth devices, don’t fret. It will only show up on the one phone it’s linked to.
That’s too bad, I was hoping for some risqué three-way calling action.
Groovy Q, makers of Dirty Linens products, have a super cute new pattern (with an unfortunately cheesy name) Girl Power. You can get it in sheets, lounge pants, boxers, and even wrapping paper.
I am a sucker for anything kitschy or pinup girl related--I just can’t help myself. (My birthday is next week, so I’m hoping my conspicuous gift-hinting will be successful.)
While I'm not the biggest fan of the game industry as of late, a new online multiplayer game in the works caught my eye.
Next Generation is scheduled to release their newest project next year, Republik’s Spend the Night, where online players will meet, woo, and eventually act out their fantasies in their own private virtual room. Oh boy.
Due to the sexual (and sexist) graphics in so many games, we all saw this coming. However, Next Generation’s CEO Robert Coshland is claiming that “every marketing cent” of the game will be spent towards targeting women:
“There is little to nothing with erotic content, that has been developed specifically targeted to women either in the game industry or in the adult industry. For whatever reason, women tend to be written off as people who have no interest in sexual content. We don't believe that to be true. We have found, just in talking to people and focus tests, that women respond better to our concept than men. That's not so say that men aren't interested but women are truly intrigued by this idea because it's geared towards them and it involves them."
Should we be skeptical? Fuck yeah. Marketing is one thing; we need to see who the actual content appeals to. But maybe, just maybe, the industry is finally becoming more woman-friendly. My second question is, which industry am I talking about?
UPDATE: The Women's Game Conference next week is scheduled to have a talk on sex in video games. Hopefully they'll be able to shed more light on where women stand in all of this.