I’m Angry about the Whole iPad, iTampon, and Feminine Hygene Thing

PERSONAL OPINION PIECE. The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author. The contents of this page have not been reviewed nor approved by any of the Author’s technology or biotech clients.

So this week, iTampon was a trending term in twitter.

As soon as people heard Steve Jobs announce the $1000 iPad, they immediately renamed it iTampon. Jokes flew. Feminists are up in arms. Economists are hedging bets. And the Irish are insulted.

“People from Boston to Ireland are complaining that “iPad,” in their regional brogue, sounds almost indistinguishable from “iPod,” Apple’s music player. ” Wall Street Journal

Even the NY Times did a blog post about the association between iPad and iTampon.

Personally, I don’t see it. I don’t.

Nobody walks into a law firm and jeers, “You’re using a yellow note tampon!”

Nobody puts out a camp fire then mocks, “Does your sleeping bag have enough tamponing underneath?”

Not even a single frat boy will ridicule: “Preparty at Matt’s Tampon! BYOB!”

But this is not why I’m personally off-put. What’s off putting to me is not the rage of association between the iPad and iTampon. What I resent is that we as a culture are still associating female reproductive cycles with “feminine hygene.” Hygene.

Many women are saying the name, [iPad], evokes awkward associations with feminine hygiene products. – Wall Street Journal

Every month, until this puritanical concept that a woman’s period requires feminine hygene products changes, women will feel unclean.

It’s not insignificant. It is insidious.

Could this have anything to do with the fact that women in western cultures report worse PMS symptoms than in any other culture?

http://resources.metapress.com/pdf-preview.axd?code=gx6821m8ul37781v&size=smaller

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Posted via web from journik’s posterous – a grade A shouldery. (social media marketing wise)