Tag Archives: sexism

“The Appallingly Sexist Origins of Facebook” Neither Appalling Nor Particularly Sexist

Jessica WakemanJuly 20, 2009 //

Come on, Double X, you’re just baiting us: With a headline like “The Appallingly Sexist Origins of Facebook,” we were expecting to be served some juicy dish that made Mark Zuckerberg, the 25-year-old founder of Facebook, look like a pig.

But Double X pulled snippets of purported douchebaggery from The Accidental Billionaires, an exposé about Facebook by Ben Mezrich, and it’s nothing more than admiring short skirts and some bikini-clad girls at frat parties. You know, really awful stuff.

Here’s what Double X called “appallingly sexist” Facebook behavior, after the jump: Keep reading »

Is Chivalry Sexist?

Amelia McDonell-ParryJuly 10, 2009 //
chivalry photo

A male blogger named Anthony Michael Rojas posted a little list entitled “How To Treat A Woman On A Date: The Basics” on his Tumbler blog this week and it got quite a few angry reblogs from women who felt like his suggestions were sexist. Rojas clearly believe his suggestions to be basic “chivalry,” while his detractors seemed to suggest that there is a difference between chivalry and manners, because chivalry is rooted in sexism. I found many of the responses to not only be silly, but also bordering on unintentionally satirical of “feminist” anger. It was clear to me that the original poster wasn’t being a jerk, so why did the responses treat him like one? Still, the back-and-forth did bring up the issue of whether these eight seemingly harmless gestures are actually offensive because they supposedly treat women as the weaker sex. Let’s go through them one by one, shall we? Keep reading »

Vanity Fair Says McCain Aides Disliked Sarah Palin As Much As (Some Of Us) Did

Jessica WakemanJune 30, 2009 //

Vanity Fair doesn’t tell us anything that Palin-watchers (er, Palin-stomachers) didn’t already know.

called the McCain/Palin ticket “a marriage of convenience”—and a “fiasco.” Keep reading »

The Case Of Huffington Post Sexism

Jessica WakemanJune 10, 2009 //

There’s been some internet chatter recently about how Huffington Post, a blog with mostly liberal writers and a liberal slant on the news, publishes a lot of photos and slideshows of half-naked female celebs. Two years ago I was on staff at the Huffington Post and this was going on back then too. The ongoing hypocrisy of an ostensibly liberal politics site objectifying women’s bodies, sadly, is not new.

Keep reading »

Quickies!: Jamie Lynn Spears Is Just Like Any Other Teen

Carrie WasterlainJune 9, 2009 //
  • Jamie Lynn Spears gives us the finger, and parties it up. [TMZ] — We’re glad the girl is finally acting her age, but we’re a little scared about what’s in the cup.
  • Miley Cyrus and Justin Gaston have reportedly split up. [Us Magazine] — He was too cute for her, anyway.
  • Courtney Love seems to have recovered from her mid-life crisis, and is on to bigger and better things…like starting her own fashion line. [Refinery 29] — I have to admit, I’m more scared than excited.

Keep reading »

For Jezebel, Sexism In Advertising Is OK — As Long As They’re The Ones Running The Ads

Susannah BreslinMay 18, 2009 //

Historically, if that’s a word that can be used in relationship to blogging, Gawker Media ladyblog Jezebel has dedicated much its blog’s space to pointing out sexism in advertising — or what they deem “badvertising.” So, if the Jezebels are the self-proclaimed policewomen of what they perceive to be rampant advertising industry misogyny, what’s up with today’s ad campaign? Brought to you by the makers of Belvedere booze, the ads blanket the site from sidebar to marquee to mid-page. What’s the campaign’s theme? Masturbation! Or a liquor-and-sex-laden play on “maceration,” anyway. The copy: “maceration should never be rushed,” “maceration is all about technique,” “maceration is perfectly natural.” The ads feature a rotating red raspberry that’s decidedly clitoral paired with a throbbing “touch” message. The mid-page version features a woman — only her head is cut off, so you can’t see much of her but, well, her tits. The funny thing about Jezebel’s take on ads is that you can never quite tell what they’re going to declare misogynist. So far as I can tell, pretty much anything a) sexual and b) targeting women is TOTALLY MISOGYNIST and COMPLETELY SEXIST. Not quite sure how that works, but I guess it’s different when they’re taking the advertiser’s money. Then, bring on the decapitated women and rotating clitoris, by all means. After the jump, check out the decapitated lady paired with a post pointing to purportedly sexist marketing. Keep reading »

What’s With Guys Wanting Women Who Don’t Speak?

Catherine StrawnMay 4, 2009 //

This morning, I flew back to New York and caught up on my pop music by listening to the Top 20on20 on XM radio, the one perk Airtran provides. Most of the music was expected — Lady GaGa, Miley Cyrus, Black Eyed Peas — but I’d never heard one of the songs that made it into the top 20: “Don’t Trust Me,” by the Boulder, CO, band 3OH!3. At first, I thought it was pretty catchy. That is, until it got to this part of the song:

Shush girl, shut your lips
Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips
I said, shush girl, shut your lips
Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips

Maybe I’m overly sensitive, but I couldn’t believe a pop song with such offensive lyrics was a hit. Not only is it regularly played on XM’s 20on20, but it popped to number 13 on Billboard’s Hot 100. What do I find wrong with these lyrics? The band disrespects a historically honored woman who persevered despite limitations — she could neither hear nor see, and yet she made a difference in the world. And the lyrics imply the guys don’t want someone who talks. They want a woman without a mouth, who doesn’t speak and uses her body to communicate, rather than making any noise. Keep reading to listen to the song yourself. Keep reading »

Five Things That Would Suck About A Woman Without A Mouth

Amelia McDonell-ParryApril 29, 2009 //

In the most recent issue of Vice, Chris Nieratko lists 10 inventions he wishes, you know, inventors would make already. He desires a cell phone with lasers, a “titty-milk-catching bag,” and seven others things. That adds up to nine, if you’re counting. The 10th annoyed me.

A Mouthless Woman: A mouthless woman gives me no chance of future blow jobs, but really I have no chance of future blow jobs as it is and my wife has a mouth. But imagine how much quieter the world would be if we could engineer women without mouths.”

Keep reading »

Is This Fake Calvin Klein Bra Ad Sexist Or Just Clever?

Jessica WakemanApril 23, 2009 //

Is advertising that uses women’s sexuality always sexist? Feminsting.com blogger Samhita says this advertising student’s project is “sexist, voyeuristic and pervy.” It’s a fake Calvin Klein billboard featuring a woman wearing a white blouse. In the sunshine the white blouse looks normal, but when it rains the billboard morphs and reveals the model’s black bra underneath, like a real white blouse would if it were to get wet. Clever, huh?

We’re no Don Draper or Peggy Olson, but we think the two advertising students behind this project were really thinking outside the box with this idea. According to the duo, they hoped their idea would “give a life to Calvin Klein’s sexy feeling.” This billboard certainly accomplishes that goal. What do you think? Tell us in the comments. [Ads Of The World via Feministing] Keep reading »

Sexy Or Sexist? Marie Claire’s Ads Feature Women Holding Their Own Decapitated Heads

Susannah BreslinApril 22, 2009 //

These ads caught my eye — which I suppose is exactly what their creators at Brazilian ad agency Publicis had in mind when they created them. The image is arresting, isn’t it? In this provocative ad series, the women appear to be holding their own lopped off heads. The tagline is an odd fit, though. “Keep a high self-esteem even after taking off your high heels.” Not sure I get that. I mean, I get the line by itself, but how does that work when the image would suggest the tagline should read: “Keep a high self-esteem — even after losing your head”? Another version reads: “Let’s face it: what’s the point having 40 pairs of shoes in your closet and 5 books on your shelf?” Which would seem to suggest if that’s what you’ve got, you’re an idiot? A third says: “Beauty attracts men. Intelligence keeps them.” Well, now I’m just confused. Maybe it would make more sense if I was holding my head in my hands. [Ads of the World] Keep reading »

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