"Current TV" is hosting Target Women, a series exposing how consumer products are sold to women spinning or flatly manipulating truth, image, to sell stuff. Here is an incredible short on how birth control is marketed - its not for sex, its for a woman's complexion, or for fewer periods. It is fascinating, thought provoking. But here is a twist, lets say you are a feminist (like me) and support a woman's right to privacy (me too again) and of course support the freedom of women to discuss birth control with their doctor (Griswald v Connecticut 1962 or 63)and to purchase prescription control at their pharmacy. But look at that short, and its clear that the drug companies do not see this as pro choice, privacy or birth control, but of a birth control product they can sell without talking a about sex. The drug companies do market research, they find out women want birth control, but are embarrassed to admit they are having sex, soooooo, the "ring" is about freedom from daily pills, convenience, great complexion, fewer periods, but is NOT about sex. Clever......but what about women who need birth control but are clueless what or how to get it (like middle school girls...right?) Selling birth control but not mentioning sex "hides" this product from consumers (girls) who need it, so where does that leave feminism? Drug companies and their marketing undercut issues or privacy or freedom of choice, because they are pretending to sell something other than what they are really selling? clear? Or too confusing? Believe me, this IS confusing.
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