The National Organization for Women vs. Carl's Jr.

From the National Organization for Women's website:

Apparently, Not More Than Just a Piece of Meat

Offender: Carl’s Jr.

Media Outlet: Online video competition open to the public

The Offense: Fast-food chain Carl’s Jr. is currently holding a contest entitled “Hot Chicks Eating Burgers,” which promises a grand prize of $1,000, an all-expense paid trip to Las Vegas, and a chance to be in an upcoming commercial for the hottest chick eating a burger.

NOW’s Analysis: The fast food industry seems increasingly determined to use the hypersexualization of women as an avenue to peddle their bargain burgers. In the tradition of its previous commercials featuring Paris Hilton and Padma Lakshmi eating burgers in outrageously sexy ways, Carl’s Jr. has launched the “Hot Chicks Eating Burgers” contest. The webpage for the contest touts two videos: The first is a minute long segment of a woman sensually consuming a burger, whose actions range from inviting looks at the camera to deliberately sucking a slice of pineapple from the sandwich. The second is the most recent famous “hottie” endorsing Carl’s Jr., Audrina Patridge, eating a burger while on the beach in a bikini. Once that video ends, the famous Carl’s Jr. tagline, “More than just a piece of meat,” appears with overwhelming irony above a link which reads “Click here to see more of Audrina being hot.”

This form of advertising is particularly dangerous, since not only does it encourage the objectification of women within the media realm, but it actively seeks to cultivate self-objectification in the average woman. By issuing this contest, Carl’s Jr. actually pits women against one another to see who can be the most provocative, sensual, sexual object possible, all to the end of selling burgers.

Take Action: Tell Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, the two sponsors of “Hot Chicks Eating Burgers,” what you think of their “contest.”

---------------------------------

Well, that is certainly interesting.  Here is Padma Lakshmi.

 

Miss Lakshmi is quite a lovely-looking lady.  But, eating a burger in an "outrageously sexy way?"  Feminists are known for deploying hyperbole, particularly against sexy women.  But, just how Puritanical are the ladies at the National Organization for Women?  Can't a pretty girl even sit on a stairway and eat a sandwich, without the witches at the National Organization for Women accusing her of hypersexual witchcraft? 

Here is Paris Hilton.

 

Miss Hilton just looks silly--she is trying much too hard to look sexy, and no-one is going to eat a hamburger while washing a car.  Miss Hilton seems to be seeking to emulate Jessica Simpson...

 

but not quite achieving success.  Her is Audrina Patridge's contribution.

 

So, Feminist don't approve of Bikinis. It wasn't that terrible. Moreover, these ladies aren't exactly meeting Alice Kaufman's criterion of being "passive objects", in that they are actively eating hamburgers. Some will no doubt succeed in receiving active male gazes, as that may have been what they were going for. But, that doesn't make them bad.

 These may be entries from some of the hyper-sexualized "sluts" who participated in the "Hot Chicks Eating Burgers" contest, which pitted "women against one another to see who can be the most provocative, sensual, sexual object possible."

 

 

 

According to the National Organization for Women, what these "sluts" are doing is "particularly dangerous, since not only does it encourage the objectification of women within the media realm, but it actively seeks to cultivate self-objectification in the average woman." Aren't women entitled to have a bit of fun, and to flaunt their natural assets, if they wish?  Certainly no-one is under any obligation to "self-objectify."  Perhaps their greatest danger, assuming no ill health effects from the hamburgers themselves, is potentially being chased by a mob of angry Puritanical Feminists, for seeming to invite the Patriarchal gaze.