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What do you look for when you’re choosing a product? Let’s say the product is something essential but banal, for example, a toothbrush. Do you want it to work how it’s supposed to and be comfortable to use? Obviously. Do you want it to be a color you like? Sure. Admittedly not relevant to how it works, but you do see it several times a day, after all. Do you want it to make you feel like a real man or a woman?

Probably not what most of us think of while we’re brushing our teeth every morning, but apparently, advertisers say yes. Here are some products that we don’t think anyone asked for gendered versions of, as found by people on Twitter.

#1

Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

themouseyouknow Report

Kaisu
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you want to make pink binoculars for people who like pink, that's fine! But gendering binoculars is so unnecessary and stupid

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    #2

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    fomae2 Report

    Ize86
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Womens Sleeping bags usually have more insulated legroom because women often are cold at the feet area...

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    #3

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    themouseyouknow Report

    Hermione Granger
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The concept is good, but it should still be a family game. No need to make it just for girls.

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    Nobody is saying that selling things in a variety of designs is bad—people have different likes and dislikes and we would be bored if everything only came in brown. But is it any wonder why so many girls end up resenting pink and floral patterns when that’s the one look that advertisements and toy packaging tell them they should be choosing, while boys are encouraged to play with toys in red, green, black, and pretty much every other color?

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    For adults, who have had their whole lives to get to know their own preferences, it seems shallow and infantilizing. And when design comes at the expense of functionality, like pink glue or more fragile razors, it goes from uncomfortable to insulting.

    #4

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    themouseyouknow Report

    Miłka Chromińska
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Finally a product for me, I've had enough of using men's shampoo, apricots have delicate hair you know. We need specially formulated shampoos :D

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    #5

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    themouseyouknow Report

    Carol Emory
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There's actually a purpose behind this. The women's tea promotes estrogen health, bone density and calmness for stress. Them men's promotes healthy testosterone levels, memory wellness and gastrointestinal wellness. You wouldn't want a woman drinking a tea that promotes higher testosterone levels, would you?

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    #6

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    themouseyouknow Report

    Falcon
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wonder if it's a play on words. Hand and Man. Still makes little sense tho unless it actually explodes...

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    Then there’s the opposite phenomenon, when marketers think things should be designated “for men” because apparently it’s not manly in the first place to use soap, eat bread, or have a cup of tea (chili in tea... I didn't know there was something effeminate about drinking things that taste good and don’t hurt.)

    #7

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    themouseyouknow Report

    Ed Souza
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I can only imagine the outrage if they made this for women... still funny, I would buy this one as a gag gift.

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    To be fair, some products are gendered because of average shape and size measurements or nutritional requirements based on sex. Even in those cases, though, what do we get out of labeling them “for men” or “for women” before said sizing or nutritional benefits? That just confuses and embarrasses people whose needs fall outside of those averages, because our proportions and chemistry vary a lot even within the biological categories of male and female. Further polarizing products by putting nuts and bolts or flowers and glitter on the package adds another uncomfortable layer by conflating our personalities and likes with those physical parameters.

    #10

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    themouseyouknow Report

    I’m Foxxy and I know it 😉
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This one doesn’t specifically say any gender. There is nothing wrong with having a choice of pink plane or blue plane. Some people (whether girl or boy like pink and others like blue).

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    #11

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    themouseyouknow Report

    Niito
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Is this a real toy? Is it played as the usual one?

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    #12

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    mizumomochi Report

    Ana B.
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Just an unrelated reminder that when they say "flushable", that doesn't mean you should flush them. You CAN, but it's not considered a good idea.

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    The American Marketing Association has observed that younger consumers are beginning to scoff at advertising that leans on gender, and recommends that brands focus on advertising “what a product is for rather than whom it is for.”

    They say that brands could learn more about their consumer base’s habits and do better business by removing gendered marketing that could sway consumers away from products not traditionally associated with their gender, and embracing marketing that presents their products in a positive light for any consumer.

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    #13

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    inkyfollies Report

    sunshine_20
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Honestly, this isn't gendered, this is just two different types of products, with different characters/design.

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    #14

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    ibelieveinher Report

    troufaki13
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    These are just different colors, not gender-oriented. Am I not seeing something?

    CrunChewy McSandybutt
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You have to be naive to think that "Sleep Pretty" pink ear plugs aren't marketed toward girls while the "Heroes" blue earplugs are marketed to boys. Just because it doesn't specifically state "boy" and "girl" doesn't mean they aren't gendered.

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    Evil Little Thing
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Actually, the pink ones are narrower. Legit sizing difference, and important for those of us with little ears and noisy families.

    OhForSmegSake
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Generic earplugs are made for men. That is, they are made for larger ear canals and can be quite uncomfortable for woman to wear for long periods. Women's earplugs tend to be a little smaller and/or softer and much more comfy!

    MadDawg
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Guys can sleep pretty too!!

    Kjorn
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    i'm not feeling like a hero… have you ever put ear plugs?

    jevais
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Women's ears are usually smaller than thos of men

    Christopher Mayer
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If one is a hermaphrodite/intersexed, then one of each colour will suffice. :-)

    Eulalie Grace
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If you want to by gender-specific you'll save money, too. A true deal :)

    Cheryle Fuller
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I would hope the pink ones are smaller diameter. I bought a headset and the ear tips are HUGE!

    Brandy Grote
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The "Sleep Pretty" earplugs have the same noise reduction rating (NRR) as the Hearos on the left - which are $2 cheaper. But they have the number of plugs as the Hearos on the right which have NRR 1 higher. But women are generally lighter sleepers.

    Stacie Wyatt
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    i dont see the difference or gender

    pebs
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Now I understand why Americans annoy the whole world with gender issues that don't exist elsewhere.

    ruht roh
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have tried both, and the pink ones are smaller and softer. I am a man and I wear the pink ones because the blue ones are uncomfortable when I am trying to sleep. I could care less about the color... I am asleep assuming no one is staring at my ear canals.

    Aubrey Oleandereie
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Looks lika blue ones are bigger which make sence...

    GenXandEarnedItAll
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The pink ones would be easier to find in the dark when you're child is screaming for you at 0230 because there is a monster under their bed or they need a drink of water.

    Bored Moogle
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'd choose the pink ones myself. I love pink.

    Maku Hernandez
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I can hear the advertising when I read it...

    Christel Nellemann
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Omg even earplugs become gendered?? “Sleep pretty in pink” hrpmf

    Jo Choto
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So the pink makes you "sleep pretty" but the identical plugs in blue become "xtreme protection". It's quite pathetic.

    Jay Loren
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    what is gendered about "sleep pretty"?

    T Simmons
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It is sexist to assume that the pink one is for girls

    Rosanna Jackson
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The sexism does not stem from the consumers assumption that the pink ones (with sleep pretty on them) are marketed for girls. The sexism is in the systemic creation of women being pretty, soft and pink only. Have colours and sizes marketed In a way that allows all people to choose what they like, and what works for them. This marketing also alienates most men, and is clearly meant to do so

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    natie marie
    Community Member
    5 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    just different colours. it doesn't say "for girls only" on any of them.. then it would be gendered

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    #15

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    themouseyouknow Report

    Terd Fergison
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The bible is one of the most misogynistic books on the planet. It states that a women who has a female child is twice as unclean as a woman that has a male child. It says that if a woman is raped and they are found, the rapist must pay the father some shekels and they must be married. I don't know many women that want to marry their rapist. Just a sickening, disgusting anti-woman book. Evil garbage filth.

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    #16

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    themouseyouknow Report

    Johane Moller
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This isn't really gendered it's colored. Only if you assign blue to boys and pink to girls can you say it's really gendered. As it doesn't say 'for boys' or 'for girls' on the packaging. I would've probably liked this as a child.

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    #18

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    jakeoftales Report

    Kaisu
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Now this kind of gendering of products is problematic. Just making a blue and pink product isn't gendering, but this is just really icky and not the way boys and girls should be taught to think about themselves.

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    #20

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    themouseyouknow Report

    Dirk Daring
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Point made on this one, but at least they didn't add the pink tax.

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    #24

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    CrimsonG_Shep Report

    Avital Pilpel
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well, let's just say it's probably because "I went through a whole box of tissues during that movie" means something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT for men and women.

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    #25

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    icecoldreddie Report

    I’m Foxxy and I know it 😉
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Cards against humanity brought out the “for her” set as a jab at the “pink tax”. Maybe have a read up on it.

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    #26

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    RuinTaughtMe Report

    Kaisu
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Again, I don't really think this is gendered...? Some kids like to play with the rockets and planes while others like to play with the astronauts. I think it's really cool that there's a female astronaut doll and nowhere does it say that it's for girls or that the other one is for boys

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    #27

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    gurneemd Report

    Ninja Kitty
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    NO FAIR~! I WANT ONE WITH BURGER KING ON THE GIRLS SIDE!!! >:{

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    #30

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    themouseyouknow Report

    Dirk Daring
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Every person who has never found their name printed on a souvenir is really ticked at Eetu right now.

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    #32

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    KemiSays Report

    misteriosa
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I have a boy and two girls, and we always buy only "boys" ones because they have cooler toys.

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    #33

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    WeebPhone Report

    Purple light
    Community Member
    Premium
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When I played Monopoly ages ago, it had tiny player pieces: a dog, racecar, hat, iron and others. I can't remember playing as a woman ( or man)

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    #34

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    coldroses2when Report

    Lingon
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The next scientific report I write, will be written with these.

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    #35

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    12pt9 Report

    misteriosa
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How did they manage to gender divide those? o.O

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    #36

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    raccoonyote Report

    I’m Foxxy and I know it 😉
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Where does it say it’s for guys? it says “the Arsenal ultimate grooming set”. Arsenal is another term for an array of services/equipment used for a certain purpose. Nothing to do with gender.

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    #39

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    SheepPuppet Report

    MonsterMum
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Man yoghurt brings an entirely different thing to my mind

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    #40

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    ramendates Report

    Kaisu
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why do you have to gender edible products, it makes zero sense. I don't think the foods and tastes you like has anything to do with your gender??

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    #41

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    kineticharvest Report

    I’m Foxxy and I know it 😉
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There are men and women vitamins and protein powders etc because fact is men and women often have differing nutritional needs.

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    #42

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    yoshi_in_black Report

    Lauren Ricard
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I hate gendered products. "For her" has extra iron in it. Just label it "with extra iron" - does the same trick. If you don't know why the extra iron would be necessary, the gendered version won't be very appealing to you either!

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    #45

    Unnecessarily-Gendered-Products-Thread

    CassTheFox_ Report

    Amy Smith
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I remember the "it's not for girls ads". Even as a kid it pissed me off

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