female factor NEWS

COFFEE CUPS AND BREASTS?

1 Jun 2012
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Coffee cups baring a pair of breasts are at the heart of the latest debate at the University of Cape Town. The cups, being used by one of the coffee shops on UCT’s Upper Campus carried the slogans ‘Got Milk?’ ‘Caution: Hot Coffee’ and ‘No Motorboating’ as part of an Axe deodorant campaign.

The breasts on the cups were covered with a bra but still offended students and, after a number of complaints, the cups have been removed. The debate was thrown into the limelight when student Olivia Watson wrote an opinion piece for the Cape Times. In her piece, she said: ‘If you allow the naked body of half of your population to be splashed across campus for all to see (and hold and laugh at) at a place where, it is claimed, all are assumed to be equal in their intellect, their capacity, their rights, their opportunities, then you have not thought.’

Responses to her complaint have been varied – some agreeing that the use of the cups is sexist and degrading to women; while others seeing nothing wrong with them. Both Unilever, the company that distributes Axe, and UCT refused to comment on the matter.

What do you think about the image used? Is it harmless tongue-in-cheek fun or symptomatic of a bigger problem? Comment below and tell us what you think!

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lungi on 6/25/2012: It's really backward!