to be angry that Ann Summers has a real woman in underwear in their shop window?

[1eve]

Walking down Market Street in Manchester on Friday I saw a couple of guys taking pictures with their phones at a shop window. When I turned to see what they were photographing I found that there was a woman posing in sexy underwear in a window display. The shop was Ann Summers, although it had changed its name to ManSummers as a publicity thing to get guys to come into the shop and buy valentine gifts for their girlfriends. Now women buying vibrators and dressing up if they want is not a problem for me, although Ann Summers has always leant towards getting women to please men in my view, but sexual desire is never pc anyway so its a tricky subject. But this felt like it crossed a line.
If I'd been walking through town (it was the middle of the day) with my 2 boys, age 4 and 6, that is not what I want them to see. That a woman's role is to be placed on show like a piece of meat while men leer at her? (a group of guys were standing in front of the window laughing and staring, making comments). Is it just me or is this bloody degrading?

Aitch, that is terrible, bet she's not in a union (USDAW)
shame I can't boycott this shop

I don't really see the problem with AS targetting men to go in and buy undies or sex toys, I assume they are buying it for their wives and girlfriends. What's wrong with your hubby or partner buying a gift like that for you?

Me and dh have sex, I'm over the moon that he sees me as a sexual object (ifykwim) as well as an intelligent woman etc etc. I fancy the pants off dh and want to have sex with him - doesn't mean I'm objectifying him and see him as a sexual object to use and abuse - the same goes for my dh.

Just because he may come home with some crotchless undies doesn't actually mean anything.

Not all men will see a near maked woman and automatically start to disrespect woman and only relate to them in a sexual way. My dh looks at porn, occaisionally buys FHM, looks at women on the telly posing provocatively etc and still likes women as people and has respect for them as fellow human beings. He is not unique or special as a man.

As I said before, teach your sons to respect women. They can do that as well as being able to appreciate and be attracted to the female form.

YANBU.

And anyway, who the hell wants underwear from their other half that he's been bought because he's been drooling at another woman wearing the set? Er....not me thanks. It's a very crass and cynical marketing ploy from Ann Summers IMO.

My view - YABU, but I think how people feel about these things is quite... I don't know... subjective? (I liked Walhalla's age thing!)

Having said that I fing Aitch's post (with the shop assistant potentially having to model in the window and not being happy about it) quite worrying, now that's worth doing something about

verystressedmum that's not the issue. I don't think anyone has a problem with men buying underwear for their partners. It's just the way they were being marketed in this particular situation.
There is a massive difference between someone choosing to wear sexy underwear in private, to a woman wearing it in a shop window in a shopping mall and being photographed by strangers on their mobile phones [and from all accounts being laughed and leered at].

So you are happy to see underwear or plastic dummies that look like woman but not on a real woman?

DrNorthener I have never witnessed men taking photo's and making lewd comments to a mannequin. I have never witnessed a mannequin [even a naked one] showing any discomfort or distress.
Personally I think a live model wearing underwear in a [sex]shop window in a shopping mall does cross a line. The problem isn't the underwear itself.
If you don't get that then there's nothing more to say really.

Wouldn't bother me I don't think.

I always think of Ann Summers as a slightly modern take on 70's British Carry On style sniggery nudge nudge humour at anything to do with sex. It's dated in other words.

All Ooh matron and Benny Hill's Angels. For that reason it makes me cringe, not the subject matter.

Who was/is Ann Summers anyway? A real person or a pretend one like Aunt Bessie? Hey! Aunt Bessie in her undies - now there's a thought

I'm wondering if any of the women who have no problem with this campaign have ever been sexually harrassed or assaulted? I think Sardinequeen mentioned she had unwelcome attention from guys when she was younger, and I've had some experiences that have been uncomfortable/upsetting for me too. I wonder if when you are on the receiving end of a man thinking that as a girl/woman you are fair game (maybe that underneath you want it really/love the attention) then this makes you more aware of the negative impact this sort of objectifying/over sexualising of women can have?

And by the way, as i said before, this is nothing to do with me thinking there's anything wrong with sex/dressing up/role play etc. it's about putting a woman on display on a high street in a way which I feel perpetuates the idea that our primary role is to be a sexual object.