Air New Zealand has recently released a new in-flight safety video for flights within the Pacific. It features several young, attractive women demonstrating safety procedures in the setting of a Pacific island paradise while wearing bikinis.
Of course this has been met by howls of protests from all the usual suspects. Here is one example of news presenter Hilary Barry going as far as saying that she is "incensed" by the video.
Even while trying to discard all my faculties of logic and watching this from the perspective of a feminist, I could see absolutely nothing that sexualises or demeans women. At no point are they shown in a sexual context. The only problem these feminists seem to have is that they are attractive and are wearing bikinis, which is pretty standard clothing for most women on the beach. It's not as it they were wearing thongs and rubbing lotions onto each others' arses. Just a bunch of women enjoying themselves on a tropical paradise like anyone would love to do. In fact the only place where there is sexual objectification occurs at 2:25 when Christy Brinkly implies that she is enjoying the view of the buff and obviously dim-witted pool boy.
This is obviously another dumb complaint from women who have long since hit the wall and based purely on jealousy. I have yet to come across one girl in her twenties who finds this in any way offensive. There is nothing wrong with using attractive actors in videos that are the face of a company. And since it was filmed on a tropical island, it probably makes more sense to have them in bikinis than, say, track suits.
I have generally avoided Air New Zealand in the past since compared to Asian carriers they are more expensive and the service isn't as good. But I might have to reconsider.
Of course this has been met by howls of protests from all the usual suspects. Here is one example of news presenter Hilary Barry going as far as saying that she is "incensed" by the video.
Quote:Quote:
"I'm incensed. I'm absolutely incensed by the safety video.
"I think it's highly inappropriate, sexualised, objectifies women, demeaning, it's just appalling.
"They should truly, cut their losses, take it down immediately," she said.
Even while trying to discard all my faculties of logic and watching this from the perspective of a feminist, I could see absolutely nothing that sexualises or demeans women. At no point are they shown in a sexual context. The only problem these feminists seem to have is that they are attractive and are wearing bikinis, which is pretty standard clothing for most women on the beach. It's not as it they were wearing thongs and rubbing lotions onto each others' arses. Just a bunch of women enjoying themselves on a tropical paradise like anyone would love to do. In fact the only place where there is sexual objectification occurs at 2:25 when Christy Brinkly implies that she is enjoying the view of the buff and obviously dim-witted pool boy.
This is obviously another dumb complaint from women who have long since hit the wall and based purely on jealousy. I have yet to come across one girl in her twenties who finds this in any way offensive. There is nothing wrong with using attractive actors in videos that are the face of a company. And since it was filmed on a tropical island, it probably makes more sense to have them in bikinis than, say, track suits.
I have generally avoided Air New Zealand in the past since compared to Asian carriers they are more expensive and the service isn't as good. But I might have to reconsider.