Guest guest Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 * I am finding that more and more these days--using sex or raunch to try and look " cool " and sell stuff--maybe to appeal to the 20-somethings??? * try checking out a little pink book called *female chauvinist pigs* - it explains the rise of raunch culture very well and articulated a lot of my own discomfort with it, from a feminist and humanist perspective. chandelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 I think it's all about connotation. I think it's part of the younger culture to be insulting and also self-deprecating (but it's in a loving way...really!) For example, two guys who are good fiends will smirk and greet each other " What's up bitch? " Or someone who eats a lot of apples will take a bite into one and say to her friends " Oh my god! I'm such an apple whore, this is the 3rd one I've eaten today! " So for me it depends on who the authors are. If they are indeed very thin women then I think the title is funny. (The same way I think the cooking show " Two Fat Ladies " is funny). But if " Skinny Bitches " was written by some fat women who hate thin people and were making fun of them then I would not want to buy the book because then it's just them spreading their negative attitude around. I also agree about any word being potentially hurtful, and as someone who likes to talk like a sailor around her friends I agree that there is no such thing as a bad word because it's all about context. I know lots of people who never utter a curse word, yet they are passive-aggressively toxic and malicious, for example. that's my 2c Maggie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 I think the whole point of Skinny Bitch is that is is not for people like us, who would be put off by the title -- it is for those women who have never thought about animal rights or really even nutrition, who mainly think about looking good. I've heard about lots of people picking up the book because they thought it would be a good diet book to tell them more " secrets " of how to lose weight, and really having their eyes opened -- people who would never ever have touched a book that was obviously about animal rights and good health. I have no intention of reading it either, but I'm glad it's there for the kind of people who might learn something new from it. There are plenty of other great books out there for those of us who are already converts :-) Heather Jacqueline Bodnar wrote: > > Inga, > > Thank you! I was really wondering (and hoping) that it wasn't just me > that is completely turned off of the name. It is a bad marketing plot, > it makes me think it's put out by an immature middle-schooler. :-) > > Thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one that boycotts the book. > I also have a very nice collection of vegan/vegetarian books, but that > one will not make it to my collection because of the raunchy > title/marketing. > > Jacqueline > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 I'm with you, sister! Jacqueline Bodnar <jb wrote: Speaking of " Skinny Bitch " .... is it just me or is there anyone else that won't purchase that book because of the name? I've looked at it a few times in the bookstore. But I refuse to buy it because of the title and all the cuss word references I see on it. Not that I'm a prude, but when I'm trying to teach my kids to speak with respect I can't see having a book with that title sitting on my cookbook shelf. I'm just curious if it's just me or others that care about the less than desirable title (especially since we are parents). Maybe it helps with sales to get raunchy? But with me it hurts because I won't buy because of it... Jacqueline Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 I haven't read it, but have two friends who have and asked me for the first time for vegan cookbooks and nutrition advice. I guess whatever gets people talking about it and as long is no one is hurt... Linda http://triballife.net/ A Marketplace for a Better World http://veganlinda.blogspot.com/ Heather Hossfeld <hlh4850 Wednesday, April 16, 2008 2:21:12 PM Re: Re: food at school I think the whole point of Skinny Bitch is that is is not for people like us, who would be put off by the title -- it is for those women who have never thought about animal rights or really even nutrition, who mainly think about looking good. I've heard about lots of people picking up the book because they thought it would be a good diet book to tell them more " secrets " of how to lose weight, and really having their eyes opened -- people who would never ever have touched a book that was obviously about animal rights and good health. I have no intention of reading it either, but I'm glad it's there for the kind of people who might learn something new from it. There are plenty of other great books out there for those of us who are already converts :-) Heather Jacqueline Bodnar wrote: > > Inga, > > Thank you! I was really wondering (and hoping) that it wasn't just me > that is completely turned off of the name. It is a bad marketing plot, > it makes me think it's put out by an immature middle-schooler. :-) > > Thanks for letting me know I'm not the only one that boycotts the book. > I also have a very nice collection of vegan/vegetarian books, but that > one will not make it to my collection because of the raunchy > title/marketing. > > Jacqueline > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 I understand where you're coming from, but I still have a different attitude. I am all about bringing deep social change -- I've been vegan for almost fifteen years and I've been a social justice activist since I was in high school -- but not at the expense of reinforcing negative stereotypes and attitudes about anyone, whether we are talking about gay people, people of color, women, whatever. I take to heart a quote I once heard from Carol Adams talking about the preponderance of female exploitation in PETA's advocacy materials: the means justify the ends, not the other way around, meaning that we should be as consistent and ethically conscious with our pursuit of our goals as we are with the goals themselves. That being said, I totally believe in using humor and " edginess " in outreach materials. The Skinny B*tch stuff doesn't particularly strike me as either funny or edgy -- just more of the same ol' same ol'. But that's just me. I appreciate that everyone has been respectful during what could potentially be a divisive discussion. Marla > I think it's all about connotation. I think it's part of the younger > culture to be insulting and also self-deprecating (but it's in a > loving way...really!) For example, two guys who are good fiends will > smirk and greet each other " What's up bitch? " Or someone who eats a > lot of apples will take a bite into one and say to her friends " Oh my > god! I'm such an apple whore, this is the 3rd one I've eaten today! " > > So for me it depends on who the authors are. If they are indeed very > thin women then I think the title is funny. (The same way I think the > cooking show " Two Fat Ladies " is funny). But if " Skinny Bitches " was > written by some fat women who hate thin people and were making fun of > them then I would not want to buy the book because then it's just them > spreading their negative attitude around. > > I also agree about any word being potentially hurtful, and as someone > who likes to talk like a sailor around her friends I agree that there > is no such thing as a bad word because it's all about context. I know > lots of people who never utter a curse word, yet they are > passive-aggressively toxic and malicious, for example. > > that's my 2c > > Maggie > > --- > > For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at > http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to > http://www.vrg.org/family.This is a discussion list and is not intended to > provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a > qualified health professional. > > edical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health > professional. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 17, 2008 Report Share Posted April 17, 2008 Actually I love Skinny Bitch. They are so funny and so straightforward. I typically don't like profanity, but it was funny because you look at those women and you know they aren't like that. , Jacqueline Bodnar <jb wrote: > > Speaking of " Skinny Bitch " .... is it just me or is there anyone else > that won't purchase that book because of the name? I've looked at it a > few times in the bookstore. But I refuse to buy it because of the title > and all the cuss word references I see on it. Not that I'm a prude, but > when I'm trying to teach my kids to speak with respect I can't see > having a book with that title sitting on my cookbook shelf. I'm just > curious if it's just me or others that care about the less than > desirable title (especially since we are parents). Maybe it helps with > sales to get raunchy? But with me it hurts because I won't buy because > of it... > > Jacqueline > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 I enjoyed it too. I picked up a copy and thought it was a refreshing take. Only thing was I was already eating all of the foods they mention so there were not a lot of new ideas- I loved that it was vegan! I did not realize it when I picked up the copy. Odd combination for me- I picked up Skinny Bitch, Mindless Eating and Eat, Pray, Love. So far have finished two out of three and they were great. Paige _____ On Behalf Of jillben2008 Thursday, April 17, 2008 11:04 AM Re: food at school Actually I love Skinny Bitch. They are so funny and so straightforward. I typically don't like profanity, but it was funny because you look at those women and you know they aren't like that. @gro <%40> ups.com, Jacqueline Bodnar <jb wrote: > > Speaking of " Skinny Bitch " .... is it just me or is there anyone else > that won't purchase that book because of the name? I've looked at it a > few times in the bookstore. But I refuse to buy it because of the title > and all the cuss word references I see on it. Not that I'm a prude, but > when I'm trying to teach my kids to speak with respect I can't see > having a book with that title sitting on my cookbook shelf. I'm just > curious if it's just me or others that care about the less than > desirable title (especially since we are parents). Maybe it helps with > sales to get raunchy? But with me it hurts because I won't buy because > of it... > > Jacqueline > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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