Don't Be a Picklebump

Four weeks ago, I watch the ads on the Super Bowl and I was astounded by the blatantly sexist nature of some of the ads. The ads by Godaddy – particularly the second one “The Contract” -  left me beyond angry at Godaddy and very disappointed in both Danica Patrick and Jillian Michaels.   

The anger with GoDaddy was easy to deal with – I voted with my dollars.  I started moving my hosting and my registration the night of the Super Bowl and now everything is comfortably residing with Hostgator.com. But four weeks later, I still find I’m angry at Danica Patrick and Jillian Michaels.

While I don’t agree with everything Danica and Jillian do, and I do get that sex sells, I never thought either one of them would let themselves be treated as they did in the second ad. I never thought I’d see them protest about the “stunt” they are about to do, are told they are contractually bound to do it, and then watch the owner of Godaddy.com make overtly sexual jokes about Danica needing double Ds  and learing at both women (you can view the ad here).

I’m not a rabid feminist by any means of the imagination. But I think about the women who fought for the right to vote, who are breaking new ground being CEOs, fighter pilots, and astronauts and I get pissed at these two – especially Patrick.

Patrick in her own way is groundbreaking. She the first woman to win an Indy Car Race and hold the records as the highest finish for a woman at the Indianapolis 500 (she finished in 3rd place in 2009).

While I don’t agree with Michaels’ training techniques on shows she participates in, she is to be admired for being a formerly overweight person who has changed her life through diet and exercise, and kept that weight off. As someone who’s struggled with weight all her life and knows how difficult it is to make permanent changes, I can appreciate the work Michaels has done in maintaining her physique through diet and exercise.

Both of these women should be admired for their accomplishments and someone our neices and daughters can look up to. Instead they take the easy way out.