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So, I stumbled across a link to this ad for Libra Tampons on Fark earlier.
There's also a news article about this here.

"The television commercial depicts a drag queen character and a blonde woman standing side by side in nightclub restroom putting on mascara and lip gloss, and adjusting their bras competitively.

The blonde woman then pulls out her Libra tampon, leaving the drag queen to storm out of the toilets in a huff." (From the article I mentioned.)

Apparently it's controversial because some people perceive it as being transphobic. As much as I love Fark, the discussion there was unfortunately derailed by a couple of people raving about how transwomen aren't really women... emotion_facepalm In any case, I'm more interested in hearing your opinions on this.

That annoys me. There are certain things that you're supposed to be sympathetic about, being born in the wrong body is a big ******** deal, you'd think that someone would understand that.

I can see it as a bit insensitive but seems to make fun of drag queens more than transgender people (a lot of people that cross dress aren't necessarily transgendered). Not that it makes it any better.

I just thought is was in poor taste but not the worst thing I've seen. It does seem to imply that in order to be a real woman, you have to menstruate. What about us women with hormonal problems who's bodies don't function normally without medication? Are we not real women? neutral

It seems like we're on the same page with this one. xD

Pretty much. They were trying to be funny, didn't think about how the ad might offend people, and then put it out. It's not the smartest move that they could have made, but it's also not the worst thing that they could have done.

Honestly, as far as ignorant ads go, this is probably more of something that I would feel offended by.

Not only transphobic, but also offensive to cisgender women who do not menstrate (for any reason).

And on top of that, it doesn't really work as an ad. What was the message they thought they were conveying?

I know several drag queens. I love them to death, they're sweethearts. There is a major difference between drag queens and transgender people. Most drag queens do not consider themselves female. It's a stage persona, nothing more and nothing less. When the show is over, so is the female persona. I don't know how many times I've been hanging out with my friends when they're in between sets and one says, "God, I can't wait to get this show over with and be a boy again."

That being said, I highly doubt whoever came up with that ad is that familiar with the differences between drag queens and transpeople. And the "Libra gets girls" line was completely offensive. Drag queens may not consider themselves girls 24/7, but they know girls pretty well. Either way, the ad leaves itself open to the interpretation that, as far as your average TV viewer is aware, drag queens = transgender and therefore do not = "real" girls. I don't believe it was INTENDED to be offensive, it was all due to a lack of understanding in an attempt to be funny.

And as I've argued with my mother, there is more to being a woman then whether or not you have periods. For that matter, I have periods. It's not common but not unheard of and my body's natural hormonal imbalance may be the cause of that, but PMS/periods are triggered by hormones anyway, and HRT has caused me to have all the typical PMS symptoms followed by period symptoms including cramps and light spotting.

Look, having had a period? It's not exactly an advantage... I don't even see how the ad makes sense. How do they think this helps them sell?