Is This Spoof Always Ad With Drag Queens Transphobic — Or Revolutionary?

[Shana A]

Is This Spoof Always Ad With Drag Queens Transphobic — Or Revolutionary?

Jessica Wakeman
9:40AM, 08/12/2011

http://www.thefrisky.com/post/246-is-this-always-ad-with-drag-queens-transphobic-or-revolutionary/?eref=RSS

Men aren't usually in commercials for period products. But this spoof ad — which Proctor & Gamble denied via Twitter is affiliated with Always — has lots of them. Men in bright red lipstick, men in bustiers, men with beehive hairdos that would put Amy Winehouse to shame. The spoof stars drag queens and lots of 'em; each one is boo-hooing like a three-year-old girl because he's got man parts down south. "There are some people who would just love to have a period," the subtitling reads. "Let alone a happy one." I, a person not usually known for her love of advertisements, think the commercial is actually pretty revolutionary. I mean, drag queens? In a commercial? And it's not the Super Bowl and they're not being mocked?

Other bloggers did not quite agree with me, calling the commercial "transphobic."

[JungianZoe]

...men with beehive hairdos that would [have] put Amy Winehouse to shame.

Fixed that.  Still, ouch!!

Wake up, Wakeman!

[LivingInGrey]

I still don't know if I would view this spoof (I'm glad to hear it's not something P&G commissioned) as 'hate' towards the Trans community, but it was still rough to watch.

I still have mixed emotions on it. The actors though did look passable... I still wouldn't be able to have a monthly reason to use the product... I would Always be happy if I looked like some of those people in that shoot.

[Joelene9]

  This spoof is in bad taste.  There have been similar types of commercials, songs and comedians' quips that landed in our lexicon in the past and then went passe with time when that generation no longer accepted that or the succeeding generation did not. 
  Joelene

[VeryGnawty]

Is This Spoof Always Ad With Drag Queens Transphobic — Or Revolutionary?

Neither.  Like most "Always" commercials, it is very mediocre.  It has taken the potentially very amusing idea of drag queens who want to experience periods, and it has found a way to make the idea neither entertaining nor amusing.