Butcher Diagram Nonsense

Watching Suzanne Lacy break down the cuts of meat in front of a butcher diagram reminded me of something I’ve been wanting to talk about.

“Women’s bodies continue to be dismembered in advertising. Over and over again, just one part of the body is used to sell products, which is of course the most dehumanizing thing you can do to someone. Not only is she a thing, but just one part of that thing is focused on.” – Jeanne Kilbourne in Killing Us Softly 3

While Kilbourne isn’t speaking specifically about the women-as-meat trope, she is touching on something related. The dismemberment and dehumanization of women in advertisement ultimately leads to violence against women, which I would argue, can also be the result of putting “cut here” illustrations and categorizing parts of a woman’s body in advertising images.

PeTA, why are you so insanely backwards and lame?

I realize these images and this campaign is not current, but it brings me to this other sad thing that is:

This dress (made and sold by a woman on Etsy) does just what the ridiculous advertisements do: it normalizes the idea that women are meat. Except it’s worse, because it brings sexism and violence into the everyday. The wearer of this dress will no doubt be told repeatedly, “Nice rack” or “Nice rump” or “I’d like a slice of that”

The message is clear: it is okay to objectify women, and they should be valued solely for their bodies. The dress is called “Cuts of Meat Dress.” It may as well be called “Dismember Me Dress”. Even if irony was a goal here – not working. Who would spend $62 on this garbage? A lot of girls, unfortunately, as the sales page shows. Bummer.

One more thing:

Lady Gaga, you are stupid.