PETA Continues Unethical Treatment of Women

Sorted under body image, sexism on August 22, 2009

PETA save the whales

PETA, as an organization who claims to be working to end the unethical treatment of animals has absolutely no problem at all treating women unethically–as we’ve known for a while now. PETA has a very extensive history of using sexist, woman-shaming, fat-shaming, racist, violent, hurtful, and downright disturbing tactics in the way they choose to present their organization and in turn, their message. And their most recent Florida billboard campaign is no different.

PETA has put out numerous ads picturing naked women with taglines like ‘I’d rather go naked than wear fur’ and most notably ‘be comfortable in your own skin.’ However, their most recently Florida billboard campaign that features a woman with “blubber” in a bikini and the tagline ’save the whales’ really drives home another message they’re trying to spread–that you should be comfortable in your own skin as long as you’re an “acceptable” society-approved size.

As if the billboard wasn’t enough, PETA’s press release for the billboard goes on to use even more fat-shaming, degrading, and insulting language:

Jacksonville, Fla. — A new PETA billboard campaign that was just launched in Jacksonville reminds people who are struggling to lose weight — and who want to have enough energy to chase a beach ball — that going vegetarian can be an effective way to shed those extra pounds that keep them from looking good in a bikini. The ad shows a woman whose “blubber” is spilling over the sides of her swimsuit bottom and features the tagline “Save the Whales. Lose the Blubber: Go Vegetarian. PETA.”

Anyone wishing to achieve a hot “beach bod” is reminded that studies show that vegetarians are, on average, about 10 to 20 pounds lighter than meat-eaters. The meat habit can ruin the fun in other ways too. Consuming meat and dairy products is conclusively linked to heart disease, diabetes, and several kinds of cancer — not to mention higher rates of infertility in women and impotence in men. And not only is following a healthy plant-based diet good for the environment, it is also the best thing that anyone can do to help stop the routine abuse of animals raised and killed for food. Animals on factory farms are subjected to mutilations like debeaking, tail-docking, and branding (without any painkillers) and are often slaughtered and dismembered while still conscious.

“Trying to hide your thunder thighs and balloon belly is no day at the beach,” says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. “PETA has a free ‘Vegetarian Starter Kit’ for people who want to lose pounds while eating as much as they like.

*emphasis mine

One grave mistake that PETA continues to make with every new campaign they launch is that they are unapologetically alienating people who are vegetarian and vegan who they could inspire to become vegetarian and vegan if they weren’t mocked, ridiculed, insulted, and objectified in every other PETA campaign. Case in point: many feminists happen to be vegetarian/vegan and if PETA wasn’t such a fan of attacking and using women, each one of those feminists could be a person who would support PETA and their organization. However, PETA has made it abundantly clear that they aren’t going to stop using misogyny, racism, and violence as a marketing tool so the Portland Feminist Action League organized a peaceful protest at the Powell’s book store in Portland when hearing news that PETA co-founder Ingrid Newkirk was doing a book signing at the location. They held signs that said things like “PETA can kiss my big fat vegetarian ass!” and “Animals for ethical treatment of women.”

Here’s a video from the protest:



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  • I think they go for shock value it DOES get peoples attention. And it is true that meat is not good for you... but I do agree that some people over-weight from an illness or something beyhond their control.
  • Peta are well known for provocative yet misjudged work.
    Great post btw !
  • danandkatie895
    Wow, PETA really takes it to extremes.

    Katie
    getting pregnant help
  • PETA's aim is not bad at all, we all know animals should be treated right too. However, this campaign speaks so much of how superficial some people may get. So what if a person' fat? What if the reason why some people are fat is not because of eating meat, but because of a disease? It's just not right to judge people based on their built...
  • riotVgrrl
    Incredibly stupid of PETA :| I agree with the PFAL: PETA can kiss my big fat vegetarian ass! If having a healthy weight means looking good in a bikini I have no idea what great diet those deathly skinny models who look 'great' in bikinis should follow 'cause they don't eat any better than us chubby girls do.
  • Hmm Im not vegetarian, but I respect people choice, this is how it should be everyone free to do what they want without judging
  • Society is built in a way that we look towards the media for some form of reassurance. Learning to love who you are. Understanding what is going on for you and confronting you fears will set you free. T
  • I think that guys in PETA are going really crazy
  • PETA has been kind of pushing the envelope lately in some of their campaigns. I'm all for animal rights, but lately, they have just been whiny and a bit pathetic in their campaigns.
  • onlinemoneymakingtip2
    nice information to be aware of and thanks for the video hey people see and be safe
  • Organizations like PETA don't make much sense to me either. What's up with a group of humans hating on other humans under the guise of protecting animals? Intelligent apes (us) = animals too, but PETA people don't see it that way in their arrogant delusions.

    The ads you posted were mean-spirited, but nothing new there. Hence why I usually ignore them completely and avoid anything with their name on it.

    "People who profess love for all animals except other people" would be an apt description of PETA. I knew a lady like this once who had a house full of animals and freaked if anyone did ANYTHING she deemed improper toward an animal, and yet she beat her kids. Guess I just don't get it. *shrugs*
  • chubby club
    I just don't see the problem with this ad. I am tired of paying sky high insurance rates because people overeat maximus. It is true that if you went veggie you would most likely shed blubber.
  • helenbest
    Thanks for awaring through your information. It's so intresting
  • Max
    Peta seems to be getting more and more aggressive.
  • jdfromoakland
    What's wrong w/ PETA??? I'm a member of PETA.

    The P.eople for the E.ating of T.asty A.nimals.

    :-)
  • Poker
    PETA had do a great job until now, and i think that they must continue with their agressive strategy even do it hardest.... With this strategy you will appear in the all press agencies
  • When a whole campaign is built on anger, people tend to walk all over anyone who stands in their way.
    PETA are angry at how animals are treated, so will do what it takes to get their message across, at all costs!
  • That old age "those who live by the sword will die by the sword" seems applicable here. PETA like other militant groups does not operate on kind words and group huddles. They have a confrontational strategy which they believe is where change will come. Yes, we've seen it being effective but one cannot help that bitter after taste either. I think issues like these get visibility because people in anger raise it to that level. I don't really know if the solution is to ignore it thus not lending gravitas to their campaign or to confront it head on and expose the hypocrisy. It's a matter who gets to control the outcome. Political spinning 101.
  • Wow.. PETA sure has been succesful at making a heck of a lot of enemies. How do they expect to grow their supporter base this way?? It just doesnt make any sense. I get what they represent and respect their lifestyle choice, but why go so far out insulting everyone and their mother to get their point across? They are no different than the terrorist groups who do anything to get their cause attention.
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