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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
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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.

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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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#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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Vicky Zar
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And this is how children are manipulated to think about themselves.

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Becca Gizmo the Squirrel
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's ridiculous. But they double sales this way. If we stopped buying stuff like this maybe they would get the idea and stop.

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

Pink and blue IS gendering, you're telling little girls what they're supposed to like/dislike and then, adding insult to injury you're (with this product) telling them what type of behaviour they are 'supposed' to exhibit too..

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

What?! No Little Prince or Tough Warrior Princess (like Xena)? Madness!

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

But I'm a girl and I like skulls! Where are my pink skulls, dammit

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Becca Gizmo the Squirrel
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4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They started it along time ago. There's also a pink tax. Women's razors cost more for the pink ones than the exact same blue ones cost and the little st goes on.

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

This reminds me of the (true) story where a little boy wanted to buy a pink stroller and doll. Some old woman, a complete stranger to him or his mom, told him "No, you don't really want that! It is for girls. Surely you want a boys toy!" The little boy told her his mind and got what he wanted, the stroller.

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

I have a little princess that loves creepy skulls. She would be devastated if I bought her strawberries instead of something cool

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

But as a parent you have that choice, what the f**k is wrong with you people on this post making a big deal out of nothing

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

Tough princess, wants glittery nuts and bolts and a purple chainsaw to accessorise her camo hunting dress with removable skirt that turns into a tent and has hundreds of pockets

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

Because little boys don't get enough voices telling them to be tough guys. s/

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Chris Sprucefield
Community Member
4 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What the holy F... Is this BS... Popcorn is popcorn... This needs a thoroughly shoot down...

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

This is horrible. This teaches boys and girl that they have different standards and should 'be' different things... Boys can be just as 'vulnerable' as girls, and girls can be tough too!

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Avya Spriggs
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was a younger girl I remember if I saw someone 'for boys' I'd specifically buy that one

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

Yes and of course the little princesses have to be rescued by the tough guys. It sucks. I hate stareotypes

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

What? The lord of eternal darkness needs his marshmallows too!

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

I am not offended by this. If your masculinity is offended by this, it says more about you.

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

I like both creepy 💀 AND 🍓!! I’ll take one of each, please.

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

Girls are tough too! Cancer, stroke, seizure at 12 years old and now I have a bone disease from all the corticosteroids. (A-Vascular Necrosis in my femurs and tibias) Honestly rn I don’t feel tough or strong but everybody else seems to think I am. But it’s hard to be sometimes...

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

Maybe it should be Tough Knight, Little Highness? That should fix it while the color scheme will be just fine.

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Klaudiia Sherbatzky
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4 years ago

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now I am getting mad. It´s not gendert because of a color!! It doesnt say on the pink one only for girls or boys on the blue one... nothing is wrong with blue or pink

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

It literally says "guy" and "princess", how are those not gendered words?

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#24

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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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#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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