Comments on: The right to choose mini-storage

By: K.A.

K.A. — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 21:16:38 +0000

I know this is old news, but thank goodness someone had the same reaction I did! I first learned of it on another feminist site where it was lauded by all. I just found Twisty’s take on it, and it articulates perfectly what my visceral response was.

Thanks again, Twisty. You have a new reader.

By: Mini storage

Mini storage — Wed, 29 Aug 2007 01:56:36 +0000

Just to respond to some others, the billboard is most certainly NOT created by feminists, but rather by people who couldn’t give two shits about women’s rights or wellness.

By: MarilynJean

MarilynJean — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 13:58:11 +0000

Before Twisty, I, too would have celebrated this ad and been as delphyne said, “pathetically grateful”. But thanks to all the awesome blaming I am learning, I had to stop and think about this one. You should have a billboard instead, Twisty.

By: RamblinRabbit

RamblinRabbit — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 16:29:59 +0000

In addition to the coathanger/abortion reference, which is infuriating, the implication that women should make themselves feel better about their shrinking options by buying more stuff is repulsive. Doesn’t get much more empowerful than that.

By: Twisty

Twisty — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 14:20:20 +0000

I don’t know what Daniel is, but anytime a dude uses Feministing as his URL, and the discussion becomes the dude trying to explain himself, I get tired.

BANNED for boring me.

By: delphyne

delphyne — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 12:00:20 +0000

“So who needs space? Young consumerist liberal young professionals. Young enough to remember toy soldiers, and too young to remember what coat hangers really meant.”

If they didn’t think their target audience understood what coathangers symbolised they wouldn’t have used the image in the first place. It also doesn’t take much of an imagination to make the connection to what a coathanger would be used for in an illegal abortion if you weren’t aware of it already.

“but… U DONT KNOW ME!!!!111!!1!

Internets: Serious fucking business.

in b4 b&”

I think in using this particular lingo Daniel has just outed himself as one of the internet criminals who has been attacking feminist websites and stalking feminist bloggers these past two weeks. They have this bizarre idea that if they come and debate “rationally”, their criminality ought to be ignored by the people they attack. A bit like a mugger demanding his victim sit down for a chat with him.

May I suggest a ban.

By: Feminist Avatar

Feminist Avatar — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 11:06:25 +0000

sorry ‘add’ should read ‘ad’.

By: Feminist Avatar

Feminist Avatar — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 11:04:01 +0000

I think the ‘your’/ ‘her’ pronouns are used in quite a disturbing way. As if to suggest ‘your’- the human being reading this add- needs storage, but ‘her’- the outside other who is not you even if you are a woman- rights are shrinking. A shortage of storage is something that is real and affects you, women’s rights are something in the ether that is meaningless. ‘You’ can enjoy this add because it is not talking about ‘you’.

It trivialises and marginalises a woman’s right to choose and centralises storage as a meaningful concern.

By: Becker

Becker — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 09:08:15 +0000

I tried to post something in response to Daniel, but I may have screwed up. Or else it’s moderated.

Either way I had my shower and food, and here’s my take on our storage service in Manhattan: They are a storage service in Manhattan.

Manhattan, where there are a lot of services, and so their marketing needs some pretty serious focusing unless they just want to throw themselves open to all and everyone.

So who needs space? Young consumerist liberal young professionals. Young enough to remember toy soldiers, and too young to remember what coat hangers really meant.

It’s a pretty smart target, and pretty smart marketing no matter the detractors. At least their campaign wasn’t “You need room for the Drano.”

By: Colleen

Colleen — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 05:42:56 +0000

Twisty: THANK YOU SO FUCKING MUCH! You’re the only one saying that this ad makes light of the most disgusting, dark and traumatic experience many women have ever been through. I heart you a wicked fucking lot! (I’m from Boston, in case ya couldn’t guess.)

Daniel: Even if we assume that “these people aren’t the enemy,” that they truly and with pure heart intended to promote feminist ideals while simultaneously selling storage space, they’re clearly operating from unexamined patriarchal privilege–yes, EVEN IF A WOMAN CREATED THIS AD, she’s operating from unexamined privilege. Are you saying that no one should point out that feminist sympathizers are (accidentally) working against feminism just ’cause they WANT to work towards it? Sorry, dude, this ain’t kindergarten soccer: Trying your absolute bestest is nice, but it still doesn’t help us if you unintentionally score points for the other team. This ad makes a joke of a powerful pro-choice symbol, it trivializes the unimaginably painful experiences of the women for whom it is not merely a symbol, and it (further) normalizes the mocking of feminism. Even if we somehow knew that they meant to help, they wouldn’t get a free pass.

And for the record, telling us all that “Oh, I’m only 20, so maybe I can (accidentally) offend you and not incur any consequences…” doesn’t fly. I’m 23. Roe v. Wade is 11 years older than I am. Your ignorance isn’t a result of your youth, but of your penis. Feel free to speak up, but when your theories contradict our experience, don’t expect that you won’t get schooled just ’cause you’re young.