Get ready to be pissed off. I mean really pissed off. The Washington Times’ Communities section online featured an article by independent, conservative writer Eric Golub titled, “The Top 30 Hottest Political Women of 2012”, a wretched little roster objectifying accomplished women in the name of the “ultimate aphrodisiac” — power. Think that sounds jaw-droppingly… Continue Reading →
Sexualized Svedka fembot, go away!
Ok, so – I know that the last post I wrote was about an alcohol commercial promising to make you manly, and I can’t say that I was exactly expecting to be hit with another wave of sexist advertisements for an alcohol brand – but then again, given what we’ve seen thus far, we can’t… Continue Reading →
VisitPhilly city campaign sanctions street harassment
As a city girl and proud former Philadelphian, I was deeply disturbed to learn that the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation’s (GPTMC) latest campaign includes citywide billboards that outwardly encourage street harassment. Unsolicited commentary in public spaces has always sparked a special brand of rage in me. Long before I identified as a feminist, I… Continue Reading →
Tequila 1800 will make you a man!
Did you know that alcohol has a gender? Well, in case any of the other examples written by myself and other fellow About-Face writers hadn’t convinced you, 1800 Tequila is here to really drive that message home. In a series of ads meant to emphasize the supposed purity of this brand, two specifically stand out… Continue Reading →
Meghan McCain body-shaming bridges the political gap
Despite my political disagreements with her family, I really feel for Meghan McCain. Reporters always feel the need to critique the styles of the potential First Ladies, and this seems to extend to the styles of political daughters as well. Mrs. McCain’s hair always received quite a bit of attention (how a hairstyle has any… Continue Reading →
America: Once we start to sexualize our M&Ms, we know something’s wrong.
Most everyone loves M&Ms. They’re delicious, colorful, melt-in-your-mouth goodness… Right? That was my opinion, until I realized just how sexist the characterization of America’s favorite candy really is. Sexism comes in all shapes and sizes. It can be as prominent as the wage gap or as subtle as the words “manmade” or “mankind.” It’s important… Continue Reading →
Rihanna’s “We Found Love” video draws a dangerous line between love and violence
Let’s be honest, people — as delicious as pop music is, it has some serious sexist potential. There are only so many times I can hear about “pimps” and “hos” and “smacking that” and other musical vulgarities without getting thoroughly sick of it all. Don’t get me wrong. Hating on pop stars isn’t my cup… Continue Reading →
Maxim magazine considers feminism a disease to be “cured”
I’m not a fan of Maxim magazine, and one glance at any of their covers will tell you why. Geared towards a hyper-masculine gaze – the intense sexualization of the models, the constant reinforcement of the message that women’s role is one of sexual servitude, the comparisons of women to toys, puppets, or food items… Continue Reading →
Who you callin’ a slut?
By now, you’ve probably heard that last January, a Toronto police officer told students that that they should avoid dressing like sluts in order to prevent being victimized. (Oh, yes he did.) Since then, “SlutWalks” have taken place in over 80 cities worldwide including New York, Boston, Dallas, Melbourne, and London to publicly protest the… Continue Reading →