Tampon maker Libra has been branded "outrageously transphobic" over its new ad implying transgender people are not real women because they don't menstruate.
The television commercial depicts a drag queen character and a blonde woman standing side by side in nightclub restroom putting on mascara and lip gloss, and adjusting their bras competitively.
The blonde woman then pulls out her Libra tampon, leaving the drag queen to storm out of the toilets in a huff.
The ad, which wraps with the catch phrase "Libra gets girls", has faced a storm of criticism, with dozens posting harsh comments on the company's Facebook page.
It's an ad, is all this backlash too much? Does everything have to be politically correct all the time? When does a sense of humour become offensive? Do drag queens actually want to menstruate?? Thoughts?
Even as the stone of the fruit must break
that its heart may stand in the sun,
so must you know pain.
There are only two ways in which one can live their life. One is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is.
They do humorous adds so i dont think they set out with the intention to cause offence. Saying that i know in the uk it only takes a few (less that 100) complaints to get an add pulled.
"Its not how long a star shines, what is remembered is the brightness of the light"
It's an ad, is all this backlash too much? Does everything have to be politically correct all the time? When does a sense of humour become offensive? Do drag queens actually want to menstruate?? Thoughts?
I watched the advert on YT and find nothing about it offensive at all, I don't think it's funny either but it really depends on the person watching it as to whether the humour used becomes offensive or not.
As far as whether drag queens want to menstruate, I don't think they do. I thought that being a drag queen is different to wanting to physically change your gender completely. But admittedly I've never had reason to know much about that topic so I may well be wrong. Drag queens are a form of entertainment I think, more than anything else.
I think it was more about the two people lightly competing until the actual women raised a challenge that the drag queen couldn't compete with. And that in turn is meant to boost the appeal of the product advertised.
Trying to make menstruation seem appealing on any level is kinda unrealistic anyway, haha.
Stop thinking about what I want, what he wants, what your parents want. What do you want?
It's a cis women who thinks she so much better than a trans women because she can stick a wad of cotton in he nether regions. How is that not transphobic?
I watched the ad and, personally, found nothing offensive about it. I could see where they were trying to go with a bit of light humour. As I am aware, being a drag queen and being transgender have two very different connotations. A drag queen is OTT in their portrayal of women and is done so in a more comical way (I really mean no offence by that and it's probable not the best wording - makes more sense in my head, soz!). Although, feel free to correct me as it's not an area I'm in any way knowledgable.
Several people at work were talking about this article, and ad today. And I don't know I haven't seen it so I can't really comment on the impact of the ad itself but I wonder about the assumed statement that transgender women aren't considered "real" women could be quite deflating to the transgender community, not so much the drag queen community because they don't actually feel that they are in the wrong body rather enjoy dressing up as women for short periods of time. Yes, the reality is that transgender women do not get their periods, but it doesn't have to be pointed out to them "hey you can't get a period each month so you aren't as true as a woman than an actual one" I don't know how fair that it is, especially with the understanding that individuals who transition genders experience on the most part extensive pain and anguish living in their biological body for however long, feeling absolutely alienated from their "actual" felt gender. When they finally make the step to transition it should be somewhat respected and humbly accepted regardless of if you understand it or agree with it, it's one heck of a brave thing to do.
I don't know. I'm mixed, I have worked with several transgendered individuals who have gone through both partial and full transitions and the process is gruelling enough let alone needing to be slammed by a sanitary product company. As minute of an issue that it actually is who cares that they don't get a period, it makes a big statement to me.
Last edited by finding_reason : 03-01-2012 at 11:21 AM.
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If the ad is a little bit racist = Always has to be pulled
If it's a bit sexist = Always has to be pulled
A bit homophobic = Sometimes it'll be pulled
A bit transphobic = Never.
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I can understand why it might be deemed 'offensive', but surely a controversial advert has done its job? It has got people talking about it, and therefore aware of the brand.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bleeding Angel
Saying that i know in the uk it only takes a few (less that 100) complaints to get an add pulled.
The ASA are the most useless organisation around. They get around to banning an advert about six months after the campaign has finished. But the rules around what is and isn't allowed to be shown in an advert are ridiculously stringent.
I don't seem to be able to access the video...but the article is rather confusing (or rather the writer's just confused?). The other woman is referred to as transgender and also as a drag queen which I always thought were two totally different things.
Plus, I don't see how having a period even makes a cis-gendered woman a "real woman". Plenty of cis-gendered women don't have periods for various medical reasons. Like athletes, whose body fat gets too low and they have less (or no periods). Are they magically not women anymore?
Oh and also MENOPAUSE. I guess once you get into your golden years you become a fake woman...*sighs*
I agree with most of you - I understand a drag queen to be different to a transgender person therefore the argument is a moot point anyway, and surely not menstruating would be great anyway lol. I don't find it particularly amusing but I certainly don't find it offensive.
Even as the stone of the fruit must break
that its heart may stand in the sun,
so must you know pain.
There are only two ways in which one can live their life. One is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is.
I can imagine it would be very difficult to make a tampon advert that wasnt offensive or demeaning or just plain rubbish. Because apart from basic functionality there sint much to sell
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I am reaching, but i fall, and the stars are black and cold, as i stare into the void of a world that cannot hold- les miserables
I can imagine it would be very difficult to make a tampon advert that wasnt offensive or demeaning or just plain rubbish. Because apart from basic functionality there sint much to sell
Do agree with this.
The fact they try and make them in any way appealing or enviable is difficult to comprehend.
Stop thinking about what I want, what he wants, what your parents want. What do you want?
At least this ad doesn't have blue fluid in it. I never got that - blue, seriously? You know we all know it's actually red, right? I guess red would be too "gross" for TV so if we make it blue it's all good....
Even as the stone of the fruit must break
that its heart may stand in the sun,
so must you know pain.
There are only two ways in which one can live their life. One is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is.
When I watched the ad I think I got the discrepancy which is that the lady in the ad was not a "drag queen". She was utilising the female toilets in a public restroom and it could be interpreted as a subtle attack on transgender. Drag queens are in it for entertainment- and like the news report said- the ad producers didn't get the nuances. I think that is the whole point of having a "screening" which is the stage that the ad is at.
I don't know about issuing an apology, but I do think that I have never enjoyed entertainment utilising persons dressing up in alternate clothing for "a laugh". Transgendered community is greatly misunderstood- and while I do not agree with the lifestyle- I do not think that anyone has the right to make another person feel uncomfortable in their own skin when the person struggles enough without the prejudicial undertones.
I shared a bathroom with a person who was transgender for a performance and the fact that she considered herself one of the girls was the whole point of her using it and not the male's. A joke like that would not have been funny- generally the ad doesn't even make sense.
Seems like Libra needs a lawyer.
Last edited by bitomato : 07-01-2012 at 02:00 AM.
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Let's call the whole thing- red
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does it actually say anywhere on the offical pages (not the new reports) that person is supposed to be a drag queen? cause they could quite easily be a transgendered person.
I don't like it. Even without the transphobia its imply you need to have periods to be a real girl. Some people don't have periods, so its a jibe at them too.
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