This comment was from Katy on the post Unwanted Sexual Advances ≠ Bravery
(New here, found this comment thread by googling “Wow, sexist Audi Super Bowl commercial” to see if I were alone in how uncomfortable it was for me to watch.)
I’m not sure it’s as mixed a message as you seem to think. The women that seem to want you to go for it? The example you provided was within the context of a date. One I presume you asked her on (or that she asked you on) indicating a willingness. You can gauge interest in a kiss without having to ask for it; “god I want to kiss you” and lean in part way so that she has to lean in the rest of the way. It’s not rocket science. With very few exceptions then men I dated before marriage were not perplexed by this.
Onto the girl in the commercial; she was also on a date. With someone else. She enjoys the kiss in the commercial and it’s defended by saying, well there’s obviously a backstory we can’t know. If viewers are supposed to create an elaborate back story of reciprocal flirting then the commercial is irresponsible. Because what is SHOWN is “like random girl, kiss random girl, she’ll love you for it.” And in real life? Not gonna go over so well.
Commercials like these, without intending to, contribute to a culture where women are objectified, not even deserving of their own personal space and incapable of making their own decisions. The fact that the commercial seems so innocent by casting an underdog is what potentially makes it so very dangerous.
Commercial was sickening in so many ways. Is it “brave” to steal a kiss? The concept is as old as the 1945 Eisenstat photo from Times Square of a sailor bending a nurse back in a spontaneous suck face. It was titled “Unconditional Surrender,” which was a play on words relating to the surrender of the Japanese ending WWII. Almost 70 years have gone by. Women have gotten liberated. The term sexual harrasssment is understood by men – meaning unwanted sexual advances will not be tolerated. And we still we have commercials like this?