Jenn Taylor covers the latest feminist outrage in her first column at Pajamas Media.
Brave feminist warriors joined together last week to do battle with a villainous enemy of women: Big Milk.
Cue the sinister laughter and twirling of handlebar milk mustaches.
The California Milk Processor Board’s nefarious plot to spread misogyny throughout the land came in the form of a $1.2 million ad campaign to promote the calcium in milk as a treatment for premenstrual syndrome. Print ads feature sheepish beta males armed with large quantities of milk for the premenstrual ladies in their lives. “We can both blame myself,” says one man, carefully averting his eyes. “I’m sorry I listened to what you said and not what you meant,” says another, cringing under the off-camera gaze of a cranky PMS-er.
Before it was pulled Thursday, the male-targeted website for the ad campaign, everythingidoiswrong.org, asked visitors, “Are you a man living with PMS?” Men were offered a variety of PMS coping tools, including an emergency milk locator and a “Puppy Dog-Eye-Zer” to “give yourself a face that’s hard to stay mad at.” The site also provided pre-approved apologies and a video apology enhancer. Explaining the obvious to LA Weekly, the Milk Board’s press officer called the ad campaign a “fun and lighthearted way of letting consumers know the calcium in the milk helps reduce the symptoms of PMS.”
Self-described feminists attacked the campaign, however, and the organization pulled its campaign. Now the website features a “discussion” — largely comments of outrage — about the campaign. One feminist comment is particularly fun:
“Wow these are pretty offensive. Reducing us to hormonal female psychopaths is no way to get us to drink milk. In fact, that makes me want to rip the milk out of your hands and shove it up your hole,” raged another critic.
Ah, yes, now I understand that you’re actually a rational non-psychopathic individual. How silly of the milk group to suggest otherwise.
Jenn is about confused as to the feminist strategy here:
This daft feminist strategy would be sad in a pathetic sort of way if it wasn’t so deliciously entertaining. What better way to expose portrayals of women as irrational whiners and hysterical bitches than by whining irrationally and bitching hysterically? Nicely done, and empowering as ever.
Fun fact: Some feminists are now organizing a boycott of milk. They’re advising participants to obtain calcium in other forms, specifically yogurt and cheese. Think about that one. Clearly a well-thought-out plan.


by Stephan Tawney on July 23, 2011