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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

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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
Community Member
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.
Community Member
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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#18

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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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#27

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

As a woman, I'll take BK, Home Depot, BWW, Auto Zone, Panera Bread, and DEFINITELY Spafinder. Maybe Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

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

YOU DON’T NEED TO GENDER GIFT CARDS. Regular ones work just fine, thanks.

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

Wow! It's hard to comprehend why anyone would even bother doing this, even trying to get into the most sexist mind set I can imagine this just doesn't make sense. I've never seen anything as pointless and as sexist at the same time. I see it's priced in dollars so assume it's the US? We just don't have anything like this in my country (Scotland) There HAVE been a few things that have been attempted to be pushed on us that didn't exist a few years ago but they tend not to work here. I mean, SOME women DO like pink but the bright, babyish colour is too garish and blue is the main colour of our country's flag so it's as popular with girls as boys. Is this predominantly an American problem??

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

I'd rather shop at Home Depot than Sephora any day of the week. It's so dumb.

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

I'd have to get one of each! Home Depot and Bed, Bath and Beyond are some of my favourite stores!

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mermaidgirl960
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you look in the corner I think there's one for nonbinary so that's a good thing?

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

I am all woman and love working on my car and working around my house, so Home Depot and Autozone are my meccas. I also love me some Cheesecake once in a while and not tomention some Buffalo Wings with a nice beer chaser. These cards make no sense to me...

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

i mean, i like wings...i guess i'm not allowed there without a male escort :(

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Schrodinger's Cat
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now THIS is unnecessarily gendered. Who doesn't want a new drill from Home Depot?

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

if you gave me the pink one i would look at you and say, "You have never met me. how the heck did you find me? "

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

Earlier I made a post about how "If blue is for boys that means burger king is marketed towards men" and now...

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

this one ticks me off a bit I am Woman I hate Ulta and Macy's and sephora will never go to a spa I do need Auto zone and Home Depot because I actually know how to fix s**t myself

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

Cause you know, women can’t go to Burger asking and Guys can’t go to Under armor 🙄🤷🏻‍♀️

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

Because I totally don't need a new dell computer or anything 🙄😬🖥️

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

I thought the opposite of guy was girl, not her! Burger King is pretty universal, this is lame.

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

who says I wanna shop for clothing? I wanna go to gamestop more than anything. :)

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

I'd want Home Depot, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Auto Zone while my husband would want the Cheesecake Factory. It is kind of silly to make these things gender-specific.

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

Swap the Dell (Dell products hate me) with Panera and I want the blue one

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

well if most of the places are GENDER specific, a straight man isnt going to sephora for him self. The womens side gets the under armour and not the men

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

What do you mean a straight man isn't going to sephora for himself? I know plenty of straight men who wear light makeup daily

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

Y’all ready to triggered even more? Yell about the teen and kid cards that the same company makes.

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

'Guy' was renamed 'you'. Happy? BTW there are 'bride' and 'lady' variants, but no 'groom' and 'gent'.

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

Real talk...what is the third green gender on the right?

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

Gift cards are for morons and a s**t scam anyhow I'd rather the pink for cheesecake factory

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

Oh, come on... surely it's not the most shocking discovery that men prefer the hkme depot to macy"s and vice versa? I don't think this card impiies women are somehow forbidden to eat at Burger King...

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

We’re not forbidden, but for some stupid reason we now have to have a “guy” gift card because we want to shop at normal places. That’s ridiculous.

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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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