Earlier this week, you may have heard about the outrage that occurred in response to Gillette's commercial about toxic masculinity. Razor users flipped out, flushed their blades, and proclaimed that they wanted nothing more to do with the company (which sort of proved their point, in a way).
But if you thought that was bad, just wait until you see the mess that is PETA's advert:
In order to make a statement on "traditional" masculinity, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals decided to make a 67-second commercial showing a bunch of guys hip-thrusting while kitted out with phallic fruits and vegetables. The message of this bizarre stunt? "The secret to male sexual stamina is veggies."
In a linked article, the organisation stated that "Men who eat steak, hotdogs, and hamburgers, thinking that it makes them 'real men,' are eating themselves to an early grave."
They continued: "As the APA points out, men in general eat fewer fruits and vegetables than women do. American men also consume 57 per cent more meat than women do. Yet it’s no secret that meat consumption has been linked to an increased risk of suffering from numerous health problems, including heart disease, obesity, cancer, strokes, and diabetes. Men have a higher risk for every one of these. Did we mention the link between eating meat and erectile dysfunction? So much for proving your 'manhood.'"
Predictably, though, a lot of people weren't buying it.
Many people were unimpressed by the obtuse sexualisation of vegetables, while others were just baffled by how ridiculous the whole thing was.
"@peta This is why we mock you," said one person.
"This is idiotic," said another. "Stop tying Vegan to Masculinity or other complex topics. PETA’s toxic narratives is killing the planet more than anything else. And I don’t eat meat or seafood - Vegetarian..."
Ultimately, the whole message was quite confusing. PETA wants to put a stop to the "traditional" masculinity that encourages eating meat, but chooses to do so by portraying a bunch of dudes swinging their genitalia around in an over-sexualised way - something that is probably considered by many to be a huge part of the very problem they're trying to discourage.
The meaning behind the advert is important: meat-eating is linked to a huge number of illnesses and conditions that disproportionately affect men more than women; therefore, if men ate less meat, they will lower their chances of being impacted by these problems. Somehow, though, showing a tennis player jumping around with a carrot dangling between his legs doesn't really get that point across.
So, fellas, if you want to get a bit healthier, maybe consider cutting down on meat. Oh, and for the sake of your sanity, maybe avoid the weird propaganda that PETA often puts out. Sincerely, a vegan who thinks this commercial is utterly ridiculous.
