I think VIPoo is a feminist issue

[CupOfTeaAndABourbon]

Does everyone know what VIPoo is? here is the website. Basically, you spray it down the toilet before you do a poo, then when you flush after said poo, the toilet will smell of nice things rather than poo.

Okay.

So, me and DP had a rather heated debate about this yesterday. I think VIPoo is a feminist issue but DP doesn't. The product is clearly marketed at women- it fits in your handbag, the bottles look very flowery and feminine and all the adverts I've seen have featured female pooers.

For me, VIPoo is another example of women being encouraged not to take up too much physical or figurative space. For me, it's saying that if you do have to defy the code of femininity and carry out natural biological functions in public then you should minimise the impact of yourself and your biological functions by literally hiding the fact that your shit stinks.

DP said I'm over thinking it and looking for misogynistic conspiracies everywhere. Well, yes, I am but they are everywhere.

What do you think, wonderful feminists of MN? VIPoo is a feminist issue isn't it?

Incidentally, I think it'd make a great essay topic for students "VIPoo is a feminist issue, Discuss"

I agree with you. It marketed only at women. Stupid really cos in this house it's my husband who buys and uses it.

Its definately marketed at women. There is even the obligatory male approving of the smell as she leaves. Bet he doesnt waft the air towards his nose when his male friends have been in!

Dont we carry enough in our handbags as women?
Now we are expected to carry that stupid flowery bottle around too in case we offend someone with natural bodily functions?

If I am in a public loo a quick spray of my body spray does the trick, I dont need an overpriced 'poo' scenter as well.

That's interesting. My DP reckons men would never use it because, to paraphrase, "men don't care if their shit stinks"

Gah, that's my point. Neither should women but we're conditioned to care and hence why bullshit products like VIPo exist.

Me and DP have actually been rather frosty with each other since this discussion

I think it's a stupid, unnecessary product and yes, why does it have a woman carrying this ghastly thing instead of the man in the advert if not to brainwash women that they need it?

I'm afraid to say a lot of men are completely bestial about toilets. For some men keeping things in the fucking bowl is like a chimp's enrichment day. No wonder it's targeted at women. Men would need a TarPOOlin for the floor..

Agree, it's marketed to women.

Where's the advert with the man being considerate of his family, or of business associates - ie other men in the bathroom?

Because men don't care, and it isn't an issue.

It's about women making themselves more acceptable and the advert explicitly references reducing embarrassment. In front of men.

Nuff said.

MissHavisham Oh yes, I forgot the doorman-type bloke at the end. She's not only trying to cover her poo smell for men in general but for a big, mean, strong-looking man. I think there's an under-current of violence there.

TarPOOLin

Love that

A sPOOf ad is in order..

it's a bit circular...

The advert is targeting at women because women, as a demographic, are more likely to be persuaded by the argument because, as a class, we are socialised to care about stuff like this.

Men aren't; they don't care if their shit stinks. A manly marketing campaign full of buff footballers strutting out of the cubicle that now smells of loins and granite is less likely to work on them. For now anyway.

Hopefully the product dies on it's arse.

Not sure it's a case of women are worried about poo smelling around men and more a case of guys wouldn't care if it smells so aiming the product at them would be pointless. If I'm honest the product as a whole seems pointless.

Radiant Lions and granite That's brilliant.

I guess the point I was making is that it goes deeper than just women being conditioned to smell nice and so being more likely to buy the product because it smells nice.

I get that. It pisses me off but it's so deeply ingrained and I think most of us have likely fallen for it

It's more that VIPoo is actually encouraging women to be ashamed of the fact their shit stinks and to be ashamed of their own bodily functions even when said bodily functions are done in the right place (i.e. this is spray for when you have a poo in a toilet, not for when you curl one out on the floor in DFS) and done in the company of other women (i.e. in women's toilets). For me, it's saying, tacitly, that women shouldn't make their presence any more felt in public than is absolutely necessary.

Radiant Lions and granite That's brilliant.

I guess the point I was making is that it goes deeper than just women being conditioned to smell nice and so being more likely to buy the product because it smells nice.

I get that. It pisses me off but it's so deeply ingrained and I think most of us have likely fallen for it

It's more that VIPoo is actually encouraging women to be ashamed of the fact their shit stinks and to be ashamed of their own bodily functions even when said bodily functions are done in the right place (i.e. this is spray for when you have a poo in a toilet, not for when you curl one out on the floor in DFS) and done in the company of other women (i.e. in women's toilets). For me, it's saying, tacitly, that women shouldn't make their presence any more felt in public than is absolutely necessary.

My DH certainly cares if he creates a stink, it's one of his worst nightmares. It's a very good product if you have any bowel problems though. Really odd it isn't just targeted to all.

It is a feminist issue.

Just like any other way in which women are required to pretend that we aren't human.

We aren't allowed to have body hair, or to have rings under our eyes after a sleepless night, we aren't allowed to smell like humans but required to smell like flowers.

And now even our shit has to smell of roses, lest men be reminded that we, too, are human.

Men claim to be putting women on a pedestal, but if this were true, every head of state would be female. Men don't think of women as angels, they think of us as subhuman. (Women's alleged moral superiority is only ever mentioned when we are blamed for failing to prevent male violence. Never when there's decisions about ethics to be made, or a country is to govern.)

I hope this product goes out of fashion, but realistically, in capitalism, the only thing we can hope for is that it will eventually be marketed to men, too.

I think you are kind of right but also kind of over thinking it too. I have often compared feminism to a conspiracy theory. I think the reality is a company thinks they can make some money by selling another pointless product and hoping enough people are stupid enough to spend their money on it. Perhaps the person who came up with it thought it was a nifty idea and their marketing team thought women are more likely to buy it.

Like many pointless products produced the solution is to not buy it. It's really a very niche product and I can't see it catching on.

It's a very good product if you have any bowel problems though. Really odd it isn't just targeted to all.

Does it really remove the stink, or does it just cover it up? I suspect the latter.

I often read the advice to burn a match to remove disgusting smells, and that I can sort of see working, as the fire would burn stinky gases.

But a spray? I am very sceptical of that.

Yes it is marketed at women.

The idea that women are meant to be mysterious to men and this meant to be something that keeps men in the relationship. I know someone who believes in this crap. Not only believe in this but hit the idea from a dating book.

The idea is that men are not men to know when women poor. Well there are some women who will suffer with poor and not do it anywhere near their patent.
There are those who do the same with farting. There are also those who worry about going away because they fear the oh will smell their poor. I have come cross this Mn and irl.

This was a problem for Parisian women too. I don't remember what decade but it was a huge problem.

Surely it's simply marketed at women because even in these enlightened days the bleak reality is that it's more likely to be the woman doing the shopping, and hence making the decision to purchase it? I don't feel that's an insult, just a fact based strategy. Plus men never realise what a stink they've made in the toilet, so they wouldn't care anyway.

I think the reality is a company thinks they can make some money by selling another pointless product and hoping enough people are stupid enough to spend their money on it.

That's what the OP meant, though.
I am sure she didn't suspect that they specifically invented it to oppress women.

It reinforces patriarchy regardless of the producer's intentions.

If you compare feminism to conspiracy theories, you don't understand feminism, or how patriarchy works.

Does it really remove the stink, or does it just cover it up?

It creates a film on top of the water before you shit to stop smells escaping and also scented just in case.

Vestal Thanks, this is what I was getting at though you've expressed it much more articulately than I did.

Sadly my mum bought some and thought it was "a great idea" .

Wish I hadn't opened this thread, I've been put off eating dumplings for dinner now

I agree OP.

TarPOOlin

Poo s supposed to stink, it's rotted matter. I like a good poo stink, makes you feel alive.