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Mow the Lawn

by sbg on April 6, 2009

An LJ flister posted this on her journal the other day, with a subject line about being rendered speechless. After watching it, I too was left without a word to utter.

I still can’t decide what’s the worst thing about this ad. The message that every woman must remove every single hair from her body to be a socially acceptable person, or that the Asian and white women go daintily about their business and the black woman goes at her bush with a frigging chainsaw.

I get they are going for tongue-in-cheek, but I am left vaguely horrified by this, not amused.

{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }

31
amymccabe (like) (flag)
April 8, 2009 at 6:38 pm

*waves*

That was my lj you saw it on! *smiles*

I’m still not sure if I could make a coherent commentary on this video.

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32
SarahSyna (like) (flag)
April 8, 2009 at 8:56 pm

This reminds me of talking to my friend about body hair once and mentioning that I don’t like guys with hairy armpits. The conversation then went some like ‘But… guys don’t have to shave there. It’s alright for them.’ ‘I think it’s gross anyone, guys included’ ‘But, they don’t have to shave.’ ‘Well, one that wants to cuddle with me does’.
Seriously though, I think armpit hair on anyone is kind of ick because of the sweat and the smell.

And as for down there… Who is brave enough to risk accidental scarring/castration? *shudder*

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33
sbg (like) (flag)
April 9, 2009 at 10:44 am

That was my lj you saw it on! *smiles*

Yes it was. I wasn’t sure if it was cool to out you. ;)

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34
ACW (like) (flag)
April 9, 2009 at 12:45 pm

RE: Nearly’s post with the US version… and *again* with the ‘free your skin’… because, you know, it’s smothering. Or something.
I’m just waiting for an ad company to come across with just a touch of honesty, along the lines of:
“Yeah. We know it’s hosed that you are expected to shave areas that would best be left alone. We know that most of the razors out there marketed for women are crap. But we also know that if you don’t shave, the girls in the locker room or on your swim team are going to give you hell, and your mate is going to talk trash behind your back. No, that’s not fair, and yes, this ad is perpetuating that behavior. But, what choice do you have? Buy our razor.”

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35
joss (like) (flag)
April 9, 2009 at 1:47 pm

I think I would buy ACW’s razor, for the rare occasions on which I shave my underarms, just in support of such honesty.

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36
fourthwave (like) (flag)
April 9, 2009 at 3:37 pm

ACW, that’s a winning ad campaign right there! I would buy that razor in a second.

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37
MaggieCat (like) (flag)
April 10, 2009 at 12:17 am

Throw in “it’s also available in colours that aren’t pink” and I think you might have just captured well over half the market.

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38
amymccabe (like) (flag)
April 13, 2009 at 8:46 pm

Maggie, yes. And why the hell does my razor have to smell like lavender?

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39
Jennifer Kesler (like) (flag)
April 13, 2009 at 9:36 pm

We know that most of the razors out there marketed for women are crap.

That’s absolutely true, btw – just want to reinforce the point to anyone reading this who still thinks she’s supposed to buy a woman’s razor. Women’s razors are so far below men’s in quality, it isn’t even a contest. And there is absolutely no difference between them other than the poor quality.

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40
sbg (like) (flag)
April 14, 2009 at 12:29 pm

But I can’t use a man’s razor. They’re not color coded in pink and/or a variety of pastel hues.

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41
Sara K. (like) (flag)
May 10, 2009 at 5:58 pm

This is a terrible commerical in terms of femininity! It sends a message that the stereotypical “housewife” now on top of everything she already does, she has to “mow the lawn”. Who was the one that decided to “trim the edges”? Shouldn’t it be a woman’s decision to “keep it tidy”?

Since when are outside home improvement tools pink? And when have you ever seen a woman trimming the yard in a pair of high heels? Come on! We can’t do it all!

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42
The OTHER Maria (like) (flag)
May 29, 2009 at 3:07 pm
43
Gategrrl (like) (flag)
May 29, 2009 at 3:24 pm

O.M.G.

**facepalm**

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44
Dan (like) (flag)
June 1, 2009 at 4:37 pm

I can only respond with this:

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45
Dan (like) (flag)
June 1, 2009 at 4:38 pm

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