Monday, February 4, 2008

Hate Mail to PETA

Dear PETA-

I'm starting to think that you should change your name from "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals" to "People for the Exploitation of Tits and Ass" (pardon my French).

I was absolutely APPALLED today when I visited your website and found your 2nd annual "State of the Union Undressed." Apparently when you state that all animals deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, you didn't include women in your definition of animals.

I was willing to give you a second chance PETA, but now I'm done.

-Lindsey the (sometimes) angry feminist

----

I'll save you the trouble of watching that video- basically the PETA spokesmodel speaks (full of innuendos) about how PETA has and will continue their "noble mission to end the exploitation and abuse of animals" but the kicker is that the whole time the woman is getting completely naked. Oh and this is the second year they've done this.

This isn't the only way PETA has exploited women's bodies, almost all of their campaigns involve nudity of some sort. They have a good, worthy cause but is it really necessary to add so much sex?

I sound like such a "prude" complaining about this, but is a little modesty too much to ask for?

I want to like PETA, I want to support PETA, but I don't want to feel like I need to get naked to do so. Oh well.

In other news, I'm giving up seafood for Lent (which means I'll be a complete vegetarian). Fat Tuesday tomorrow will find me gorging myself on sushi with Kat...mmmmm Philly rolls and unagi and whatever else I can get my hands on. Fish are friends...not food!

4 comments:

Peter Clothier said...

Good luck with the fast! P

Anonymous said...

Hmmm... for the first time in a long while I somewhat disagree with your stance.
Yes, they could take a different approach, but why? It's getting them attention and getting people talking about them and what they stand for. They also have used the shock factor of nakedness to get their point across and stay in your mind. People may not know what the letters in PETA stand for, but most know the slogan "I'd rather go naked than wear fur." Well done PETA marketing, you've succeeded to do what every other marketing firm strives for.
And this also all falls under the common and true fact that sex sells. If someone sees a hot young thing stripping down for this cause they're going to be intrigued and may look at it as "hey, she's hot and is with PETA, so if I'm with PETA then possibly by association I will be considered hot too."
Obviously stripping down past skivvies isn't the only way to support this organization (just like running around waving a gun around isn't the only way people support the NRA... maybe not the best example but I'm tired and lacking creativity) but they have grabbed your attention. Whether it be negative or positive, they got you to watch and see and listen to them.
Sorry to say, but your protest is almost a little pat on the back to those who came up with this campaign.
And per your little ending tagline, I now have Finding Nemo the musical stuck in my head :)

lindsey said...

Steph-

Okay so maybe my complaint doesn't lie with PETA, my complaint is with a society where we have to exploit women (and men) in order to sell a product.

It shouldn't take boobs for people to want to care about the environment and have compassion for animals. How sad that the materialistic/consumerist/capitalist machine feels we're too dumb (or too numb) to understand rational arguments. Instead they hook us with razzle dazzle and reel us in with cleavage.

Buuuut perhaps my feelings on the over-sexualization and simultaneous sexual repression of our society are better left for another blog entry! Haha... :-)

Anonymous said...

RYN: very very true and I look forward to that entry :)