Video: Betting ad asks if trans women are 'stallions or mares'
by Stephen Gray
20 February 2012, 11:16am

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/02/20/video-betting-ad-asks-if-trans-women-are-stallions-or-mares/

Paddy Power, the Irish betting company, has been slammed for a new advert which introduces transgender women to the Cheltenham horse races and asks the viewer to decide whether they are a 'stallion' or a 'mare'.

The advert's voiceover actor says: "We are going to make Cheltenham Ladies Day even more exciting by sending in some beautiful transgender ladies.

"Spot the stallions from the mares."

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Paddy Power criticised over 'transgendered ladies' ad

Bookmaker accused of transphobia over TV campaign asking viewers to 'spot the stallions from the mares'

    Mark Sweney
    guardian.co.uk, Monday 20 February 2012 05.55 EST

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/feb/20/paddy-power-transgendered-ladies-ad

Irish bookmaker Paddy Power has come under fire for TV ads asking viewers to spot the "transgendered ladies" among a crowd of racing fans at the Cheltenham festival.

Paddy Power and broadcaster BSkyB were accused of inciting transphobia with the campaign, which promised to make the festival's Ladies' Day "even more exciting by adding some beautiful transgendered ladies: Spot the stallions from the mares".

There's no "phobia" in the alleged "transphobia."

It is more like "trans-exploitation."  Wouldn't you say that purposely hiring transwomen as part of an advertising campaign is "affirmative action"?

This should be no more objectionable as, say, "dwarf tossing."

Jamie D, out in the real world both GGs and TS dislike being referred to as mares.
test this by going down rthe street and using mare in greeting to every female.

i was pretty appalled when i heard about this.  there's a difference between being able to laugh at oneself and being the butt of a joke.  i think every one of us understands the stress and worry of being called out or not properly passing, being clocked, etc.  it's dangerous for a lot of us.  i can't understand how an advertising agency could think it was alright to encourage the nation to single out people who want to go about their day without fear of being ridiculed. 

in addition, by stating that trans women should be labelled stallions, it implies that they're not truly women.  it's demeaning and insensitive.

I felt it was a rather crass advert    Rude and exploitative

Absolutely offensive on so many levels that if I was in Ireland, I'd throw a brick through their window.

Quote from: lilacwoman on February 22, 2012, 02:40:20 AM
Jamie D, out in the real world both GGs and TS dislike being referred to as mares.
test this by going down the street and using mare in greeting to every female.

I don't particularly enjoy any animal comparison ...

ape
pig
snake
baboon
paramecium

I do, however, have a friend who goes by the nickname, 'Winnie"!

Quote from: justmeinoz on February 22, 2012, 08:32:23 AM
Absolutely offensive on so many levels that if I was in Ireland, I'd throw a brick through their window.

An anarchist at heart!?

I think in Ireland that's just called 'Friday'.  Gee, and imagine the howl had the they tried to use the world geldings.  Or talked about separating nags from the thoroughbreds.

old skool ->-bleeped-<-e-tossers!

They have done almost the same thing on a couple of different "talk shows" on television.  Just remember no matter how wrong it might be, the women who appear on these things have "agreed" to showcase themselves.

mmh, i agree, but were they fully aware of exactly how they were going to be portrayed in this case?  they might have been under the assumption that they were simply helping to expand the company's customer base-- the voice over was added later.  regardless, the problem doesn't lie with the trans women (or those posing as) on this advert, it's the encouraging of outing trans folk in public in a humiliating manner.