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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Am I having a soh fail Here..?

39 replies

feministefatale · 04/02/2013 03:02

It's a tradition for companies to air their best commercials during the super bowl. Audi had this to offer. Not sure if it's appropriate when we have a huge problem with sexual harassment in schools to let boys think this is okay. I think it's assault

www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/03/audi-super-bowl-commercial-2013-prom_n_2612420.html

OP posts:

Report

Grockle · 04/02/2013 04:19

I'm not sure but it certainly made me feel uncomfortable. And it didn't make me want to buy an Audi.

AbigailAdams · 04/02/2013 08:18

It is another message to boys that it is OK to erode women's boundaries. And also the whole possessiveness and violence of the other boy to hit him is not exactly great. Women aren't possessions.

KRITIQ · 04/02/2013 10:22

No sound card here, but from what I can see, the messages are nasty on so man levels.

Having a posh car can make up for your poor social skills/lack of status/inferior masculinity (but that is of course that is the idea most car companies peddle.)

In order to "get the girl," you have to be aggressive and controlling.

If she resists at first, don't worry, she'll give way and enjoy it if you persist.

Conquest is the only important thing, not having a relationship. Once you've got what you want, celebrate (in this case it's a kiss, but could be any sexual act.)

Women are possessions to be owned by a man, perhaps stolen or purloined by another, but their well being must be governed and defended by men. Challenging a man and taking his "property" is brave!

Oh, and yes, they cast a conventionally handsome young man to play the unpopular, unattractive character, yet again.

Having said that, I don't believe teenagers will watch that and suddenly think, "Oh, I was wrong about this courtship thing. THIS is really how you do it." I think sadly, it comes fairly close to reflecting current norms and values related to young people's intimate relationships. So, if anything, it will be seen by most people as apt, as clever, as something to stir the loins of men and remind them of their entitlements.

feministefatale · 04/02/2013 13:48

I found the most upsetting aspect of the commercial that she initially starts to push him off then, enjoys it.

If he had been driving around in his car thinking he was the the dog's bollocks, kissed her then got a punch in the eye from her. think they could have salvaged it.

It would have been still wrong, but she'd have kind of won in the end, and they could have put a "caution may cause extreme confidence" or something underneath.

Or they could have just had him ask her to dance and her say yes and then she kiss him. But where is the fun in consensual sex I guess.

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elskling · 05/02/2013 01:50

Gosh, to me, (not a femenist) you all sound completely mad! They were only kissing! How on earth could that encourage sexual harrassment? Besides, people have to take responsibilty for themselves. The example that annoys me is when people say that models and celebrities are to blame for anorexia in teenage girls. Being slim and beautiful is their job. I feel really out of it having read this. I am a stay at home wife and mum, and I suppose I must have missed out on all this hype!

weegiemum · 05/02/2013 01:56

Well disk ing, I'm a sahm and wife (wohm 2 days a week) and I'm not mad or obsessed or anything else. That ad is pure sexual harrasment in a very short film. Nasty, nasty stuff, especially if women are supporting/condoning it.

FloraFox · 05/02/2013 01:57

Yes you're quite right, you are out of it. If you want to understand the "hype" maybe read a bit and don't jump in insulting everyone.

feministefatale · 05/02/2013 01:59

the hype

Feminism has been around a good long while you will find. So if you were out in a club and a guy held you and stuck his tongue down your throat you wouldn't slap him? You would of course enjoy it and kiss him back despite being their with a date?

Or is it just teenagers who should expect to be sexually assaulted?

people have to take responsibilty for themselves.
And this ^makes no sense. How should she take responsibility for others kissing her?

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feministefatale · 05/02/2013 02:00

*there

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Tortington · 05/02/2013 02:12

i dont see the prblem on a feminist level - on a -material wealth gives you confidence to kiss a prom queen bollocks - its well...bollocks. but i can't see the hysteria behind it

TheCatInTheHairnet · 05/02/2013 02:13

I think you're grossly overthinking this. It's a Superbowl advert. Half of the fun of the Superbowl is watching the adverts. They're supposed to be a bit out there and ones you would talk about. There was a GoDaddy one that had a model snogging an ugly bloke for far too long and there was a VW ad where a white guy from Minnesota speaks in a Jamaican accent. Both of which were more offensive imo, but I wasn't offended by any of them.

You need to take the ad in the context it was being shown.

TheCatInTheHairnet · 05/02/2013 02:14

I forgot to add, the Audi ad was my out and out favourite of the night. Really made me laugh.

feministefatale · 05/02/2013 02:16

The problem is he didn't go up to her and ask her, he grabbed her, didn't give her any choice and that at first she even puts her hands up as to push him away..then suddenly is "in to it"...

That women really like it and will like it if you start touching them even if they don't want it at first is a myth we have all been trying to dispel since.. for ever pretty much.

It's also the standard for a helluva lot of porn that teenagers are watching now. It's a dangerous game IMO

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feministefatale · 05/02/2013 02:18

So if you were out in a club and a guy held you and stuck his tongue down your throat you wouldn't slap him? You would of course enjoy it and kiss him back despite being there with a date?

So you guys would both be ok with the scenario I posted above?

Godaddy are perpetually vile.

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TheCatInTheHairnet · 05/02/2013 02:26

No not at all. Of course not. And neither would I be happy with my teenage son did that either. But that's the thing, my teenage son (and all of his friends) can see the difference between an Audi Superbowl advert, that is meant to get people talking, and real life.

Tortington · 05/02/2013 02:27

reading way too much into it

in a club

i might slap him
i might enjoy it - despite or becuase i was there with another date - i mean who is to say that as a woman i sshould conform to a 1 male 1 female sexual relationship?

that is offensive about this advert - the assumption that women like tiaras and dreses and hetro rrelationhips

and that girls like dancing

feministefatale · 05/02/2013 02:35

No not at all. Of course not. And neither would I be happy with my teenage son did that either. But that's the thing, my teenage son (and all of his friends) can see the difference between an Audi Superbowl advert, that is meant to get people talking, and real life.

So real life has nothing to do with popular culture?

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TheCatInTheHairnet · 05/02/2013 02:47

No, I don't think real life has got that much to with a SUPERBOWL advert. That's half the point of them.

feministefatale · 05/02/2013 02:49

I really don't see what it being a SUPERBOWL advert has to do with it? So anything goes? Sexual assault is ok in the name of the Superbowl

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Tortington · 05/02/2013 02:55

sexual assault ffor fucks sake

TheCatInTheHairnet · 05/02/2013 02:55

My point is Superbowl ads are supposed to be contentious. They're supposed to be ones you talk about more than a regular ad. They're very often on the edge of what can be considered good taste. It's part and parcel of thd whole night. You eat chicken wings, you cheer for your team and you talk about the adverts. But they're about as far from real life as adverts get.

If you're honestly that offended, perhaps the best course of action would be to NOT talk about the adverts.

GothAnneGeddes · 05/02/2013 03:12

Fuuuuck that's nasty.

I hate the "Big Car, Bag Trophy" bollocks in most car adverts. (P.S Audi, women may want to buy your cars too).

But,

I hate even more the way consent and seeking consent is repeatedly portrayed as unsexy and unnecessary.

In the awesome "Gift of Fear", the author asks us to think of how many films, tv programmes and books show women as not really saying no, you just have to be persistent and wear them down. It's just another way of treating women as not quite human in comparison to a man.

Also, I didn't need to overthink much at all, it's obvious to me.

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feministefatale · 05/02/2013 03:34

If you're honestly that offended, perhaps the best course of action would be to NOT talk about the adverts.

Yes, that works wonders, just stop talking about things that upset you. Especially when discussing the Holy Grail that is Superbowl where everything goes and pushing boundaries makes for a great telly and it is all OK because it the SUPERBOWL.

It is awful Goth isn't it? Reminds me of this. Just wish we had come a bit further in 60 years

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kim147 · 05/02/2013 07:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheFallenNinja · 05/02/2013 07:23

I'm a bloke, I'm not offended by the ad per se, I just think its rubbish. How many times do they need to keep rolling out the nerd takes the girl from the jock storyline.

It's like Groundhog Day.

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