When We Asked for Equality, This Wasn’t What We Meant
Order Up! A muted crunch, less finger licking goodness, and female friendly packaging. What could this possibly be?
Why of course, the newly revealed product idea from the brilliant minds of PepsiCo: Doritos for Women. Doritos for Women was announced by PepsiCo chief executive officer, Indra Nooyi, who alleges that this product is necessary as women eat the chips differently than men. Unlike the male population, who the Doritos were previously solely marketed towards, women “don’t like to crunch too loudly in public,” and they “don’t lick their fingers generously” or “pour the little broken pieces and flavor into their mouth.” PepsiCo was even proactive in the idea for design and packaging of the snack by altering it to fit inside a woman’s purse because “women love to carry a snack in their purse.” Whether a lady is out grocery shopping, on a break from her secretarial job, has just put the kids down for a nap, or finished cleaning the house, she will always have a perfectly sized snack waiting for her in her purse. Thanks to this brave and gracious company president, after countless years of waiting, women will finally receive the snack food and equality they have been demanding.
However, PepsiCo is by no means a pioneer in creation female friendly products. In 2012, the pen company BIC also realized the need and demand for products designed specifically for women. For too long, women have suffered the discomfort and displeasure of using writing instruments designed for a robust, male hand. BIC swiftly answered the deafening cry of the female population and saved the day by releasing “BIC for Her” pens designed with a “thin barrel to fit a woman’s hand.” The pens come in both lady colours, pink and purple, so as not to be confused with male pens. They are also over double the price of a regular pack of BIC pens as a further way to ensure that consumers don’t confuse them for regular standard pens. Got to love that awesome “female tax.” Isn’t it refreshing to see that BIC and PepsiCo are taking significant steps towards paving the way for gender equality?
Products like the ones mentioned above, generate scrutiny and backlash due to their destructive effect on promoting gender equality. These products blatantly emphasize and support old-fashioned stereotypes and gender roles. These products belittle women and show that gender roles are still deeply embedded in our society. The truly tragic part is that some of these companies that create these sexist products are actually lead by powerful women. Having these women in power is one step towards equality yet the production and distribution of these products is two steps back.
Women have consistently called for a closing of the wage gap, an end to sexual assault and harassment, and to be treated as equals. Instead, we have received chips we can eat quietly, and overpriced pens with floral designs, as well as other products marketed towards females that have a price tag usually double the male equivalent. It feels as though these companies and society as a whole, have slammed a giant door in our faces. It is time we say that we are tired of them taking advantage of us; we will no longer fund their greed, and we do not want their unnecessary, stereotyped products. We have worked too hard to let them take away our equality. To PepsiCo and their Doritos for women, we say “take this back to the kitchen because this is not what we ordered.”