"Baltimore Feminists Prank Victoria’s Secret — And Spark an Internet Revolution"

[WilliamPitt]

The writer of this story describes the group responsible as "radical feminists," which pisses me off to no end - cuz fighting rape is, like, so totally out there - but try to get past that moment of Derp to the actual story, and the interview that makes up the core of this story. Great stuff. - WRP

Baltimore Feminists Prank Victoria’s Secret — And Spark an Internet Revolution
Rachel Monroe
Baltimore Fishbowl

Monday, Dec 10, 2012 11:58am

Last week, the internet was shocked and pleased to learn that Victoria’s Secret had launched a new line of consent-themed underwear. Instead of a thong reading “SURE THING,” these panties said things like “NO MEANS NO” and “ASK FIRST.” Even more exciting, they were modeled by a beaming curvy woman of color. “I’m the first person to go on a tirade about how much I hate VS, but this is awesome,” wrote one blogger — a sentiment that echoed throughout the Tumblr/Facebook/Twitter-sphere. Pretty shortly, though, the campaign was revealed as a sophisticated hoax perpetrated by a group of radical Baltimore feminists. BFB asked Baltimore residents Hannah Brancato and Rebecca Nagle about their intentions, future plans — and the angry reaction from Victoria’s Secret:

(this interview has been edited and condensed)

How did the idea come about, and how did you go about executing it?

Upsetting Rape Culture actually started as an art exhibition in Baltimore in 2010. After we did that, we wanted to keep working, so the next thing we did is we made a line of underwear called “Consent Is Sexy.” We came up with this three-pack of underwear with a set of “No” underwear, “Yes” underwear and “Maybe” underwear, which we thought was a cute way of wearing what you were in the mood for. About a month later, Victoria’s Secret came out with this underwear that said “Yes, No, Maybe,” but it was all on the same underwear. Instead of saying yes, no or maybe – and “I get to decide about what happens to my body” — it’s like, yes, no, maybe, I don’t know.

So instead of “No” being a way for young women to set a boundary, it is a way for them to flirt, which I think is part of this understanding we have in our culture that creates and perpetuates rape. So we were like, wow, this is crazy problematic. So the idea started to do a knock-off of Victoria’s Secret PINK line and we decided to time it with the fashion show. Social media was the way to go, since as individuals, this was our best shot at creating a large impact and reaching a lot of people.

We worked with an amazing web designer named Dan Staples, fantastic photographer Philip Laubner (who also shot the YES consent is sexy line), a fabulous group of models who support consent and the project, two stylists named Michelle Faulkner and Darian Gavin, and a few amazing volunteers. In addition, we recruited a group of about 100 people who were in on the prank and helped us spread the word using Twitter, Tumbler, and Facebook. This was absolutely a group effort!

The rest: http://www.baltimorefishbowl.com/stories/baltimore-feminists-prank-victorias-secret-and-spark-an-internet-revolution/

[seabeyond]

1. VS use to be a woman focused company. empowering to women. they sold out in the 90's

and became a company for the men to address the women.

in the past VS use to embrace women, talk to women, empower women.

they shifted to the men. here men, ... see these women, now, go give this to your women so you too can have one of these

instead of .... women, be sexy, enjoy, have fun.

i stopped buying VS a decade ago.

[Coyotl]

2. Pink Nation

The web site is back up here:

http://pinklovesconsent.com/pink/pink.victoriassecret.com/about_pink_nation.html

[In_The_Wind]

3. Ask first!

Kicking it [img][/img]
Put an end to Rape!

[CrispyQ]

4. "No Vagina is a sure thing! Ask first!"

THE PROBLEM:
Do we even need to say it? Printing the slogan "sure thing" literally over women's vaginas sends the wrong message. In what situation in life is a vagina treated like a sure thing? We can think of one: rape.


THE SOLUTION:
No vagina is a sure thing. It doesn't matter if that person slow-danced with you all night long, if that woman is your girlfriend, if that man is in your bed, if your date is drunk. We believe that in every situation, every time, everyone gets to decide what happens to their body. Don't treat people like a "sure thing." Ask first.

=====
Outstanding campaign!

[WilliamPitt]

5. Up

[GiaGiovanni]

6. My friend emailed me this story today

Way to go Baltimore feminists!

(I'd buy that underwear, BTW. )