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Original poster

Official Complaint to Mumsnet

639 replies

CoconutQueen · 02/02/2023 09:47

Totally inappropriate enormous vibrator adverts now ALL over Mumnset.

What on earth are you thinking of? Is Mumsnet really that short of cash that they have to stoop this low?

Not to mention the ridiculous woke language ie "people with wombs".

Totally inappropriate on ALL levels.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
13
ElBandito · 02/02/2023 10:57

If mothers having sex was that taboo no one would have more than one child.

DonnaBanana · 02/02/2023 10:57

I'd be more worried about DC overseeing some of the vile language and bullying on MN than a picture of what basically looks like a lipstick that they wouldn't understand anyway.

YesitsBess · 02/02/2023 10:56

@ValerieDoonican well quite. I'm still more annoyed about 'activations' mind. Been driving me mad all morning 😁

Moopsi · 02/02/2023 10:56

Octopusmittens · 02/02/2023 10:40

I think you need a biology textbook.

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@Octopusmittens not sure what your snide comment means. The ad says it's for people with wombs. I am making the point that you don't need a womb to use a vibrator or have sex and it is offensive to describe women as people with wombs.

TheOrigRights · 02/02/2023 10:56

ZeroFuchsGiven · 02/02/2023 10:53

Mumsnet killed my mac with the overheating and the fan constantly going, No other site did that. i reported it numerous times.

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Same. It was always turned back to me as if it was my problem.

AllOutofEverything · 02/02/2023 10:55

ZeroFuchsGiven · 02/02/2023 10:52

Its really not mumsnets responsibility to stop your 5 year old looking at your phone. its yours!

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I do not use any other site that advertises sex toys. I just don't go on sites like that.
Maybe time for me to deregister?

HashtagShitShop · 02/02/2023 10:54

Wailywailywaily · 02/02/2023 10:01

I don’t mind advertising products for personal pleasure but I object to companies like this contributing to the erasure of the word woman but hiding behind the supercilious message that they are “breaking the taboos of motherhood”.

I agree with the quote above

NeonBoomerang · 02/02/2023 10:54

How is it inappropriate? This is a site for adults.

ZeroFuchsGiven · 02/02/2023 10:53

TheOrigRights · 02/02/2023 10:47

I have installed the Brave (ad free) browser solely for the use of MN because it was becoming unusable on the browsers that I (very happily and efficiently) use for ALL my other internet activities.

It was the only site that would set off the fan in my very new Mac i.e. perfectly fine hardware.

Mumsnet killed my mac with the overheating and the fan constantly going, No other site did that. i reported it numerous times.

America12 · 02/02/2023 10:52

maddy68 · 02/02/2023 09:57

Use tha app. You don't get adverts

I do.

ZeroFuchsGiven · 02/02/2023 10:52

ShimmeringShirts · 02/02/2023 10:47

Yup, very curious 5yo looking over my shoulder and asking “what’s that?” I’ve had to turn on my ad block, still doesn’t get rid of it on the front page though! I don’t come to MN for sex toys, entirely inappropriate to mix parenting and sex toys too 🤢

Its really not mumsnets responsibility to stop your 5 year old looking at your phone. its yours!

ValerieDoonican · 02/02/2023 10:51

YesitsBess · 02/02/2023 10:21

I'm also annoyed at this part of the Shrek's ear copy:

We knew from previous activations with our community that sex and motherhood is a deeply-rooted taboo.

Activations? Activations?!? What in the name of Glass Onion is that?

If sex in motherhood was a "deeply rooted taboo" how come brothers and sisters exist eh? Riddle me that.

orangegato · 02/02/2023 10:49

Any business who replaces the word woman isn’t getting a dime from me as long as I live. I’m looking at you, Bodyshop. Used to spend hundreds before some wokey intern came for JKR on twitter.

YesitsBess · 02/02/2023 10:48

@orangegato you're welcome!

Official Complaint to Mumsnet
GallantGus · 02/02/2023 10:48

I cba with any of the promoted threads on mumsnet even the ones telling me about covid and vaccinations. Just get off with shovelling your crap at us.

I’m disappointed to see the sex toy crap every time I want to look at mumsnet too.

cofeetablebook · 02/02/2023 10:48

A bit off topic, but I wonder - is the GC population on Mumsnet really a large majority as it was described upthread? Or just the most vocal?

How would we know? There is no way to accurately measure it. AIBU polls are meaningless because they do not provide an unbiased result.

C8H10N4O2 · 02/02/2023 10:48

I'm sure there will be plenty of the cool girls who are totally down with sex aids surrounded by misogynistic language, popping up whilst they are on the bus.

For me it simply says:

  • a vendor who knows so little about women won't be producing anything useful
  • MN is happy to run ads which work by undermining women's confidence
  • get an adblocker until the advertising strategy is better managed
TheOrigRights · 02/02/2023 10:47

I have installed the Brave (ad free) browser solely for the use of MN because it was becoming unusable on the browsers that I (very happily and efficiently) use for ALL my other internet activities.

It was the only site that would set off the fan in my very new Mac i.e. perfectly fine hardware.

orangegato · 02/02/2023 10:47

Womb owners exclude women who have had hysterectomies. Why not just use the word women for the love of God. Rather offend actual women than pretend ones? Great.

Stroopwaffle5000 · 02/02/2023 10:47

I wouldn't buy this purely because it says Vulva-Owners, no matter how wonderful it is!!

Cherryblossoms85 · 02/02/2023 10:47

I think the only person who had a problem with mothers having sex was Elvis.

ShimmeringShirts · 02/02/2023 10:47

Yup, very curious 5yo looking over my shoulder and asking “what’s that?” I’ve had to turn on my ad block, still doesn’t get rid of it on the front page though! I don’t come to MN for sex toys, entirely inappropriate to mix parenting and sex toys too 🤢

Ppq · 02/02/2023 10:47

SpareHeirOverThere · 02/02/2023 10:38

I don't mind the sex toy adverts. This is a website for adults. Mainly adult human females.

The misogynistic, offensive language from Smile Makers is not okay. It is never okay to replace or even supplement the word 'woman' by referring to body parts. It is dehumanising. And I am angry that Mumsnet put those words on its site.

Sex and motherhood are not a taboo combination. I have never seen a poster claim it is. Making that link is unnecessary and once again offensive.

'Community activations' is also offensive, but only to my inner pedant.

What she said.

WOMEN WOMAN MUMS MOTHERS

Ohifyouinsist · 02/02/2023 10:46

Vulva havers is deeply offensive to many women.

It also makes me think that the manufacturer knows eff all about female anatomy. Did they get vagina and vulva confused? Maybe they're designed by men, and dont know that women have a clitoris? Either way, the advert needs to go. It's deeply misogynistic.

ValerieDoonican · 02/02/2023 10:46

MindatWork · 02/02/2023 10:12

@dirt its in the product description if you go onto the product website.

Im really disappointed in the use of ‘vulva owners’. Mumsnet is one of the few places in the internet that you can argue against use of dehumanising words like ‘people with wombs’ and ‘people who menstruate’ without being called a terf whore 🫤, so to see it being used in nauseatingly ‘cool’ marketing copy for a product you’ve helped design @LilyMumsnet is actually really upsetting.

Im actually wondering if it’s been done on purpose to cause debate and give the product a higher profile, as I’m finding it really hard to believe that you thought this would go down well with your core demographic.

You're probably right. They are doubtless thrilled to have "started a conversation".