With 200,000 of your letters in hand, the WMC is not backing down. Join Gloria Steinem, WMC President Jehmu Greene, Shelby Knox, and special guests on Super Bowl Sunday as we continue to hold CBS the NFL accountable for their biased policy reversal in favor of Focus on the Family’s anti-choice, anti-woman, homophobic agenda.
JOCKOCRACY, WMC’s Super Bowl Sexism Watch will air Sunday, February 7, 5:30 pm – 10:30 pm, at http://bit.ly/ustreamwmc.
The multiplatform broadcast will include a play-by-play of the sexism and bias in Super Bowl ads and culture. We will be taking your questions and commentary, exposing Focus on the Family’s agenda, and discussing how to amplify women’s voices in the media and change the conversation.
Watch the show and text WOMEN to 50555 to give $10 in support of WMC’s ongoing Sexism Watch campaign.
RT @womensmediacntr Watch Jockocracy! Gloria Steinem takes on Super Bowl #sexism http://bit.ly/ustreamwmc
Peace,
Jehmu, Rebekah, Shelby
& the WMC Team
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8 Comments
I sent the msg found below to CBS today, using their e-mail format found at: http://www.cbs.com/info/user_services/fb_global_form.php.
I object to your running an anti-choice ad from the Focus on the Family organization on Super Bowl Sunday.
Over the last several years post-game surveys have revealed that Super Bowl Sunday is a day on which record levels of domestic violence against women occur. Now, you propose to worsen the situation by carrying an ad that will further undermine the standing of women in this society by restricting their family planning rights.
To my mind, your action in running this ad is a blatant example of HYPOCRISY. I know for a fact that, in the past, CBS has refused to air a pro-peace ad from Move On and, more recently, refused a United Church of Christ ad promoting tolerance toward its gay and lesbian parishioners. Just a few weeks ago, you rejected a Super Bowl ad for a gay men’s dating website called ManCrunch.
Your network has, until now, attributed your refusal to run social message such ads on Super Bowl Sunday to a reluctance to accept advertising that “touches on and/or takes a position on one side of a current controversial issue of public importance.” Now, however, we see that this claim was falsely made. Clearly, you DO sell advocacy ads, but, in deciding whose ad to run, YOU DISCRIMINATE against groups that call for social tolerance or any kind of progressive change.
I often watch your network. I have been a long time fan of “Cold Case.” I think it is a great show. However, I will no longer be watching because, clearly, you offer nothing to people like me. What is more, your acceptance of the Focus on the Family ad without any rebuttal from those with opposing viewpoints is a clear case of anti-woman bias.
CBS, I may have to live with the fact that thousands of women will suffer violence in their homes tomorrow. But I don’t have to watch and will not accept the psychological bashing of my gender on national television before millions of people.
Shame on you.
In a protest letter sent to CBS, WMC referred to Focus on the Family as “an anti-equality, anti-choice, homophobic organization.” This was in regards to an ad that WMC pre-supposes to be anti-choice. To look at issues in such a black and white manner shows a very close-minded approach. To be grateful for having made a choice to keep a child does not equate to being “anti-choice.” To favor pro-creative unions does not mean someone is “homophobic.” Protecting the rights of unborn children does not make someone anti-equality. In fact, one could assert that there is absolutely no equality in allowing a beating, human heart to stop because its right to live is trumped by another human being’s decision. Would it not follow that we should give all parents the right to kill their children at will because it is, after all, “his” or “her” life that is affected by these children that they created? Therefore, is abortion really a matter of choice and equality, or is it a scientific decision on what constitutes a living being? Surely there would not be masses of people who would consider actually killing someone they believed to be alive. So accusing people who believe, scientifically, that an embryo is a life, of being anti-equality and anti-choice only goes to show the depth of misunderstanding of another’s point of view.
To be in favor of something does not always equate to being against anything that is remotely contrary. Such a narrow-minded view is dangerous and does exactly what you warned CBS of by “aligning itself” with the upcoming Focus on Family ad. In fact, it is such narrow-minded accusations “that will damage [your] reputation, ” and “alienate” your organization.
While I respect your efforts to make women equal in the media, I prefer to celebrate our differences. I don’t see black and white or wrong and right. I see a rainbow of differences in between that makes the world beautiful. I don’t see men and women as ever being any more “equal” than apples and oranges. We are inherently different, both with strengths and weaknesses. Who wants to give up apples and oranges so we have one species of orapples? Furthermore, no amount of legislation will ever amount to perfect “equality” since such moral aspirations are born in the hearts of individuals, not in the legislative halls of society.
I watched the live stream of today’s JOCKOCRACY… enjoyed fully. But I did not see any of FOTF’s commercials… didn’t have the superbowl on… but it was on elsewhere. Asked my spouse if he saw it and he said he probably glazed over… and doesn’t remember seeing it. Good! If it didn’t appeal to him, and he zoned out on it, perhaps many others did, too. Maybe their 200 million plus dollars to run their message didn’t reach out and grab most — and they didn’t get their money’s worth.
Someone sent me the utube (E-Trade commercial) of the toddler boy (mini wall street smartie). It depicted the adorable little girl (after listening to his stock wisdom) responding in a sweet voice:
“Why didn’t you call me?”
Yes, it advances the idea that girls have shredded wheat for brains and can focus only on “relationships.” But it was funny (as are the other E-Trade with kids spots.) The 2nd little girl popping into the video at the end was plain-out hilarious. Can’t deny the creativity in these ads. And little kids just plain out make us laugh. The sexism can easily be missed, or gets buried in all the cuteness…
Now I have to go hunting for the FOTF million dollar messages/commercials. I’m sure I won’t think they’re cute. Great job today, WMC!!!
I’ve been watching the Super Bowl not only for the game, but for the commercials. When I saw that awfully misleading ad from Focus on the Family, I quickly pressed the mute button. I don’t like the message that it was sending because it encourages women to endure unhealthy unplanned pregnancies and I give it two words: IT SUCKED!
Devi,
Just want to understand.
You admit you hit the mute button as soon as the ad came on the air, yet you KNOW it was horribly misleading and encourages women to endure unhealthy pregnancy.
With the sound turned off, how do you know what the ad was for? Some Psychic Power? or Pre-determined ideas put into your head about the ads message and actual content? Hmmm.
I didnt see the Movie Avitar, but I know it was awesome! (see what Im saying?)
Mary,
I take it from your post, you did not see the ad.
Please do watch it and post exactly why you objected to it.
There was No “Anti-choice message”, there was no bashing of women or demeaning them in any way.
It was an ad about how proud She is is of her son and how the difficulties she experianced were worth it in HER mind. Is it okay for this woman to have her own opinion and CHOOSE to have a baby?.
It didnt say anything about what others should do or how they should think.
Help me see what you see.
I watched the Superbowl ad yesterday. It did not send a message to encourage women to endure unhealthy unplanned pregnancies. It was actually quite tame for all of the fuss to have it removed. I saw a mention of the ad in one of the websites which said that the Superbowl ad also advocated violence against women because Tim Tebow tackles his mom in the ad. How about press the mute button on ridiculous thought processes. One’s opinion is one’s opinion. This conversation is not about pro-choice. It’s about dictating thought processes and changing definitions to meet an agenda. There is no glass ceiling on foolishness.
Just one note, since it seems my fellow chauvinist pigs have all the other bases well-covered.
Ms. Mary claims that “Super Bowl Sunday is a day on which record levels of domestic violence against women occur,” and goes even further in implying that by running an ad pro-abortionists disagree with, the network is causing even more domestic violence.
This claim is flatly untrue. It is a lie.
http://snopes.com/crime/statistics/superbowl.asp