Got Milk? More Like Got Sexism!
- by: Care2.com
- recipient: Executive Director Steve James
A new ad campaign by the California Milk Processor Board is relying on sexist stereotypes to promote an image of women as hysterical, irrational, and easily manipulated.
Based on a "recent" (1998) study alluding to qualities in calcium that can alleviate PMS, the Board's ads show frightened-looking boyfriends and husbands offering milk as a peace offering to mitigate their girlfriends' and wives' supposedly monstrous behavior.
The Board has even started a website, "EverythingIDoIsWrong.Org," where men can practice their "puppy-dog eyes" and print out pre-approved apology posters for "listening to what you said and not what you meant." It also implies that men can placate their wives and girlfriends by offering shallow gifts of jewelry and chocolate.
With this campaign, the California Milk Processor Board is reinforcing misogynist assumptions for their own greed. Demand that their patronizing, offensive campaign be pulled today!
Your new "Everything I Do Is Wrong" ad campaign shamelessly relies on sexist, heteronormative stereotypes of women as raging slaves to their hormones.
Your website, "EverythingIDoIsWrong.Org," is particularly offensive. By telling men that they can placate their wives and girlfriends by offering shallow gifts of chocolate or jewelry, you propagate a patronizing dismissal of women as easily manipulated.
[Your comments here]
You recently told the New York Times that you hope "the humor [of the ad] will allow people to laugh at themselves." I am writing to let you know that there is little humorous about furthering such misogyny in popular media.
