I agree that there's a lot more out there to get worked up over. I agree that focusing on only the trivial things won't make a difference. I'm not trying to focus on this. I just think that it would be an easy thing to change, an easy thing to get rid of, so that we're not propagating age-old objectification through even the smallest of means. Just because it's small doesn't mean we should simply disregard it as a joke, as something that couldn't possibly be offensive or degrading. I'm not crying over how offended I am, but I think it would be easy enough to replace this banner with something more appropriate.

We have done that around here, a lot. Just look at the Eden T shirt design threads.

And the Top 20 thread actually has a shirt that says, "I don't need a man, I have batteries". In fact, the majority of the designs on there are talking about vibrators being a girl's best friend (the rabbit one, my fave!) and save a horse ride a rabbit, etc.

This community is very tight knit and positive on sex, and that includes joking around. The men I know on here would in no way shape or form objectify us, and they in fact objectify themselves in the silly comments that they make.

It's sad to me it would even be created, but at the same time, it's the world we live in, I guess. women are just parts and pieces in any other ad you see.

That's not the case at all. It's meant to be witty. I like how there is a double standard. It's fine for a woman to say "I'm going to spend the night with BOB instead of my man because BOB knows how to get me off" in reference to a "battery operated boyfriend." It's also fine for women to objectify men and compare their anatomy to dildos available, but the second men get to take a dig at women in a joking manner people get offended. It's A POCKET PUSSY. If any man takes that as a serious negative remark against a woman and really feels that women are "just parts and pieces" then they are wrong. The banner is in no way, shape, or form encouraging men to feel that way.

There are a ton of other banners to choose from. If you don't like it, choose another from the many that are provided.

I agree with @VC about men seeing women as parts and pieces. I also agree with P'Gell and we choose what we're offended by. I'm going to take it one step further and say:

If you take offense to a silly ad about a pocket pussy (which, in my mind, is no less graphic or potentially 'offensive' as dildos), then it's on you. You know you're more than 'parts and pieces,' and you wouldn't choose to be with anyone who saw you as anything more than 'parts and pieces,' right? So if you don't see yourself as parts and pieces and your partner doesn't see you that way either, what difference does it make if other people make jokes about it or even believe it? All that should matter is how you see yourself and how your partner sees you (and vice versa).

<--hasn't had coffee yet and hopes that made some kind of semblance of sense.

I was going to mention something about this.

I feel there's some serious sexism going on in here.

Every single damn time a woman buys a dildo, she's purchasing man bits. She's not buying a face, or a body. She wants a cock. Just look at the amount of dildos molded after real men (ie. women objectifying those men in making the purchase) and I assure you, there's a hell of a lot more of that going on than the occasional fleshlight.

And let's not even get started on the objectification involved in purchasing/watching porn by either gender. It happens, and it's relatively natural.
Humans do that. It's part of our animal breeding instinct whether we admit it or not.

I think it's ironic that nobody complains when people make jokes about male objectification, but there's an uproar when it's the other way around.

Oh well.
Not trying to wage war, but yeah. Kind of irritates me.

This. Exactly. You said what I just said.

THANK YOU.

I don't believe either men or women are objectified by the use of sex toys. The banner was a joke, as were the T Shirts. (FTR, I didn't vote for any of the shirts in question.)

When someone lets a sex toy "offend" them or thinks it's going to "replace" them, they have serious self esteem issues. I am secure in my femininity, so both the banner and/or the issue of My Man using a pocket pussy wouldn't bother me. For him, he is secure in his masculinity and my need for sex toys doesn't cause issues with his self esteem nor his feelings about his sexual prowess. He knows he's good, he also knows I need a sex toy, along with his efforts to get all the way to climax. He sees it as a tool, not a replacement. The last thing in the world he would think is that he was being replaced. He is simply too secure for that type of thinking.

I think this whole thing is a tempest in a teapot.

I'm also SO over Second Wave Feminist notions that I can't allow things like this to bother me in the least. I have more important things to worry about.

While there are a LOT of dildos molded after real men, there are more dildos out there that aren't than that are. When I make a dildo purchase I buy something that's not natural. I don't purchase them because I "want a cock" either. I purchased the glittery Mistress dildo because I wanted a disco stick like Lady Gaga. Seriously, though, it's not about objectification. Objectification happens when you're with your partner of choice because you see him/her as a trophy...or your partner uses you as furniture and tells you to shut up and take it (I enjoy it. Don't judge me )

Sex toys were never meant to objectify or replace anyone, like P'Gell said. If someone uses toys to replace you then you've got some relationship issues you need to iron out.

And on a side note: I hate porn, but I don't hate it for any objectification. I hate how fake and unrealistic it usually is along with bad boob jobs and obnoxiously huge cocks. I've seen some BAAAD porn.

Oh, and another thing about porn is that most people watch porn to get aroused. I haven't met anyone that goes "I'm going to sit down and watch other people be objectified to get my rocks off." Most of the time people use it to get aroused and, if they have a partner, watch it together.

My partner has a massive porn collection from before he was with me. Does it bother me? No. Does it bother him that I have well over 80 sex toys, books, and BDSM toys? Hell no. I accumulated most of my toys anyway before he and I were together because I was single for a while. Most people's partners don't have issues with their partner having toys. We had a discussion the other day about what we thought each others best sexual feature is and he even admitted that my tight vagina is his favorite sexual asset of mine. Does that mean that he sees that as the best part of me? Not in any way, shape, or form.

It's in the matter of perception and what people get offended by.

makes sense to me its just selling a product with humor

Technically all humans objectify other humans in one way or another. It's not about intent-- that's irrelevant. It happens, and it's part of life. That isn't to say it's okay to intentionally objectify others (such as treating someone like they are nothing to you but a fuck toy) but in a situation where the person has made the choice to be objectified(porn, which is entirely sexual objectification by definition) I don't really think it's an issue.

It's really just a matter of whether or not anyone's being hurt. There's no harm in a banner. The statement is a bit offensive, but isn't meant to be seen that way, and is clearly designed to be humorous. I think people should take that into account.

However, I do think that when something raises an issue like this and upsets customers and regular members of the community, then it should probably be taken down. It would cause no harm to Eden to do so and it would relieve current issues as well as remove the risk of this being brought up time and again as new people come in.
Let's not even get started over the rage blogs feminists are capable of writing about sites. Instead of being stubborn I think removing it is the more intelligent choice. Sometimes it's just a matter of being courteous.

But anyhow.

My point is that I think the 'women are seen as nothing but parts' statement is ridiculous. I was agreeing with you.

objectification is not an issue with me. My issue was the fact that it is on an affiliate banner and therefore has the ability to appear to sum up Eden to those particular viewers

if i had said the same thing about the "best part" of a man...I would still not appreciate it as an advertising medium.

It's not a huge deal to me. I wasn't intending an uproar, merely a discussion and getting to hear different view points.

again, my issue with it is that it's a banner. if it was on a coffee cup it wouldn't even of hit my radar

me2

Yes, I do agree it's tacky. I think that's why it's funny to me. You put it much more eloquently.

I agree here.

I don't think it's horrible, but it is offensive, just as I think that all the funny comments about vibrators replacing men are offensive, which was my point.

If it's no big deal, then let's make the same banner with a big dildo or vibrator with the same slogan and make it available too. Big cock, take the best part!

The thing is that there is not a banner like that and the closest thing to is as far as advertising banners go is this: link

So Eden Fantasys can do whatever they want with the banner, but note that there is a good enough set of customers who do find it offensive, whether a little bit or a lot. By using it as an advertisement alone on a blog page or otherwise, those customers might never come to Eden Fantasys and find all the wonderful things that were offered because a little banner was a tasteless joke.

Also, I think more people read way too much into my 2 cents than those who found the banner offensive.

I totally agree! It's okay to objectify a man but not a woman?