Pet Your Bunny Ad, Reader Responses
Wow! When we ran our censored bunny ad (featuring the
Rabbit Habit vibrator), asking why you thought itpushed people's buttons, we had no idea that 226 of you would respondso passionately! Needless to say, we couldn't reprint all yourthoughtful comments here, but we did pull out some of the mostarticulate, funny, and righteous ones we could find. By far, themajority of you thought this ad was banned because it too clearlycelebrated women's sexual empowerment. But there were severalother viewpoints as well. Read on...
Strong, Determined, Horny, and Self-Sufficient
The majority of you felt the reason our ad underwent somuch censorship is that it challenges society's narrow-minded view of female sexuality:"She looks strong, determined, horny, and self-sufficient. Put all thattogether and you can imagine why some people love it and others hateit. Too much sex and too much power for people who are anxious aboutthe convergence of sex and power. But for others of us, it's the stuffof dreams. Hot, wet dreams." "The *real* reason has to do with power. Folks don't want us to haveit, folks don't want us to use it, and should we have it and use it, weat least shouldn't let them know we are doing so.""people [are] so closed-minded that they can joke or speak aboutmale masturbation but believe that women either shouldn't or just plaindon't.""self-sex or any variant on the heterosexual model makes our societyuncomfortable and intimidates and challenges patriarchy. They think,"Oh no! If my wife, prospective wife, or ANY woman finds an alternativeto my big, huge, man penis, then she won't need me." "America has forever had trouble identifying with its inner bunny? Itstime for some serious confidence building self-help exercise craze tosweep the nation. ""[It?s] the age old double standard against female sexuality being applied, especially when it shows them talking charge of it.""I feel that the reason this ad in particular is banned as opposedto the far racier images in women?s magazines is because of the idea offemale empowerment embodied by the vibrator... This woman in your ad isclearly a strong, self-reliant person who takes her pleasure into herown hands, literally.""Your ads always prominently feature vibrators and yeah women's sexualgratification is sometimes viewed with fear by mainstream America!""In our society, we are constantly bombarded with images of skinny,"perfect" women in highly sexualized positions of heterosexualinferiority, and we need more ads celebrating real-life women caught inempowering, independent sexual acts!!!"
Sexy and in Your Face
Other people applauded us for the ad's directness."I think the difference between this ad and other ads is it takes theperson and the toy and puts them together in the concrete manner forwhich they were intended. If a woman's holding a bouquet of vibratorsas if they're flowers, their impact is minimized to the scale offlowers, but this sexy-ass ad is putting the bunny with the money?Youcan't look at the ad and not make the sexy jerk-off connection.""When I first saw this ad, it immediately created in my mind the imageof the model inserting the rabbit where it would do the most good.""Since we still live in a world where sex is taboo to discuss openly,(except with best girlfriends) this ad is blatant and in-your-facewhich I could see could offend a segment of the population.""Your ad pushes the envelope; it titillates and excites; it is provocative and on the edge."
Violent, Disturbing, and Unattractive
A few felt that the "bunny-petter" came on too strong:"I love sex toys, but somehow this ad feels violent to me. Between theoutfit she's wearing, the "thrusting" angle of the toy, and the veinspopping out of her hands, it looks like she's going to hurt herselfwith the rabbit. I love a good rabbit, but I tend to have to use mine abit more delicately than this girl looks like she's going to.""My first reaction to this advert is that I thought the person was aman. Very masculine looking. I find the black leather outfitunattractive and [it] looks weird. I thought it was a sex outfit onfirst glance. I'm not into that stuff and find it distracts and is aturn off from the point of the product. The Bunny itself is a turn on,no need to say much more.""I have to be honest, there is something that somehow disturbs me aboutthis ad. Not enough, of course, to find censorship acceptable, but itjust makes me squirm a bit not just in that good way that sex toysusually do). I can't put my finger on what it is, but maybe becauseit's not a super girly person lying down in a bubble bath to enjoy aminute alone with a vibrator. This person is going to fuck some shitup."Thanks to all of you who took the time to send us your opinions!
