Lost Grrrls

esmeweatherwax:

junk-pile:

Funny, I was just looking at pepper spray products online yesterday. My roommate keeps telling me stories about someone she knows getting followed and attacked, so I thought I’d better think harder about protecting myself. I, too, was annoyed by all the pink on the site. It’s condescending as fuck. It’s a big commercial jeer at us for feeling like we have to buy products that *might* make us safer. They probably won’t, though, because you could be attacked anywhere, anytime, and won’t always be lucky enough to have the spray in your hand at the right moment. 

whynotshesaid:

feministhistorian:

[tw: rape culture]

theforthrightfeminist:

This is what my pepper spray looks like. For the record, I didn’t buy it for myself, my parents got it for me. As I was walking out of Wal Mart tonight, without it, it donned on me on how fucked up it is. Not only the fact that I need the weapon itself, but it’s color.

It’s like, we’re trying to make rape culture cutesy. Same goes for pink tazers. Pink handguns. We’re trying to make these weapons adorable in order to distract ourselves from the reason we carry them: to prevent ourselves from attackers. 

Not only that, but the pink is geared toward women (or people who identify as women). There isn’t any blue, masculine mace. Why? Because men aren’t the ones who carry it around. How fucking terrible is that? “Here you go, you cute little girls, here’s a pink weapon to protect yourself from potential rapists and/or murderers.” It’s furthering the idea that rape and violence towards women is acceptable. It’s saying because our ways of protecting ourselves are cute and stylish, we’re harmless. Weapons should never make a fashion statement.

I’m planning to get some mace for when I run at night but I’ll be skipping the cutesy-poo pink mace and heading straight for the local weapons/ammo store. 

I got an Uzi knife for Christmas, it’s functional and cool. It doesn’t have to be pink.

Didn’t add any commentary when I posted this but I just want to say…

The real reason I posted it was for the part I bolded above, and pretty much that alone. I wear pink, I don’t think it’s un-feminist to do so, or to want pink accessories or weapons. But what bothers me is that there are companies out there that think that the way to cater to women is simply to make everything pink. I’m not just talking weapons, but it rubs me the wrong way even more in this situation.

And to reiterate the bold part above, “It’s like we’re trying to make rape culture cutesy.” Like we’re making things pink so women will like them (which is insulting in and of itself), and it just makes you wonder if it’s like we’re trying to hide the real reason a woman might want mace.

I dunno. I have nothing against any woman who would prefer pink mace over camo or black or what have you. But there’s just something else about it that irks me and it’s really hard to put my finger on.