Some advertising moves just scream “BAD IDEA”, even to people (me) whose only experience with the industry comes from watching Mad Men. This week’s ad controversy stems from a New Zealand commercial from Libra Tampons that’s being lambasted for being transphobic. Check out the ad after the jump.
In the commercial, a blonde woman and a drag queen grow increasingly competitive with their bathroom beauty regimens, until the former “wins” because she can use a tampon. Unsurprisingly, there’s been a wave of backlash at this implication from the trans community and beyond. Cherise Witehira, president of Agender New Zealand, called the commercial “extremely offensive,” stating that, “it’s pretty much saying the only way you can be a woman is to get your period. Obviously we can’t menstruate. However, we identify as female.” [via ONTD]
In a finally-intelligent (but perhaps too late) move, Libra has issued an apology for the ad and removed it. They claimed no offense was meant by the commercial, and that “Independent research was undertaken and the advertisement was viewed positively during that testing.” I just want to know who in tarnation was in that test group? [via Jezebel]
“When in doubt, don’t” is a pretty solid mantra of mine, but clearly that isn’t the case for Libra. I can’t imagine everyone in production thought this was a good idea, but somehow it managed to get the green light. Hopefully the uproar about it will at least draw some positive attention to the trans community.
What do you think of the commercial?
guest
What? Score for the tranny. I’d rather deal with erections and stubble than cramps and blood.
guest
I’m just flat-out sick and tired of people thinking it’s a competition between flamboyant homosexual men, transsexuals/transvestites, and women.
I’m not going to waste my time arguing with someone over whether a feminine looking homosexual man is more of a woman than I will ever be. It’s absurd.
guest
Does that mean you become a …fake(?) woman when you go through menopause?
orchid / 158 posts
Somehow I’m still trying to imagine how this commercial would make me want to go out and buy a tampon. Am I being sexist?
guest
This is one of those things that makes you wonder how the fuck it made it to TV. Perhaps the entire marketing department was asleep or high during the entire conception and production stage of the ad.
guest
i don’t think the commercial is offensive per se, but i do think its pretty dumb. personally i’m just tired of all this “real women” crap. “real women have curves”, “real women get periods”.
there are some (very real) women who don’t get periods for whatever reason and there are (very real) women who don’t look like christina hendricks. if someone wants to identify as a women, i’m not going to check whether or not they have boobs or get their period, i think i’m just going to take their word on it.
guest
I think a BIG thing that people DON’T understand is that a transgendered female wants to LOOK female. It’s not about being able having a period or being able to have babies. It’s about having the PHYSICAL characteristics that put someone in the female category.
guest
Being a transsexual person is one of the worst fates (save serious defects) I could imagine being born into. The shallow discrimination shit like this that erupts from ignorance and heartlessness surpasses my comprehension. Can you even begin to imagine having such a contradiction in such a core aspect of your identity?
*head explodes*
People are… so mean.
@theflowerstem@xanga - Although I’m sure that’s probably the case often, I’d be cautious to state a unanimous motivation behind all transgendered individuals. You have to remember that being a transsexual person is an experience of feeling in every way like the opposite gender than one is, physically. Being able to experience life as the person they feel they are can include different things for different people; just as not all women want kids, not all transgendered MtF will, but I’m sure not all will either. I’ve seen many documentaries of transsexuals who DO WANT to experience certain things in life of the gender they experience life as. I can understand that. As a female, I’m not a fan of having periods, but being ammonearrhiac (sp?) is not something I would choose. For example, I once saw a documentary where a couple (both individuals transgendered) had a child, and the female (formerly man) wanted to breast feed. I’m not sure if they were able to make it work.
@vain_apathy@xanga - AMEN
@sometimestheycomebackanyway@xanga - lolol
guest
“It’s pretty much saying [blah blah blah bs].”
guest
How does this make it appealing to buy that brand of tampons??
sunflower / 264 posts
..Why is it offensive to point out that a girl is a girl, and a boy is a boy? It doesn’t matter if a boy “identifies” as female. He is a boy, inarguably. And, yes, a bioligical female is more of a female than a boy any day.
..I can’t believe I am even saying that.
guest
@Jenny_Wren@xanga - Be careful, you may be attacked and accuse of being ignorant! When really it’s all just a matter of what you believe and what Group of doctors you chose to side with.
sunflower / 264 posts
@MommyMarty22@xanga - Thank you. I realize I will be attacked. But I also believe I am not the only one who thinks this–it is just that many are afraid to speak up.
guest
@Jenny_Wren@xanga - I actually think that might be the reason…
guest
@Grtt@xanga - that’s exactly what i was thinking…
guest
This actually wasn’t badly received by the transgender community in general, it was more badly received by narrow-minded middle aged people.