Gisele Bündchen, 2 Other 'Get A Mac' Ads Spotted

[WikiChick]

Sadly, the "new approach" you mention is just that: Political correctness often overrides the fact that people should be able to laugh at themselves.

I'm sorry; the above poster is right...if you can't even laugh at yourself, then just give up and go home. This advert hurts nobody.

I read this post and felt motivated to register just to reply to you!

As a transwoman who often sees portrayals of her community that represent transpeople as parodies just like the Apple ad being shown here, I definitely feel hurt and upset that Apple has decided to lower their respect for gender variant people by putting one forward as an inferior version of a girl.

Portrayals of transpeople in the media like this one sabotage the ability of society to hold a fair discourse, and in light of the fact that I am very much at the mercy of society's whims, I don't think it's very fair of you at all to tell me that this doesn't hurt me.

 

[Juan Lars]

And your post proves something the comedian Lewis Black said. "When you lose the ability to laugh at yourself, you're done".

What exactly does this has to do with laughing at one's self?

This isn't an in-joke. This is straight people laughing at GLBT people. A heterosexual laughing at a trans person doesn't entail laughing at themself, it entails laughing at an other.

I can laugh at myself. I don't want to be laughed at by ignorant straight people. Is that so much to ask?

And not because you're gay, but because you are one of the many people today so entrenched in the victimology of one aspect of your life as to feel a compulsive need to subject every experience to judgement based to some supposed moral superiority conferred by your "victim" status.

I've almost died due to homophobia, let alone any number of other incidents. That isn't "victimology" or "moral superiority" - it's called real life. I know first-hand what negative portrayals of gay/trans people means to my, and other GLBT people, livelihood and ability to life safely. These aren't theoretical concepts for me like they may be for you.

You're very lucky that you, and Maxiseller, don't have the personal experience and can write this off as "political correctness" or "victim status." But WikiChick, myself and I'm sure many others are entitled to feel hurt and offended by this on the basis of our everyday lives and not have it qualified or written off in such a manner.

 

[AidenShaw]

This isn't an in-joke. This is straight people laughing at GLBT people. A heterosexual laughing at a trans person doesn't entail laughing at themself, it entails laughing at an other.

And apparently Apple realized that the ads were too offensive to be shown on television.

It's just too bad that they didn't realize that they are too offensive to be shown - period. They should fire the people who authorized them to be filmed, and also the people who decided to show them in the stores.

I hope that this means that the Lord God Jobs hasn't been paying enough attention to the marketing/advertising people - and not that His Vegan-ness is stooping to crass exploitation to sell boxes....

 

[AidenShaw]

This isn't an in-joke.

If you're not an African-American, please describe some situations where you can use the word "******" in a joke....

The fact that it might be used by some blacks in an "in-joke" fashion, doesn't mean that anyone can use it without the risk of offending.

Apple has crossed a line with this ad - I hope that the GLBT community nails them for it. Completely unacceptable, especially for a company that tries to portray itself as progressive. (Although this, coupled with the Green Peace story, makes one wonder if Apple is putting up a facade of progressiveness.)

OMG - SJ is a neocon

 

[AidenShaw]

If you're not an African-American, please describe some situations where you can use the word "******" in a joke....

Hmmm, that six-letter word was too strong for the forum. Good.

 

[steviem]

I can laugh at myself. I don't want to be laughed at by ignorant straight people. Is that so much to ask?

Thanks for branding straight people as ignorant

By the way - I'm straight and white - when I got attacked for being white (you know - an easy target apparently) and went to the police, they wouldn't take it seriously for being racially motivated. It seems if your not a member of a minority you don't get affected by racism or even heterophobia, which I believe is just completely wrong.

 

[SPUY767]

That is a freaking riot!

 

[SPUY767]

Penguins are reptiles!

Thanks for branding straight people as ignorant

By the way - I'm straight and white - when I got attacked for being white (you know - an easy target apparently) and went to the police, they wouldn't take it seriously for being racially motivated. It seems if your not a member of a minority you don't get affected by racism or even heterophobia, which I believe is just completely wrong.

Amen - lefties have us so afraid of offending that it's come full circle and we're now experiencing some twisted form of reverse racism. I used to work in a largely Asian area of the city. I was treated as a substandard citizen daily because I was a roundeye. If we are so blind to see that the hammer swings both ways then I feel a great deal of dread for where we as a society are headed.

 

[Lau]

<removed>

Wow. Ignorant post of the year...

For starters, there's a difference between transvestites who perform on stage, and those who do it for all sorts of other reasons, sometimes in private, sometimes in public, and not for a 'spectacle' either.

As for your comment about transexuals, that's just hugely offensive, and totally ill informed at best.

 

[SPUY767]

Wow. Ignorant post of the year...

For starters, there's a difference between transvestites who perform on stage, and those who do it for all sorts of other reasons, sometimes in private, sometimes in public, and not for a 'spectacle' either.

As for your comment about transexuals, that's just hugely offensive, and totally ill informed at best.

Nobody said I was here to impress anyone. Flame bait is good to get the blood flowing this early in the morning.

I have nearly been killed on two occasions merely because I am white and driving a nice car on the wrong street. Negative stereotypes are all too often perpetuated by those who claim to be hurt by them. The new standard, I'm sad to say, is the double standard.

BTW, this thread is bound to get too racy and is on the fast-track to closure.

After watching Fox News, they have another picture of an Iraqi militant who has been killed. Is it just me, or does every single one of these guys look like ron jeremy after a bad bar fight?

 

[Lau]

Nobody said I was here to impress anyone. Flame bait is good to get the blood flowing this early in the morning.

I have nearly been killed on two occasions merely because I am white and driving a nice car on the wrong street. Negative stereotypes are all too often perpetuated by those who claim to be hurt by them. The new standard, I'm sad to say, is the double standard.

BTW, this thread is bound to get too racy and is on the fast-track to closure.

I agree with you that racism and discrimination towards anyone is wrong, whether they're the minority or majority. But I don't see in any way how that makes it okay for you to say <your previous post>.

 

[SPUY767]

I agree with you that racism and discrimination towards anyone is wrong, whether they're the minority or majority. But I don't see in any way how that makes it okay for you to say that "trannies are funny" and that transexuals are "kind of sad and a bit creepy".

Agreed, it ended up being kind of a train wreck of a post.

 

[Lau]

Agreed, it ended up being kind of a train wreck of a post.

As you removed and regretted your post, I've edited mine.

 

[SPUY767]

I was hoping you'd re-quote the "Penguins are reptiles" bit as the "ignorant post of the year"

 

[Lau]

I was hoping you'd re-quote the "Penguins are reptiles" bit as the "ignorant post of the year"

Now that is ignorant.

 

[Queso]

I've got to say, if Apple honestly think this tactic is going to impress anyone they ought to change whoever is in charge of their television marketing.

Whether some of the "white straight guys" on the forum like it or not, that ad is offensive in a way I don't expect from Apple. Although the idea of a fake copy with regards to the home movie is a good one, it is not acceptable to use either transgendered or transvestite people to illustrate it as if they are fake copies themselves. Apple may as well have illustrated the point with The Black and White Minstrel Show, yet somehow that wasn't deemed "humourous" or acceptable, and it doesn't take much thought to work out why.

I never thought I'd get this angry about an Apple ad, yet the more I think about it, the more I'm disgusted that this wasn't canned within seconds of it being thought up, let alone that it was filmed and is now being shown in stores.

 

[SPUY767]

I've got to say, if Apple honestly think this tactic is going to impress anyone they ought to change whoever is in charge of their television marketing.

Whether some of the "white straight guys" on the forum like it or not, that ad is offensive in a way I don't expect from Apple. Although the idea of a fake copy with regards to the home movie is a good one, it is not acceptable to use either transgendered or transvestite people to illustrate it as if they are fake copies themselves. Apple may as well have illustrated the point with The Black and White Minstrel Show, yet somehow that wasn't deemed "humourous" or acceptable, and it doesn't take much thought to work out why.

I never thought I'd get this angry about an Apple ad, yet the more I think about it, the more I'm disgusted that this wasn't canned within seconds of it being thought up, let alone that it was filmed and is now being shown in stores.

In the end, I think people are getting too worked up over it.

 

[Queso]

In the end, I think people are getting too worked up over it.

You are entitled to your opinion. But if I and others (including other posters here) are offended by this ad, how can you argue that it isn't offensive?

I expect better from Apple.

 

[WikiChick]

In the end, I think people are getting too worked up over it.

Well, as the person I guess who sort of started at least the "This hurts me" end of things on this, I think I can say that I feel that it's offensive and wrong, but the overreaction going on is a bit much, too.

From my perspective, the sad truth about things is that people don't even think of this stuff before they say it, make it, put it on TV or whatever. If I/we got enraged and all every time it happened, I/the community would never enjoy an afternoon. On the other hand, if people like myself don't stand up and say that we think that these things are wrong, then we become invisible and there's no challenge to the status quo -- There's no reason for anyone to change if no one complains, and sometimes it's even in little forums like this that someone's opinion or mind can be made to think about the issues. So in that respect, I feel glad that I wrote my post.

To me, it's like... if the only portrayal of the straight, white community that anyone ever saw was Larry The Cable Guy, then it might start to feel a little grating that people couldn't get it right, you know?

 

[MentalFabric]

I was wondering when this was going to get on to the 'is this ad a hate crime' discussion
It does annoy me how they always get the biggest ugliest hairiest guy to play that man in a dress (and i hate having a specific word for one, what about women in trousers?)
if you were that ugly in a dress you'd probably avoid it!
I'm a straight guy who likes the way he looks in dresses (check the photos on my website - maybe you'd think i was a woman if i hadn't mentioned it! and i look really quite masculine half the time, ninjutsu does that to you) and though i'd defend to the death apple's right to put out this ad, i don't like it one little bit.
I think we should all try to remain civil with this, we all have the right to our own opinions! I don't understand the PoV of people who dislike men wearing dresses, and they probably don't understand me, so as far as relations between us go that should be the end of it!

REMEMBER:

This land is made of love and peace!

Xx

 

[Foxglove9]

It does annoy me how they always get the biggest ugliest hairiest guy to play that man in a dress (and i hate having a specific word for one, what about women in trousers?)

I think it's because the idea of a guy looking like an attractive woman makes some people uncomfortable for whatever reasons. Where as an ugly dude, wearing a dress is easy to swallow and something to laugh at.

BTW..like your gothic lolita look

 

[MentalFabric]

I think it's because the idea of a guy looking like an attractive woman makes some people uncomfortable for whatever reasons. Where as an ugly dude, wearing a dress is easy to swallow and something to laugh at.

BTW..like your gothic lolita look

I completely agree
unfortunately since that photo was taken i'm no longer the size of a japanese girl - as i've advanced somewhat in ninjutsu i've put on a lot of muscle… i ripped the shoulders of that dress doing a flip!
That doesn't stop me wearing skirts that complement me nicely though!


Xx

 

[hugeipod]

"A unkempt cross-dresser stands with "the PC" while Gisele Bündchen stands with "the Mac" (symbolizing the design of the computers?)"

it symbolises that the pc is a cheap imitation of the mac.

 

[monke]

I loved the 'Get a Mac' ads, and can't wait to see them.

Listening to the radio the other day (actually just channel changing) when upon I hear one of the broadcasters say 'Touche', the other one replies 'I don't think you used that right', then they mentioned something about it being in a commercial.

 

[polyesterlester]

I think there's a difference between a guy in a dress, and a transsexual. Imagine if they used an overweight woman instead of the facial haired guy in a dress! This seems much more lighthearted than if they'd used a large woman. I'm not saying it's okay to poke fun at transgendered people, I'm just saying that I don't see their particular portrayal as offensive. I mean, the guy looks like a construction worker. I don't mean to say that it's in particularly good taste (I haven't seen it yet - we don't have any Apple stores in Alaska yet), but certainly not offensive.

Now, if they used a real transvestite - someone who at least looks like they take their lifestyle a little more seriously, and didn't just slap on a dress for a few minutes - then it'd be way offensive.