Official Complaint to Mumsnet

[CoconutQueen]

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.

Also I can't see people with wombs on that add but wtf mumsnet?

It looks like an aiwick air freshener.

As a woman without a womb due to hysterectomy I find this terminology extremely offensive. Not cool Mumsnet.

Agree with OP.

This isn’t appropriate advertising for this site, and you shouldn’t need us to tell you that.

I also object to the ridiculous language used by this company. Tell the penis people and their handmaidens we are WOMEN and if they don’t understand that, they shouldn’t be advertising on a site for MOTHERS.

Read that as Volvo owners and thought driving was going to get a lot more interesting

I remember when this was in the research stages and there was a poll asking users what it should be called. One of the options was "The Postman" which I thought was ridiculous but harmless. Plastering it everywhere and describing WOMEN as "vulva-owners" is beyond stupid. Also it's hideous and I don't want to keep seeing it every time I open mumsnet to read on a long train journey or with my kids sitting next to me

Agree!

🤣

Spice up your life, Volvo owners

Honestly I think they must be trolling MNers with their stupid “vulva owners” language. If you look at the other toys they don’t have that sort of language - they either say women or they just refer to the vulva itself.

looks like they done it on purpose to piss people off.

I don't have an issue with the ad existing but I don't much care for the blurb that accompanied it. The idea of it being aimed at not just new mothers but brand new postpartum women doesn't sit right with me. When I had DS the very last thing on my mind was a vibrator. If you think there's a need for a vibrator for mums then I guess go for it but the suggestion that women who have just given birth need to get back to it asap is not pleasant. There's lots of support a woman who has just given birth needs but a sex toy is not it.

That can just fuck right off.

I'm not surprised that there's an advert for a vibe, this is an excellent resource to market to as posters are largely women.

But, by that logic, vulva-Havers/people with a womb is going to get the largely women posters backs up!

There is no need to twist language to sell sex toys to women. Unless you don't really want women to buy the product of course! Like the way the new tampon companies alienate women with their weird language choices.

I think the language is going to make women angry, which isn't great when you're trying to sell something!

I'm not a womb-haver but I'm still a woman fgs!

The vibrator advert sounds grim, the only adverts i see are for chocolate cake in a mug - they know me well 😂

Me too. I'm also a Volvo owner (covering all bases!).

It’s almost like you’re not reading the room. You need to know your audience, otherwise you’ll lose them.
Agree we should be able to hide ‘promoted by MN’ threads.

@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.

Only show's up on my phone. Use laptop where I have ad block.

Also offensive to say that sex in motherhood is a deeply held taboo.

theyre challenging that taboo by making the quietest vibrator they can - kind of a mixed message there. Enjoy yourself vulva havers, but shuffle off and do it quietly

The copywriting is awful but the image is fairly inoffensive. It’s quite subtle and doesn’t shriek ‘sex toy’. It’s more Shrek’s ear wax candle.

I'm a mum. My son is 21, he's not sitting on my lap. Thank goodness he's quite tall and would squash me.

I'm also a woman who has a womb. I know other women that don't have wombs. Some were born without them and some of them had them removed.

Mumsnet isn't just for people like you! It's for all of us that want to be here.

If you don't like it, don't be here.

can't see what the problem is.

sex toys have been sold on the high street for years

The vulva having/womb owning (whatever) language is crass and patronising.

It also looks like one of those puffer air freshener things.

Nothing gets me in the mood more than being referred to as a vulva owner

😂😂😂

As a person without a womb, but in possession of a vulva, I am offended.