And the answer is...

For those of you who replied to my pop-quiz about the ad modeled after that iconic, rose petal-filled American Beauty image, I have an answer for you.

Although you may not like it.

One in a series of Brazilian advertisements for yogurt, the ad translated reads:

"Forget about it. Men’s preference will never change. Fit Light Yogurt."

So for those of you who thought she was a beautiful woman with sparkling eyes, you were right. For those of you who thought she seemed confident and sexy, I agree. I also believe she was likely touched up. However, I wonder if she was made aware of the horrifying, misogynistic tagline which would be accompnaying her pictorial. Who the hell does this company think they are, insinuating that women need their product to appeal to men, to fill their every want and need? It make me rather sick, actually. Putting aside the whole "Is she healthy/a bit over her ideal weight" discussion that some people might bring up (and honestly, she looks so radiant and happy, swimming in the red roses, I can't help but believe this woman is a professonal model who takes care of herself and simply isn't stick thin), the fact remains that this ad must have made it through a series of approvals before hitting the market. Many, many people said, "Yes! Great idea! Degrade women!" (Besides this one, there are two others, one mocking Sharon Stone from Basic Instinct and one Marilyn Monroe from Some Like It Hot.)

Looks like it's not just our society that has messed up ideals.

Comments

i smell a lawsuit...

I still think the woman was gorgeous and I think that most people will only remember her rather than the ad. I was very disappointed by all the "she's clearly overweight" comments. I thought the whole idea of Leslie's blog was to support other women, no matter their size.

Before you pointed it out, I had never considered that she was airbrushed!! Now that I look at it again, I think you are right. For some reason that almost infuriates me more than the tag line (although that is plenty infuriating in its own right - not to mention insulting to men as well as women!). I have a friend who photoshops her kids' pictures before putting them in the family scrapbook/on her blog!! My sister photoshopped her family Christmas picture. How far removed from reality are we going to get before we can't even recognize it anymore?!? The woman in this ad and women everywhere would have been better served to have left her in her natural, beautiful state.

That's just awful. But I do admit that I believe that most men do prefer women who are thin, or thiner than the model (who I think is beautiful). It's a preference. It's as if they had to choose a woman who is slim or a woman who is curvy, I think most men would choose a thinner woman. Not every man, but most. Must be some kind of wiring in the brain. Survival of the 'fittest', if you will. But then again, do we as women have a preference, too? If you were to choose your mate from a slim man or a man who had some meat on his bones, which would you prefer? My husband is naturally slim, but he has a little belly action going and I think that's cute. I find that their personality traits, their character, sense of humor, intelligence, among other things, are far more important than looks alone. I guess what this comes down to, for me, is that this ad basically says "Men are shallow, don't expect them to change. If you want their attention, don't look like this model." That's just sad. For men and women everywhere.

Leslie and Mia - I feel sick and sad about this as well. While ads like this one have always mad me upset, I am even more infuriated now that I have three little nieces running around. All of them are under the age of 2 and a half, and right now they see their bodies as positive, useful beauty machines that help them explore the world, climb on things they probably shouldn't, and power through their everyday lives.

It makes me feel so defeated when I think about the ads and messages that our society has already started hurling at them . . . in a few years, they might not see their bodies as beautiful, powerful, and positive.

I, too, thought the woman in the ad looked sexy, confident, and happy.

I'm curious to know where exactly this ad is running. Billboards or magazine advertising? Because the magazine afeciando that I am... Before the Dove ads came out, either Marie Claire or Glamour (huge fan of both, so I often confuse them) ran a story line. A pic of a girl, who was about a size 12 or 14, was posted on two driving billboards in New York. One billboard caption read, "I am a healthy curvy woman" and the second said, "I'm fat." What the story line was though was surveys taken along the route of each billboard showed that whichever caption was featured was the concensus of the viewing public. So those who saw the "I am a healthy curvy woman" agreed that she was a healthy curvy woman. Those who saw the "I'm fat" thought she was fat. Here's the clincher: more women than men thought the model was fat regardless of which caption they saw.

We're not even rooting for ourselves, and while it's always apparent, this idea just proves that we are our own worst enemies.

I don't see the tag line the way people seem to see it. I don't see the offense as to me it basically says, be who you are and be healthy(hence yogurt) and forget about men and trying to be stick thin. If anyone should be offended, it should be the men, who are being labeled as being narrow-minded and only looking for thin women. Again, I don't see where the tag line should offend women as it's about empowering yourself and being who you are despite what men may want.

she's overweight. pure & simple. Regardless of BMI blah blah. if you can look at someone with just your eyes and observe that they are that fat then they are. I dont care. good for her if she's ok with it. but what annoys me is people like "Boston Vixen" & Mia who dont want anyone to say it (or type it) out loud. if she's overweight not saying it doesn't change it.
also has anyone seen the new tampax ad on TV? basically a fat man in the gym working out and a female voice says uuuugh upgrade and he magically changes to a hot buff guy. then they show store brand tampons and they are also upgraded to Tampax superduper new ones. my point is if there was an ad on tv that said uuuugh upgrade about a woman there would be uproar, because its directed at a man i have heard nothing on any blogs or talk shows about it.

Dear Cassie,
We know, honey. We know that you abhor being fat and having to look at anyone who is fat. In all your posts, you let us all know that you prefer to see women thin and you avert your eyes from those that are fat. So thank you. Thank you for reminding me that no matter how great I feel about myself, in my size 16, that there is a woman out there who will always think I'm overweight and I'm ruining her day because she had to see me, with her perfect eyes, she had to see my fat body.

I'm so glad I came across this blog. I think we need to see what opinions are out there and what we are up against. Knowing I'm not alone in the struggle for confidence, health and positive body image, really helps to ease my mind. But it also worries me about our little girls and young women. It reminds me of our responsibilities as adult women and that no matter what size we are, that we are role models to someone. Let's be positive. Let's embrace our differences and be happy.

"Dear Cassie,
We know, honey. We know that you abhor being fat and having to look at anyone who is fat. In all your posts, you let us all know that you prefer to see women thin and you avert your eyes from those that are fat. So thank you. Thank you for reminding me that no matter how great I feel about myself, in my size 16, that there is a woman out there who will always think I'm overweight and I'm ruining her day because she had to see me, with her perfect eyes, she had to see my fat body."

ROTFLMFAO!!! Thanks for making my day, Mia!

I'm having to remind myself that weight loss is for me and only me, that I'm not losing it for anyone else. It's hard to do that with messages like this in the media.

She's a pretty woman. No doubt about that. But the picture is also clearly altered. Not to say, she doesn't have a defined waist, but just looking at it, the lines are completely false. Oddly, the Sharon Stone one doesn't seem to be airbrushed. Just this one.

Mia Darling,(as we seem to be on pet name terms now) embrace away!!!! no one is trying to stop you. I don't believe I have ever posted that i "avert my eyes from those who are fat" if that were the case i would never look in the mirror as i do not believe that i'm not fat. i could lose. I don't care if you are a size 16 or a 6. I really dont. I care about my body& image not yours. However it interests me that you feel that you are "up against" people who see things as they are and don't pretend otherwise as opposed to see - ing that you are up against food, calorie intake versus exercise. Leslie asked people to post their opinions of the photo and the ad campaign and did not specify that you can only post if you think she's fab. I always check back a day or so after i post to see if you have gotten on your high horse nad invariably you have. thank you for not letting me down Mia.

Hi Cassie -
Its just bostonvixen. I'm from Boston and my college mascot is a vixen. No need to be snippy. You are more than welcome to your opinion. I was disappointed to hear everyone talk about the model's weight - and unless you're her doctor you can't say that. I can't say she's 100% healthy either. But I enjoy a good debate and look forward to sparing with you further.
I hope all is well for everyone.
Cheers, Heather
PS - Mia - you rock as well.

Thanks Boston Vixen.

I think the reason men aren't up in arms about a tampon ad is probably because there are plenty of other images of overweight men on television and movies who have attractive wives/girlfriends. So, the message to men is you don't have to be attractive to be successful. If you turn on t.v. on any night, you would think that "hot" women love obese and/or average looking men. Men are not judged on their looks like women are. And, the sad thing is, men are not the harshest judges...obviously, women are. I thought the ad was promoting that you can be beautiful at any size, but I am disgusted by the actual message.

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