feminist blogs

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.

A few weeks ago I settled down at the bar at Lombardi's for the inevitable table wait for one of those sublime pizzas and ordered my drink. My husband ordered the same thing. I watched as the bartender filled two tall glasses with ice. He poured bourbon into the first glass, a healthy amount, then squirted some soda on top. In the second glass he poured the bourbon and soda simultaneously, rendering it the color of a weak ginger ale. Guess which one was mine?

I handed it back. "Could you put some more bourbon in this, please?" I asked, struggling to remain polite. Struggling back, he did just that.

To be honest, I've never had this problem. Or at least I've never noticed. But I do have people tell me I'm "tough" for ordering whiskey -- all the time. On the merits, it's a bit baffling. I mean, sure, women's bodies process alcohol differently than men's, but whiskey is no more potent than vodka, which is perceived as a girl-friendly liquor. It's clear that these comments are a symptom of old-school stereotypes and the relentlessly male-centered marketing of whiskey, bourbon, and scotch. I mean, looking at some of these ads, you'd think whiskey is something on the level of Axe or Maxim -- something only a douchebag could love. (Yes, I used the d-word.) Firmly in the realm of "things for straight manly men."

This type of shitty marketing works. I cannot tell you the number of women who have actually expressed fear at the thought of ordering a whiskey, only to have a sip of mine and find out they liked it. And on the flip side, I've been out with men who have been embarrassed to order the lavender-lemontini they really want, so they opt for a vodka tonic or whatever. This is ridiculous!

Of course, it's not earth-shattering, deeply important stuff. But it is a reminder about how so many little things in life are gendered. And while I'll admit I sometimes take pleasure in subverting the perceived norm when I order a Jameson on the rocks, mostly I wish that I could just order a drink I like without it being a statement about gender.

For those of you who are "of age," what's your drink of choice? And for you gals (and guys) who take your whiskey straight, what's been your gender-related experience with ordering it?

This just looks weird.

Via.

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?

Story and pic via Shiny Shiny

I know when I was a little girl, I dreamed that someday I'd be a robotic-man-washing-machine.

Thanks to Jay for the link.

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.

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.