Babe, Is This Sexist? Goldstar Beer

Babe, Is This Sexist? is back with a very important message about Ladies and Drinking.

Hey Ladies,
Isn't it hard being a woman with a delicate pink girly brain that can't even handle a night out drinking.  I mean even that runs the risk of heartbreak needing to be assuaged with ice cream.  And every drunk hook up only has a 1 in 3 change of ending in heterosexual bliss with our knight in shining armor.  It just doesn't seem worth the appletinis.
After all it's not like you're lucky enough to be a man.  Only men can drink without unfortunate consequences, or any consequences at all.  It's because their macho blue boy brains aren't caught up in the over-emotional vulnerability that us little ladies suffer from.
So really, think before you drink.

Or else tell the champions at Goldstar Beer, or their advertising agency McCann Erikson that you're #NotBuying this sexist product.

View other installments of Babe, Is This Sexist? At the Master List. 

Please leave suggestions for the next installment of Babe, is this Sexist? in the comments of this post, or the most recent Babe, is this Sexist?  Alternatively, you can message us on Tumblr or leave a comment on our Facebook page. Also check out the F.A.R. Facebook page for polls about future installments.

Babe, Is this Sexist?

And once again we address Rosie the Riveter remakes and cleaning advertisements. But this time they're mixed together!

ARE YOUR FUCKING KIDDING ME!

Of course this is fucking sexist, as has been noted by other people.  But seriously, how anyone could have missed the sexism (or not cared) and approved this image is beyond me.

Rosie the Riveter was a rallying cry for women to support the Nation during war time.  It was about women entering the work force in new and necessary ways. It was about casting off old gender roles.  It was about more women shouldering new responsibilities with pride and success.

To take all of that and turn it into some cheap knock off about cleaning (traditional women's work) is so fucking sexist and reductive and just a ridiculous understanding of signs and signifiers and art/history that I really cannot fucking believe it!

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And please leave suggestions for topics for future posts in the Babe, is this Sexist? Series.  

You can do so by leaving messages here or in the masterpost.

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Babe, is this Sexist?

There's been no voting this time around, mainly because there's one particular mass market/pop-culture object that we really want to address.  Namely, Disney's Marvel Heroes Shirts for Teen Girls.

Yes, it says "I NEED A HERO"

Sexist in it's own right, and sexist when compared to the Teen Boys shirt (which says "Be A Hero").

Really, this shirt is sexist in so many ways.

- There's the erasure of the female Avengers (Black Widow, the Wasp) and other female Super Heroes (like half of the X-Men, which is why they were my favorite superhero teams as a child). 

- Then there's the absolute horrible messaging.  Boys can be heroes, but girls can't.  We just have to sit around waiting to be saved.  Which just plays into all the standard patriarchy gender roles especially as they apply to stories/literature; girls are trophies for active males, they aren't active in their own right.

And women and girls are just supposed to pay money for these messages? 

Now we're hardly the first to call out this t-shirt, and Disney has already pulled it (which how it got created in the first place still boggles my mind).  

Of course they still have this other sexist shirt...

Too bad it's not a picture of Black Widow.  

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And please leave suggestions for topics for future posts in the Babe, is this Sexist? Series.  

You can do so by leaving messages here or in the masterpost.

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Babe, is this Sexist?

Thanks to everyone who voted on the Facebook poll to chose the topic of our Oscar Edition of Babe, is this Sexist? We had a hard time picking out some of the exact moments to address (thanks to Seth MacFarlane there were so many), but this time there was a very clear winner!

EVERYTHING!

• The opening "Boobs" number
• The Rihanna/Chris Brown domestic violence joke
• The Jennifer Aniston stripper joke 
• The sexist and racist jokes conflating Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek being interchangeable and so pretty people don't care they can't speak "proper" English
• The Zero Dark Thirty -women can't let go of anything joke
• The two separate child rape jokes (Quvenzhané Wallis being young enough for George Clooney and the Jack Nicholson house reference).  

These were all sexist and deserving of being called out.  And plenty of people have.  But a lot of people think all this sexism (and racism and homophobia) are OK, because it's just MacFarlane's shtick, he's edgy and offensive.

But honestly, these jokes are old as dirt.  They're not creative or challenging, they're a regurgitation of ideas, jokes, and themes that have been in existence for ages.  Good satire, the satire of Swift, punches up at those in power, not down. A Modest Proposal was not written at the expense of the Irish.  Colbert targets the white, straight, Christian, and often wealthy men that he's a caricature of.  Meanwhile MacFarlane jokes about women, and violence against women, and rape of 13 year olds, and sexualizes young girls, while representing and entertaining an Academy that's 77% men. 

Seth MacFarlane's intent doesn't matter.  The fact that this is his "type of humor" doesn't matter.  Perpetuating sexism, and racism, and homophobia is what matters.  And no amount of shouting "just joking" can defend that. 

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Any suggestions for the next installment of Babe, is this Sexist? Leave a comment here or on our Facebook page.

Babe, is this Sexist?

Thanks to everyone who voted over on the F.A.R Facebook poll.  The competition was close, but we're (proud? happy? our emotions over these ads are neither of those options) ... anyway, we have a winner for the Babe, is this Sexist? - Superbowl Ad Edition!

Audi - "Prom"

And yes, this is sexist, specifically because it perpetuates rape culture!!! 

"Wait", you might be thinking, "I don't get it/it was just a kiss/she seemed into it". Well, for those who don't immediately get why this ad perpetuates rape culture, let us break it down for you. 

• Any sexual contact that happens without first gaining consent is sexual assault, and yes, kisses count.
• The girl not fighting back, or looking "into it" does not change the fact that she never consented to kiss this guy.  She went to the prom with another guy, how much more 'not that into you' does this boy need?!
• Fuck it, just go and read SlutWalks thread on the issue, lots of awesome people explained it awesomely there.  

Also girls and women are their own independent humans, not props for boys/men's egos, balms for their hurt geeky souls, nor trophies that prove how cool you really are. 

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Any suggestions for the next installment of Babe, is this Sexist? Leave a comment here or on our Facebook page.

The Poll IS Up

for our next installment of "Babe, is this Sexist?" - Superbowl Ad Edition.  Check out the F.A.R. facebook page to make your vote!

Babe, is this Sexist?

We have already done one post about sexist Holiday gifts, but there is such a cornucopia of them, it is hard to stick to just one!  Here are just two more example which came up after only a few seconds browsing on Play.com:

Babe Magnet

So, the way to attract women is to think of them as metal objects, maybe robots.  Seems like a surefire plan to get someone with a brain of their own.  But maybe that is the point *sigh*

Control A Woman Remote Control


Of course, once you've got her, you can just treat her like a controllable object, just like your TV.  Unless, obviously, football's on then, she is second rate to the plasma set.

Here's to a continual increase in sexism and othering of the opposite sex.  Crappy New Year!!

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Babe, is this Sexist?

It's the new installment of Babe, is this Sexist? for the Holiday/Gift Giving Season, and this one is about a novelty gift.

Oh yay, stress relievers that involve squeezing scantily clad women who then scream "in pain" obviously this is in no way sexist.  Except, wait, it totally, really, 100% is sexist!

The idea that violence against women relieves men's stress is just horrible. As is the objectification and sexualization of women inherent in this gift. The fact that these were one of the first images I found upon searching "novelty gifts for men" on Google, is also really gross.

We'll do at least one more segment of Babe, is this Sexist? for the Holiday/Gift Giving Season. Make recommendations for other Holiday/Gift Giving specific options for the next installment of "Babe, is this Sexist?" in the comments here, or on the F.A.R. facebook page.

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Babe, Is This Sexist?

The next couple installments of Babe, Is This Sexist takes a look at advertising specific to the Holiday/Gift Giving Season.  This one has to do with a recent, and recently pulled Virgin Mobile Ad.

And FUCK YES THIS IS SEXIST!  I really hope I don't need to explain why an ad referencing sexual assault  as part of the "Gift of Christmas Surprise" is super sexist.

Twitter quickly took to calling Virgin Mobile out, with Richard Branson (owns the Virgin Brand but not the US Virgin Mobile Company) joining in.  Understandably the website quickly pulled the ad and offered an apology.  Supposedly they had an external group doing advertising that didn't seek the company's permission before posting the image.

But seriously how does this get green lighted by any professional organization.  Seriously, did no one think maybe they shouldn't make a rape joke on their Advent Calender?

Make recommendations for other Holiday/Gift Giving specific options for the next installment of "Babe, is this Sexist?" in the comments here, or on the F.A.R. facebook page.

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Babe, is this Sexist? Masterpost

Babe, is this Sexist? is a semi-regular series dedicated to high-lighting sexism within popular culture.  We examine media (with a focus on advertising), clothing and other consumer products, music, and popular stereotypes and tropes related to gender and women to shine a light on the everyday sexism  that is all around us. The purpose of Babe, is this Sexist? is not in depth analysis of these everyday examples of sexism, but to name this (often ignored) sexism for what it is, and hopefully to provide some amusement in the telling. 

• 2/16/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - Children's Toy
• 2/22/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - BMW Ad
• 2/29/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - The Hormone Guide
• 3/8/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - Sweatshirt
• 3/14/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - Cleaning Instructions
• 3/21/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - Fiat Superbowl Ad
• 3/28/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - Telling Women to Smile
• 4/12/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - Reebok Ad
• 4/19/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - Pink Floyd Poster
• 4/25/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - "Boys Will Be Boys"
• 5/2/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - Tide Ad
• 5/9/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - "All Women Are Crazy"
• 6/17/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - Father's Day Edition
• 7/13/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - "Ze Does It Because Ze Loves Me"
• 8/2/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - Taylor Swift's "You Belong To Me"
• 8/29/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - Cleaning Commercials
• 11/8/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - William Murai's "Rosie the Riveter" Remake 
• 12/12/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - Virgin Mobile Advent Calender
• 12/17/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - Stress Relief Dolls
• 12/13/12 Babe, is this Sexist? - Babe Magnets and Remote Controls 
• 2/9/13 - Babe, is this Sexist? - Superbowl Ad Edition - Audi "Prom"
• 3/2/13 - Babe, is this Sexist? - Oscar/MacFarlane Edition
• 4/23/13 - Babe, is this Sexist? - Disney Marvel Heroes shirts
• 6/1/13 - Babe, is this Sexist? - Swiffer's Remake of Rosie the Riveter

Please leave suggestions for the next installment of Babe, is this Sexist? in the comments of this post, or the most recent Babe, is this Sexist?  Alternatively, you can message us on Tumblr or leave a comment on our Facebook page. Also check out the F.A.R. Facebook page for polls about future installments. 

Babe is this Sexist?

This week's Babe, Is this Sexist? examines the artist's William Murai's re-make of the famous feminist symbol "Rosie the Riveter".

And yeah, sorry people who are digging on this "Rosie" redo.  This picture is sexist, for two very good reasons.

1. THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THIS PICTURE IS ANTI-FEMINISM! The artist created this image for the Brazilian Alfa Magazine to accompany an article about the End of Feminism. "The idea was to remake the famous feminism symbol "Rosie the Riveter" a lady who is giving up on her duties and trying to look sexy again." So purpose is sexist, ideas about women and feminism also sexist.
2. "But what if we divorce it from artist intent?"  It's still sexist. It's dismantling a famous feminist picture.  Even if you want a new feminist icon that is "more sexy and feminine" (which agree to disagree about "Rosie" as sexy and feminine) that doesn't make it acceptable to co-opt an already feminist image for the very purpose to dismantling it (not to be confused with the "Rosie's" of color).  Find a "sexy" and "feminine" feminist image that isn't about a serious and hard working outside the home women stopping those things.  It creates a false dichotomy of sexy and feminine vs serious and physical labor/working outside the home, that only exists in the Patriarchy. 

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Babe, is this Sexist?

The winner for this installment of Babe, is this Sexist is all cleaning commercials ever!  



And the answer is YES!  THE VAST MAJORITY OF CLEANING COMMERCIALS ARE SEXIST! Shocking I know (not really).  Cleaning commercials are well known for showing cleaning as women's work (and also portraying cleaning as easier than it really is and somehow fun or romantic.)

Check out our Facebook Page in a couple of weeks for the poll to chose the next installment of Babe, is the Sexist?  And remember you can always leave comments on our Blog, Tumblr, Facebook page, or tweet us your suggestions for options in the poll.

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Babe, is this Sexist?

This installment was about song lyrics, and we had songs from a variety of genres.  The voting was close, but we have a winner!

Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me"

And yes this is sexist! This time of the internalized variety.

• Female competition over men, where you can't build yourself up without putting the other woman down.
• Hatred of Other Girl.
• Slut-shaming up the wazoo (maximized in the music video).
• Conflating relationships with ownership.

Now yes, unlike some of the other songs that people could vote for, there is no use of sexist slurs in this one, or objectification of women. But this subtle form of sexism is just as problematic.  The tropes it employs are so prevalent in society, and it's target audience is young girls who will internalize this sexist message because Taylor Swift is their hero and a "good girl". 

If you have suggestions for the next installment of Babe, is this Sexist? you can leave information in these posts, message us on Tumblr, or post on the F.A.R. facebook page.

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Babe, Is this Sexist

Now, this was supposed to go up on Wednesday, but than shit happened (trigger warning for link). So now, finally, we're having the winner for the relationship memes/tropes installment of Babe, Is this Sexist? (Also yes, Daniel Tosh does win this award in perpetuity from here on out).

"Ze does it because ze loves me"*

Now yes this is sexist, and the reason is it's a major part of abusive relationships while also being sold, by the media, as the proper response from women when their partner does something inappropriate/abusive.  See Twilight for examples. 

Love (and often in cases of abuse love is more to obsession or a sense of ownership than, you know, actual facts love) does not excuse bad actions on the part of a sexual/romantic partner, or a parent, or a friend, or anyone. 
This exact concept is often part of the controlling that an abuser does before the serious emotional/physical/sexual abuse starts. 

Submit suggestions for the next installment of Babe, is this Sexist? Which is looking to be more of a once or twice a month installment, rather than the weekly thing it once was.  If interest in this picks up and the suggestions pour in than this might change again. 
Check our Facebook page for the next poll. 
* Ze is a gender neutral pro-noun.

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If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, or you worry you/they might be, please feel free to contact us for information and resources. 
You can e-mail us at feminist.armchair.regime@gmail.com

See here for possible actions you can take against Tosh and Comedy Central.

Babe, is this Sexist? Father's Day Edition

Babe, is this Sexist? Comes to you on a special day for our special edition dedicated to Fathers.  Generally we only cover one thing per post, but today, as a gift, here are 3 sexist/sex discrimination things!

First  up, the most popular (from the poll) option that was found while looking through Amazon (a mistake) for Father's Day Gifts.

And FUCK YES this is SEXIST!

• It's made by Focus on the Family and oh how they suck.
• "Authentic" Manhood, I'm gonna guess it's all about being "masculine" and heterosexist. And remember positing "Masculine" as the only way to be an authentic man places man/masculine as better than woman/feminine is super misogynistic!

Now onto the runner-up. Huggies Dad Test Ad Campaign.

"To prove Huggies Diapers can handle anything we put them to the ULTIMATE test, Dads."

Because men are suck and bumbling parents! So Sex Discrimination against men.  And also sexism since the idea is built on the benevolent sexist framing of women as natural caregivers.

So Huggies pulled the ads and supposedly put up a Pro-Dad version.  But we're not really seeing a difference since it still suggests that dad's make a better test for diapers since they're not as good with babies and baby things as moms. 

And finally, no votes, but a charming Father's Day gift suggestion from Target!

Just what dad needs, a place to escape from all those wimminz!  Because men totes need a safe space on top of their privileged existence in public/pretty much every place ever! 

So yeah, this is sexist. 

So to sum up, after a hard day of failing with babies, raising their son's to be "authentic" men in the finest traditions of misogyny and heterosexism, Dad's need a place to escape from those nagging women! 

Or they can continue being decent people and good parents. And for all the father's that manage this, 

Happy Father's Day!

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Babe, Is This Sexist?

Crossposted in full at the F.A.R tumblr

So, we love tracking the search terms that lead people to this sight.  "Feminism + Sailor Moon" and similar versions are in the lead, but sometimes a very sexist search leads people here.  Hi Misogynists!

And the winner was:

"are all women crazy"

Well I feel a bit crazed knowing some people actually typed that into a search engine. However,

Seriously, women are not a monolith m'kay.  Nor is their anything wrong with having a mental illness, to suggest otherwise is ableism. And if you ever feel like women as a group are mad or crazy remember this word ... Kyriarchy. Oppression isn't great for anyone's stress levels or mental health.

Please submit any options for next week's installment of Babe, is this Sexist? in the comments.  Then check out our Facebook page on Monday to vote in the poll. 

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Babe, Is This Sexist?

So there were only two votes, but the option they both went with is so stomach turning that we're confident many more would have voted for it.

And Oh My Holy Flying Spaghetti Monster is this SEXIST!!!  Seriously my brain cannot break down the sexist-ness of this commercial to describe it.  I remember it showing all the time last year or so and by mind was boggled that this amount of overt Patriarchal control was considered acceptable. 

• Parents do not own their children! 
• Slut-shaming anyone?
• A Father destroying his daughter's property because it makes him uncomfortable about her sexuality is not funny!
• FUCK YOU TIDE!

As always please feel free to leave suggestions for next week in the comments.  Voting will go up on our Facebook page on Monday so you can pick your favorite option for the next installment.

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Babe, Is This Sexist?

Lots of voting this week's installment options, yay!  Than this week's winner is.....

"Boys Will Be Boys" 

Really, think about when you hear people using this.  It's always to explain away some bad behavior by suggesting it's no big deal, or normal for boys (or men).  It also suggests that there's no point in trying to teach boys (or men) to behave better.

(And seriously when I googled for images of this, most involved men/boys leering at women)

• Firstly, not all boys or men behave the same way.  There are a variety of experiences, interests, and personalities that men and boys can have.  And they are not dependent on or a necessary part of being male or a man/boy!
• Secondly, there is no reason boy children misbehave more or in different ways except for how society has socialized them.  Mischieviousness/rudeness/aggression/ and/or high levels of energy are not just for boys.  And in no way do any of these excuse bad behavior.
• Lastly, sexism is never funny or acceptable.  I don't care if their 2 or 75, a football player or a band geek.  Acting like men objectifying women is funny and natural (and an intrinsic part of being male) is absolutely abhorrent. 

Seriously people, get over your outdated, sexist, gender essentialism. It'll do all of us, boys and girls (and everyone else) a big favor. 

Please post submissions for next week's installment of Babe, is this Sexist? in the comments.  We'll make a poll of the options and post them to our Facebook page on Monday. Remember to vote, and check back on Wed/Thur (depending on your time zone) for the next installment.

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Babe, is this Sexist?

Crossposted in full at the F.A.R. tumblr

Unanimous voting this week, in that there was only one vote.  But it's a good one!

Yes this is sexist, and it isn't excused because it's "art" (which FYI art and the art world isn't excused from sexism either). 

- Firstly, this can't qualify as trompe l'oeil body painting, which is amazing, and nudity (or some bare skin is a necessary part of the art).  The nude women aren't disguised, their hair, necks, faces, and in some cases arms and lower bottoms are all unpainted.  
- It's more similar to the painting/make-up of Geisha, where a strip of skin is left unpainted to hint at the nude women beneath the decorations.  It's meant to titillate the male viewer, not baffle the mind and eyes of anyone who sees.  
- So once again we have men using the bodies and sex of women to make money.

Please submit options for next week's Babe, is this Sexist?  This upcoming installment will focus of sexist expressions and jokes.  Leave your submissions in the comments and remember to vote at F.A.R. Facebook page between Monday and Wednesday of next week.

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Babe, is this Sexist?

Crossposted in full on the F.A.R tumblr

We're back from the unexplained hiatus!  And we have a winner from the options listed and voted among on our Facebook page.  And it's a pulled Reebok ad campaign!

YES IT IS SEXIST!  Honestly, any time a company admits wrong doing and pulls an ad because of complaints you know it's so sexist that it's mind boggling that they went with it in the first place. Belvedere Vodka for example. 

So how is it sexist?  
A) Well how about the fact that a workout is treated as more important than women's emotional and physical health? 
B) It encourages unhealthy relationships with women holding the shit-end of the stick? 
C) It acts like only men care about sports and fitness?  
D) Or maybe it's all of those options?

Let's go with D.

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