PETA

I recently saw PETA’s racy submission for a Superbowl advertisement. (Incidentally, the commercial will never make it on the air- it’s recently been banned.) After every couple of shots, captions read “Studies Show: Vegetarians Have Better Sex. Go Veg.” It features mostly naked women undressing and caressing themselves seductively with asparagus, broccoli, pumpkins.

What the fuck??

While I can neither refute nor affirm this claim, (I’m sure some studies do show vegetarians to perform better, though they were most likely researched by PETA members) I am offended as both female and a vegetarian.

I agree with some of what PETA says; I am all for the ethical treatment of animals, but I’ve never really agreed with their advertising and campaign strategies. I think there are far more effective ways to convince the general public of the meat industry than parading skinny women with big boobs in lettuce bikinis. It’s demeaning that PETA can’t think of a better way to reach out to a male audience than using women (and vegetables) as sex objects.

As a woman and a vegetarian, I feel that PETA has pigeonholed me as some chick who will put out for another vegetarian.
As a woman and a vegetarian, I feel like an exploited piece of meat.
As a woman and a vegetarian, I’m pissed.

The written message is fine with me. The implied one is not.

So, Go Veg and I’ll Give You a Hug. Cut Class Not Frogs. Recognize that Meat Is Murder. Have Better Sex.

Whatever. Just don’t sell my body.