come on people. even if it is sex related who gives a shit. i hear that abercrombe & fitch (however it's spelled) uses sexual images of males....so what.

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I was annoyed by the response to that protest (they will learn, I predict - and soon) but watch the Carlin bit from the 60s 0r 70s about that: "'Should A gentleman offer a Tiparillo to a lady?' - then the train zooms into a tunnel. You don't have to be Sigmund Freud to figure THAT one out!"

Sex sells. Get a clue.

Sexy women sell to other women almost as much as men.

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Is it the ad that is obessed with sex or the viewer of the ad.

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My wife always always lies prone on a bullseye whenever she tries on winter clothing.

Should I be worried?

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I have a feeling, based on the comments above, that Alternet readers are not your target audience...

Maybe you'll have better luck on http://www.whogivesashit.com

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This is about using violence against women to sell things. If you don't care about it, then why did you read it? and why are you taking the time to post a comment? Why does it bother you so much that other people might be offended by this? Just because it might not seem to effect you doesn't mean that it's harmless. If you walked around your whole life knowing you're a target for rape, then seeing this violent metaphor used in an ad for Target might bother you. These companies will keep pushing to see what we'll tolerate, it's up to us to tell them we don't want this kind of stuff.

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Interesting--the problem of course is the violent subtext of the ad, not just the sex part. But to Alternet misogynistic commenters, it's all about sex. Because violence is inherent in sexual imagery?

The women here are commenting on what it means to be sexual prey their whole lives (hint: men you have no freaking clue and you never will this side of prison.)Instead of listening, you say "yawn who cares". Your sisters, wives, mothers, girlfriends and yes even your grandmothers care.

Learn empathy, apes, if you want to keep evolving. Demonizing your child-bearing females is a bizarre condition unique to humans, and is an evolutionary deadend.

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and I'm trying to figure out why this is so "offensive". I'm more than certain that neither the photographer nor the model had any idea that the "target" was placed in a rather interesting place. Does it automatically signify violence against women? To me it does not, though I can see why some would think so. On the flip side, something like this tends to over-trivialize REAL violence against women and does not help to make our case.

Then again, would this ad be as offensive if the woman in question were black or brown or asian? Just curious.

What I am bothered by is the company's response to your complaint, which could have been handled better. Target should know better about negative press considering the flak they got over not carrying Plan-B.

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If you are a mother as well as a woman, you should have known this one already.
My first thought was exactly the same as Doubtom (a man?),(but without the creepy uncle).
This is fluff, not worth the attention that you have brought it.

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that way instead of on her belly. (anybody getting any visuals?)..yes you all did! LOL

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at the moment they come into this world in the form of an old, worn out, Abrahamic practice called circumcision. Where's all the gnashing of teeth and beating of breast on AlterNet about that ongoing (mal)practice?

I'm glad at least someone is fighting it,even if it will go by largely unnoticed...

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It is good to know that the struggle for gender equality has come so far that we can focus on tedious minutiae like this. Get a life.

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Their advertising slogan is a target symbol, hence the brand name Target.

It would look odd and asymmetrical to have the person in the ad standing laying half to the side of the symbol or half below or above the symbol.

The author is projecting all over the place.

Some of the commentators talking about male misogyny on Alternet have got to be high.

This is one of the most progressive, least misogynistic web sites out there and as a male to be called apes and misogynistic is down right insulting.

It's just an ad featuring the red and white corporate colors, their brand symbol, and a youthful smiling face.

Go seek some therapy.

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I'm a man and I find it offensive!

I find that it trivializes rape and violence against women. Talk to someone who has been raped or otherwise battered. What do you think her opinion of this ad will be?

Still think it is harmless if it were your daughter in the ad? I don't...

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I find offensive -- it's the whole idea of a human being splayed across a target. Sick!

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Sure, sexist imagery is a commonplace. So let's just demand equal objectification of males, and vote with our wallets. Once doe-eyed males with muffin tin ab muscles, iron pecs and coke-bottle hard-ons are ubiquitous, we can relax. This ad inspired me to send the following:
************************************
Dear Sir or Ma'am:
>
I write in response to the Target ad with a young woman spread eagle in ski garb atop a Target logo. Before I make a suggestion, let me say that I enjoy your ads. I shop at Target. It is just because you have such a 'hip' and 'urban' image that I feel confident that I can make the following suggestion in the interest of fairness.
>
> At least half your shoppers are female. How about an ad that puts boys' bodies on a bullseye? Perhaps a ring toss around a notable woody? This would incorporate the 'Target' theme and logo nicely. It could be a striking graphic: a milk-pale lanky lad, perhaps a redhead, nicely trimmed, red rings frisbee-tossed towards their destination. Red sunset, Weber grill, white picket fence in the background, chirping cardinal on the fence, red-and-white checked tablecloth on a picnic table, hot dogs(!) and cherry pie out for a patriotic lunch. A veritable cavalcade of stylish Americana.
>
In fact, I won't buy another 'Merona' top until I see a male in the rings.

Thank you.
>
Yours truly,

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Men see a picture of a cute girl.

Women see a thin girl in a cute outfit that might look cute on them and/or make them look thin.

Feminists see all of womanhood nailed to a target against her will, while men shoot phallic arrows of violence at them.

The feminists' biggest error is to assume that men can think of two things at the same time.

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Her hips are at the center of her body. How else would she be placed and still achieve a balanced geometry? Some of us think Da Vinci rather than Mitchell Bros, but for those who saw a unwanted sexual invitation in the pose, placing the universal 'no' symbol over her crotch might have been a sensitive
move. ;)

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People here seem to indicate it's aimed at men somehow. But whenever I go into Target, it's filled by and large with women. So , even if we assume the target/hips intent, is the ad about rape or is it some more subtle sexual message for women? How about: "Open yourselves up, girls, let your inhibitions go and run wild at Target"?

I mean, are men buying Teen magazine and Cosmo? Perhaps men objectifying women isn't the most heinous element of society. Perhaps it's women objectifying themselves to complete the equation.

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Is all of this discussion for real?? Looks to me like she is making a snow angel. Someone took their Women's Studies classes a bit too seriously--not everything featuring women is an attack!

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Not to mention that the bull's eye is not "between" her legs as the title of the post indicates, but is instead behind her entire body.

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In contrast to this photograph, on fashion magazine covers, the depiction of women as primarily sexual objects literally screams off the cover. "What men really think of that flashy new swimsuit", etc. etc.

Fashion magazines contain blatant depictions of women in clothing whose only purpose is to super-sexualize women, while in fact every photograph is literally manipulated by Photoshop to enhance this sexualization. The photographs routinely include women in blatant and explicit postures that highlight the breasts and hips more severely than this Target ad has done.

In these magazines, too, there is a facade that the women are exhibiting freedom and character.

Like fashion magazine photographs, though, this Target ad, in my opinion, is also hollow and devoid of content, touched up and, in the context of being an ad for a corporation that destroys local communities, not really a picture of a woman being free-spirited. But if anyone were to claim that this Target ad is misogyinistic while fashion magazines are not, I would not take seriously their opinion on this.

Dan Nissenbaum

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OMG!!!! You’re right!!! I see it now!!! HOLY CRAP! I hope you’re proud of yourself! You have now guttered MY mind trying to prove a damn point!

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Apparently I must be the most naive, non-misogynistic, non-sexual guy on the planet.

Cuz when I looked at that ad, I saw a girl making a pretend snow angel.

You all have dirty minds and are placing sex where it isn't previously, just so that you can get your own dander up.

If that were a swimsuit, not snow gear, it would be different.

But it isn't.

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