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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

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Kaisu
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4 years ago DotsCreated 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

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Sonja
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

well, the women's one is usually narrower, but has more space in the...breast area. at least the mine one has.

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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?

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

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Miłka Chromińska
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4 years ago DotsCreated 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

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Sonja
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

well, sometimes it is better to sort is this way. it is because of herbs inside. better than call it "tea-against-menstruation-pain", or "tea-for-those-who-has-prostate-gland-troubles". this is a better version, i think

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#6

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Falcon
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4 years ago DotsCreated 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

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Ed Souza
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4 years ago DotsCreated 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

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I’m Foxxy and I know it 😉
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4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated 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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#12

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Ana B.
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4 years ago DotsCreated 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.

#13

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sunshine_20
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4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated 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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#15

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Terd Fergison
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4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated 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

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Johane Moller
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4 years ago DotsCreated 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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Kaisu
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4 years ago DotsCreated 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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Avital Pilpel
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4 years ago DotsCreated 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

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I’m Foxxy and I know it 😉
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4 years ago DotsCreated 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

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Kaisu
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4 years ago DotsCreated 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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#29

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Ana B.
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep. For example, "For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints, women are to be silent in the churches. They are not permitted to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they wish to inquire about something, they are to ask their own husbands at home; for it is dishonorable for a woman to speak in the church." (1 Corinthians 14:34)

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Ninja Kitty
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

at the bottom though: "discover gross and gory bible stuff." *@#$% PLEASE! I CAN HANDLE GORY STUFF

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Kjorn
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

discover gross and gory bible stuff… now i wanna read it!!!

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loubie
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember that there was a book in my primary school that had boys only on the cover. I tried to read it and the boys will tell on me (we were about 7; and it had stuff about spys and LEGO etc. (stuff that I liked at the time)). It was pathetic.

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The Girl on Fire
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My brother had this Bible. There was nothing sexist in it, it just had "gross bible facts" and little devotionals aimed toward tween boys.

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Mohammad Abbas
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3 years ago

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louis porter
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4 years ago

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Glittery Panda
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Omg finally I was wondering when my brother would be able to read about Adam and Eve. Me and my sister start leaving him out of convos bc obviously he needs a boys bible. Thank god!! 😂😁🙄🙄🙄

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A Water Bottle
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Damn it people! Keep your f*****g opinions about if the religion is real or not to yourself! This is actually hurtful to the people who are devoted to these cultures. I don’t exactly see anyone saying that the Islam religion is evil and fake. People would go crazy at you for being so bias against that religion. The Old Testament is basically a history book, rape is in there to show mans sins. Also, not all Christians agree with everything in the Bible. I’m a Christian and the Bible says that woman should not preach. Yet this weekend I was in a very powerful service lead by a female pastor, and I believe that Woman and Men should have equal rights and be treated equally.

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Jessica Anderson
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4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

See, I would agree with you but there are so many chistians who love to tell everyone else how to live even if they're not christians themselves (I'm personally thinking of the same sex marriage debates). So no, we won't keep our opinions to ourself because you won't keep your opinions to yourself. Welcome to the free world where everyone can offend everyone ;)

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JeffC
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Whole thing is stupid BUT I LMAO at the "discover gross and gory Bible stuff"

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Bacony Cakes
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Isn't this what [MINOR DENOMINATION OF CHRISTIANITY WELL KNOWN FOR SEXIST BEHAVIOR] uses?

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PotterHead
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Are printing companies unaware that the bible was written for both men and women. IT'S FOR EVERYONE!!

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Bacony
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now with more misogyny!!!!! Yay, humanity in general sucks!!!!!

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Linda Robinett
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Specialty Bibles have different commentary and lists of verses. And they are trying to get different people to read the Bible. OMG. Did any one notice "discover gross and gory Bible stuff"?

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A Water Bottle
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This Bible for boys is just a simplified version of the Bible, I had the same thing when I was younger.

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Anna McHugh
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was about to say, 'Jesus, can you imagine the boy who'd be thrilled by this?' but I realized that would be too funny.

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Dalton Andrade
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm just wondering whether there is any difference inside! I'm seriously wishing not... May be they might have highlighted the parts where men can go away with violence against woman since the small-font writing in the right-bottom gave me some clues of that... Screw it!! I'd never buy such thing.

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Tracy Blankenbaker
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The Bible is the worst work of fiction you can ever read. Nothing but evil

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El Dee
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What, because girls are all going to Hell?? Sexism AND religious fanaticism, they just go hand in hand, don't they?

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A Water Bottle
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What? Mate I dunno if I got this wrong but all genders go to heaven or hell, or at least what I’ve been taught

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Charlese Bonca
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4 years ago

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Again, it likely has lessons and devotions geared towards men.

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#30

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Dirk Daring
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4 years ago DotsCreated 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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