A DELICATE NEW BALANCE

One of the challenges I face as a writer/activist is how to alert people about an atrocity without giving P.R. to the company perpetrating the atrocity?  When I wrote my, “Just Say NON!” piece where I fantasized about a pre-emptive strike against the: soon to be hitting America latest Diet Craze from France, I was […]

One of the challenges I face as a writer/activist is how to alert people about an atrocity without giving P.R. to the company perpetrating the atrocity?  When I wrote my, “Just Say NON!” piece where I fantasized about a pre-emptive strike against the: soon to be hitting America latest Diet Craze from France, I was thanked for my efforts but also reminded that by giving it “air time” I was unintentionally helping to publicize the diet.  I took the words to heart, especially knowing that there is some truth to the tenet that any publicity is good publicity.

So…here I am bursting to spread the word about a company that I feel is acting with complete destructive delusional disregard for girls and yet I don’t want to promote them…so…let’s just say the company I have my latest BEEF with rhymes with WRETCHERS!

There is a relatively new ad campaign selling sneakers to girls claiming they will tone up their butts and legs while carrying on their everyday little girl activities.  Although the president of the shoe company (hint: it is NOT the one named in the title of this piece)  insists there is nothing sexist or exploitative about the product, the glittery shoes which come in sizes as small as 2′s, are NOT being marketed for boys. The grown up versions of these shoes have already been challenged to prove the validity of  these miraculous shaping toning benefits that the ads claim, but that hasn’t stopped the company from marketing a little girl version.  Proving once again that according to the world of mass media, marketing and the almighty dollar, it is never too soon to start selling Body Hate to girls.

Another of the company’s claims that is “sketchy” at best is how emphatic they are that their intention is to promote exercise and healthy life styles.  They self-righteously proclaim to be piggy backing on the shoulders of Michele Obama’s, “Let’s Move” campaign.  Good try…but I think they may be SKETCHING ooops I mean stretching this rationalization a little too far.  Why?  Why would I think that?  Exercise is important, fitness is vital, why am I so rigid in my stance?  Because let’s consider that one of the shoe’s claims to fame in the ads is that these shoes do the toning, shaping and exercise for you…how does that promote healthy lifestyle changes in anyone?

Except perhaps a healthy bankroll for the company that unfortunately is seeing a terrific response to the product.

I say BLECHERS!!!