Letters to the Editor
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GoDaddy Commercials
Some GoDaddy (Web service provider) Super Bowl commercials were rejected as too salacious or exploitative, but they apparently intend to continue along the same lines. Just glancing at their blog comments, I didn't see too many feminist opinions (of course they may have been thrown out by the moderators, the CEO himself).
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Links to the calender?
You know. So I can share your outrage.
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Why does Ryanair need to advertise at all?
Aren't they the carrier that offers $25 flights and such? Seems like that kind of service sells itself without the need for cheesecake.
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Calendar girls
Ryanair is actually one of the world's most successful airlines in term of profits and meteoric growth and operates 516 routes across 26 countries. It also has an extremely brash image and has built its success on offering rock bottom fares and bringing air travel to the masses.
But not without problems. From Wikipedia:
In October 2006, Ryanair was voted the world's most disliked airline in a survey by the TripAdvisor website...
Ryanair negotiates extremely aggressive contracts with its airports, demanding very low landing and handling fees as well as financial assistance with marketing and promotional campaigns. In subsequent contract renewal negotiations, the airline plays airports off against each other, threatening to withdraw services and deploy the aircraft elsewhere if the airport does not make further concessions...
There have been at least four cases of mishandled hazardous landing approaches by Ryanair pilots between July 2004 and June 2006... (a) report said the captain failed to comply with standard operating procedures and ignored the advice of the co-pilot. Ryanair has been criticized for demanding turnaround times of 25 minutes, putting pilots under severe pressure...
So this is not your father's airline. It makes it money by shoveling drunken Brits and fighting Irish into aircraft and unloading them on the Spanish Costas where they can enjoy the booze, birds, and beaches without severely denting their unemployment checks.
As such a calendar featuring cabin crew in bikinis is probably a pretty good marketing tool (if I may be so bold as to use tht word in this forum) and the name of Ryanair will be prominently displayed in numerous car repair shops and student dorms.
No doubt those who lent their bodies to this worthy cause got some benefit from it--maybe a free weekend of extreme Pole dancing in Gdansk.
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The core problems that keep coming up
have little to do with salaciousness, showing men as well, etc.
They have to do with control and power among women.
Some women disagree with what some other women do, thinking they speak for every woman.
Those women who choose to go nekkid do so of their volition.
If men are in the next calendar over, rather than in the same calendar, that takes care of the fair play issue.
But the point is bigger in several dimensions. Men are more visual and enjoy the sight of attractive women even more than women enjoy the sight of attractive men.
Don't believe me, believe male vs female calendar sales. The market does not lie.
Also women's bodies are sexualized in ways men's bodies are not. But do not blame men for this. Women have the sell-by date. Also, men generally have to do the chasing. This means men will be primed to be attracted to those female bodies they prefer to chase.
Women can love men's bodies til kingdom come, but generally women do not chase men. GENERALLY. If they do, it is generally for other reasons like size of wallet or ability to be a charming lying snake. Neither of these make for a good calendar image.
Men are half the market for goods and services. This is why calendars like this exist.
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Sadly
Of course, no one wants to take away "women's rights to take off their clothes," . . .
Sadly, there most certainly are people who want to do just that on both the right and the left. Well, mostly on the right . . .
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@Rob Mac
Eh?
Mostly on the right? Any data or are you just being snippy?
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"Ryanair's calendar broke <b>Spanish law</b> by encouraging macho behavior and violence against women."
This kind of made me laugh. The last time I was in Spain, I was privvy to many incidents of machissmo... they might as well lock up the whole country.
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My outrage would be more
clear if I could see the pages.
If the girls are not hot, I will be outraged. However, if they are cute, my outrage will be much reduced.
Regardless of what feminists think, men still like hot babes. Odd that feminism does not trump biology, eh?
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"We are just protecting women's rights to take their clothes off."
I didn't know that right existed. I think I'll invoke it the next time I fly Ryan Air.
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I would be happier...
... if they'd also done "The Lads of Ryanair." In fact, I would probably buy that one.
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On the right? Hunnh??
No, the strident feminists who oppose biology are left-wingnuts. There are huge numbers of left wingnuts like that. The late (thank goodness) feminists Dworkin and current not late McKinnon are feminist prudes who are opposed to all men enjoying women from a distance. It amazes me. There is this anti-porno component to feminism.
Pornography has problems, but it certainly is a better outlet for men then rape.
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finding the calendar
I found the calendar quickly using a googlesearch.
Verdict: the girls are cute! They have too much on!! They would be cuter with skimpier outfits!!!
My outrage is very miniscule at this point.
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missing the larger point
The calendar broke Spanish law by encouraging "macho behavior?" Really? I'd love to see what the actual language says. But, what really surprises me is that there is no comment that the Women's Institute's argument was that the calendar would incite violence against women. It seems extremely troubling that this government group, which I would presume is there to protect women's rights, is trotting out the old and heinous "she was asking for it" canard. Women in bikinis, whether on the beach or in a picture, do not provide an excuse for violence. I find this far more troubling than whether the calendar is tasteless, unoriginal, etc.
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The pictures...
You can see the pictures on the Web site Daily Mail of November 16th, or via Google. (Funny how so many Broadsheet stories come from that source.)
They are a lot of fun. The girls have great smiles, and I particularly like the one of Miss January posing in the c*ckpit of an aircraft and Miss July demonstrating how to hold a large wrench when bent backwards over an aircraft wheel.
I would certainly feel very happy and safe to be in the hands of these professionals, whether in the cockpit or performing routine maintenance tasks.
Typically Broadsheet fails to mention that proceeds from the calendar are going to a children's charity called Angels Quest.
Mission statement:
Angels Quest seeks the provision of purpose designed respite care facilities for children and young adults with intellectual and physical disabilities. A welcoming, reliable home-from-home which gives families a much needed break, with peace of mind, from the continuous demands of caring at home for their 'angel’ with special needs.
So female Ryanair employees are doing something for disabled children.
Shame on them.