More stuff for girls

What does it say about the state of my femininity that this kind of product is the very last thing I would buy?

Usually manufacturers just slap a coat of pink paint on when the marketing electronics to women. Sony Ericsson clearly put a lot more thought into its Jalou phone, which comes out later this year, but still managed to come up with one of the most insulting pieces of electronics on the market.

From Jezebel.com, h/t to the awesome Jacob.

Ridiculous Life Lessons From New Girls Games (Wired.com)

GameLife has some interesting reviews of a batch of video games designed for 8-12 girls. Here's the interesting question. If you think these games teach girls "life lessons", how are they different from paper dolls, pretend make-up, and Barbie Dolls. Is the problem the content of the game or the "for girls" label? I know some adult men who would love these games, and I imagine there are some 8-12 year-old boys who would much rather play My Fashion Show than GTA.

and yes, I want to play them all. Just don't make me wear white gloves and girdles ever, ever again.

T-shirt angst

A couple of days ago, someone tried to give me a free t-shirt, and I turned it down. I am attending my denomination's annual General Assembly, an event that is full of energy and earnest enthusiasm for Doing the Right Thing. It's an election year this time around; we are choosing the person who will lead the denomination for the next four -- and possibly eight -- years, and that means all the usual campaign folderol. Each candidate has official buttons and t-shirts, given out free to supporters.

Here's the catch: I am not a fan of single- or limited use items, especially not clothing. I am also not a fan of conventional cotton t-shirts made under unknown working conditions. So I passed on the t-shirt. Being a Nice White Lady who is not inclined to lecture enthusiastic, well-meaning strangers, I also passed on the lecture running through my head  (and now into this blog -- oh, well). But if either of these candidates had offered more subtle t-shirt designs, badges or buttons that were made of recycled or sustainable materials, fair trade souvenirs or something other than disposable, wasteful gewgaws, they'd have an edge with me. And stop with the daily campaign newsletters, already.

But I do appreciate the opportunity to use "folderol" and "gewgaws".

gender and marketing FAIL

One of my long-standing pet peeves is lame gender marketing. Advertising can be feminist -- I learned last month that there is such a thing as feminist PR, too. But what to say about Dell's new site for women? How about "no thanks"? So I became their fan on Facebook just so I could give them hell for talking down to me.