Personally, I did not find it offensive. I found it edgy and comical, but I did not feel offended.
In fact, I think it may have even been favorable to the LGBT community. I don't know about other people, but I actually like it when people make harmless jokes about my sexuality. For example, if someone asks "what is your favorite fruit," my friend might respond "Oh, it's Jason," and I would be perfectly OK with that.
Being able to joke about something means that the issue is no longer a big deal. My friends and I all make harmless gay jokes because we are all comfortable with my sexuality. Meanwhile, the word "gay" is rarely (if ever) mentioned in my home because it is too awkward to do so. I would kill for my family to be able to joke about it.
I just feel so happy when my friends and I can joke about something as serious as my sexuality. Seeing this advertisement tells me that society is becoming more comfortable with the concept of transexuality. I think previously, a super-bowl advertisement would never have dared mention it. Sure, we still have a ways to go before reaching acceptance, but I think this is a step in the right direction.
But enough about my thoughts. What do you think?
20 comments:
This ad focuses in on the deepest fears of most straight males in our society, the fear that their hetero masculinity will be questioned or stolen. Homophobia is so ingrained into our social and religious beliefs that confrontation with such situations induces panic. That panic and loathing is behind the high level of violence and murder among cross-dressing prostitutes. I think the resentment and resort to violence comes from a feeling that the transexual "has it coming" because he or she is deceiving others.
We can't avoid these situations by insisting that transexuals be less than what they are, or requiring that they label themselves with a badge as the Nazis insisted of the jews. Usually anything that causes people to confront their irrational fears is good, but I question whether this ad will cause many of a Super Bowl audience to find it funny as opposed to repellant. In that situation you have also to question the wisdom of the advertiser and its agency. Do they really think this will help their business? Its tough enough to get straights to accept gays, and, if you'll pardon the anology, sometimes acceptance requires a little more lube.
That was actually pretty amusing. But I can't understand how anyone would contemplate surgery to that degree. The sad fact is that those who undergo dramatic sex-change surgery are rarely satisfied, and continue to need therapy. My advise - don't do it!
I thought it was funny.
Some people get to sensitive and change when they find out you're gay. The other day my brother used the word poof and it didn't bother me at all but he's girlfriend got quite upset and annoyed by it.
The reason that this works is that the "lady" was so lady-like, so drop-dead gorgeous, that any guy, including myself, would have immediately admired the woman for her beauty and her fulfilling of all of the things that make up a woman. With him, you still feel it correct and natural to call him a her, even though you now know that she is a he. In fact, for the purposes of the advertisement, I would bet that the she is really a SHE, posing as a he, unless you know the facts and I do not.
You are right on when you say that "being able to joke about something means that the issue is no longer a big deal" There is a series of hitler videos on YouTube which feature a german-made movie involving the last days in the bunker for the Hitler gang. Although he speaks in german, which most people here in America do not speak, there are subtitles included, and when people change these subtitles to match the mouth-movements of the actor who plays Hitler, fun stuff ensues. (He is actually going ballistic against the army because he has found out that he has just lost the war.)
This was first introduced to me by a blog in the local paper here in Seattle with the subscript talking about the horrible record of two years ago with the Huskies losing every game it played. It was done by some college students who call themselves Cougers and funny as heck, but the paper removed it because certain straight-laced folks here were offended. Sad.
I guess you get my point.
I thought it was amusing and edgy. I can see how it'd be offensive but I doesn't feel to me that it was in any way meant to be.
@Tommy: I know exactly what you mean. Sometimes, my friends make fun of me, and people overhear and act extremely offended. Meanwhile, I am laughing and usually adding to the joke. The people who act super offended usually are less comfortable about homosexuality than my friends who joke about it are.
@Steven Lester: I assume you are talking about the subtitles on Die Untergang. I have seen so many parodies of that, and they are often hilarious. You are right when you parallel the humorous use of Hitler's last days with an advertisement depicting a transsexual.
I also found it pleasant and well done. I was not upset by it in any way although I think that there are some in the sex change area of the gay community that may.
I see both sides. But I agree with you 100% that I wish everyone could just joke around about being gay like being blond or being short. As long as the jokes are in good taste and not meant to be outwardly insulting.
I like a joke indeed.
Ryan
Didn't phase me in the least, although I think I would have laughed even harder if I hadn't suspected something right from the start (because of how you led into it). But any gay person who gets uptight about it needs to get over it and stay over it, period.
There are those who think any joke about any class of people is offensive.
I thought this was pretty funny, and I think the people who will find it most offensive are the homophobic, because you are right that laughing about something breaks the taboo.
I thought it was hilarious!
lol i laughed!
I'm inclined to disagree with the people who think this ad is harmless fun or indicative of social change. Largely because it really has no context.
While it might be seen as edgey or taboo breaking, it isn't. It's a cheap laugh at the expense of a marginalized community which is still regarded with so much disinformation, fear and violence. While some in the trans community aspire to great social change through their gender fuck. Many others have tremendous anxiety about how people deal with their identity and simply want to pass. In either case, I think this sort of joke is just tacky. Regardless of how tastefully executed it might be perceived by the average viewer, the truth is that trans people are far from accepted.
not offensive at all... i think i even literally loled
I think it is funny and think it's a good way to promote trans people as being normal after they went through the sex change
I can't believe this ad ran during a Superbowl that is amazing
I'm not sure if the comment it ligit or not but it on the video on youtoube from the the woman who played Bob
Turns it she was pure woman and the ad was only played once and millions of times on the news
its funny. i definitly agree with you with the joking part showing that people are comfortable about it. I also feel the same about the whole gay word being used at home lol
Jason
I dint thik it crossed any lones and it as ok
take care and be safe
bob
See? I thought she was a woman. I'm so smart I can barely stand myself!
As a trans person, I didn't find the ad offensive in the least. I thought it was very funny!
I thought it was stupid !!!
I'm gay; was not offended by the trans content at all....But:
Why would Holiday Inn use that stuff to book hotel rooms?
Oh..yeah...Republican politicians have more money !!!
That ad must have focused on Republican politicians and tele-evangelists: all who have money to spend at Holiday Inn !!!
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