PETA, an organization that claims to be for the "ethical treatment of animals", has shown a much higher interest in objectifying women lately. Whether you agree with their claimed mission or not, it's hard to avoid that their ads have been losing their focus on animal treatment and more towards entertaining straight men.
Sure, they have their "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" print campaigns. These are fairly innocuous ads featuring lovely young models or actresses in coy or arty nude poses. These started in the 90s and have been pretty decent publicity for both PETA and the young models/actresses featured. Whether these ads actually change minds of those who would wear fur in the first place is arguable. More recently in the 21st century they added males, like dreamboat Steve-O from Jackass, and an "Ink not Mink" campaign featuring tattooed males like Tommy Lee. Straight women said, uh...thanks? I guess it's still cool I don't wear fur? Here, I started to suspect that female employees had been vacating the PETA building for a while.
Than last year, PETA claimed to have made Super Bowl ads that were "too hot" and censored for airing. These were basically videos of young women in bikinis and high heels seemingly pleasuring themselves with vegetables. Is PETA run by the same guys who make those "Girls Gone Wild" videos? Because these "ads" certainly captured the same back-room, exploitative feel of them. But here's my real gripe--these ads are purportedly convincing one to go vegan. You think a guy is giving up meat because of these videos? The best result PETA got with these was getting some men to eat burgers and pizza with one hand.
And then this year, timed for Valentine's Day apparently, PETA released an ad/video that is also putatively promoting veganism. It features a young woman miserably running a grocery errand with this voiceover:
"This is Jessica and she suffers from BWVAKTBOOM: Boyfriend Went Vegan And Knocked The Bottom Out Of Me. A painful condition when Boyfriends go Vegan and suddenly can bring it like a tantric pornstar. For Jessica it’s too late."
Did I mention the she is running this errand in her bra and underwear and boyfriend jacket? Well no, because if you watch the video, there are plenty of shots of it, including one where she is climbing stairs and the sun shines between her pants-less legs. Did I have to remind you that this ad is for veganism? Oh, right...
Again it's ridiculous that this is going to convince anyone to become or go vegan. It'd almost get recommended as a comedic sketch, but the woman looks so miserable from her "painful condition" and she's in a flippin' neck brace! So frankly, it's kind of UNfunny.
Seriously, to me, PETA has become PETW--Pr!cks for the Exploitative Treatment of Women (under the guise of a higher-minded mission). This non-fur-wearing woman is annoyed, irritated, and definitely not interested.
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Humane Society for one - in the past it has been supportive of humane biomedical research involving animals (as opposed to say, cosmetic testing). Actually, I find that the folks I know who are involved in research using animal models tend to be more practically concerned about animal welfare than most people.
That's VERY interesting, Paul. The real world is always a little different than the folks with causes tend to paint it to be.
maybe they made a typo. they meant prostitute, not vegan.
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