Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I think if that image was used to sell yoga classes promoting the art of tomato balancing while wearing short shorts then this wouldn't be considered objectifying, in my opinion.

well, now that you've noticed her boobs you've totally proved their point.

I think it's pretty aggravating all around. Why couldn't the co op just leave it alone and sell it? Does everything have to be a big deal? Why couldn't they have just not had a bendy leggy woman on their tomato chutney label? It's tomatoes, they sell themselves.

The company did end up creating a new label for the coop, but getting all those labels printed and physically relabeling the cans can't have been a cheap or easy endeavor for a tiny business.

Two local businesses have offered already to sell the product as is even though it's a bit outside their normal range--a shop that sells import and craft beers and a shop that sells "modern European lifestyle products"--but otherwise, the coop really is the place around here that sells local food products.

she'll make a killing at a local farmers' market, if there's one she could set up a booth at. she could hire girls to do yoga right there on the table.

Heaven knows that eliminating labels like that is more important that equal pay, reproductive rights, poverty, stopping sexual assault...

I had really thought about the farmers market, so I guess there's that, though it's fairly slow aside from the summer months.

I don't know. I mean, if I really wanted to pick, I can find plenty of stuff they sell produced by big companies that have some dubious marketing ideas like McCormicks, who owns Simply Asia (And their packaging isn't exploiting other cultures?) and Jose Cuervo, who owns Cholula Hot Sauce (Ahem...), so it just all seems a bit arbitrary to punish a small business that's otherwise trying to do things right. Not to say I don't want them carrying those products either--I really do like me some Cholula--just not be quite so myopic that you make the perfect the enemy of the good, I guess.

I saw this on Olyblog a few days ago and initally thought it was a ridiculous decision, but I can see how it conflicts with the co-op's policy. I'm not saying it's right or that I agree but I can see why they did it.

The Blue Sky Soda bit was before my time but reminded me of another product they don't carry because of it's "exploitation" of native culture, that is Seventh generation products.

Oh, geez. I'm not sure what the term exploitation even means anymore.

Seventh Generation? Really?

Next we can't have numbers on the packaging because that exploits the Hindu-Arabic peoples who developed the Arabic numeral system.

It seems that 'exploits' means 'alludes to in any way'.

I'd just propose that they replace all labels with black text on a white background.

Racist.

Zing!

Yeah, this is where I personally start feeling weird about the whole concept of "appropriation." I understand why it's offensive to dress up in a slutty Indian maiden costume for Halloween, but is it okay for a non Native American to have a genuine interest in Native American culture or art or mythology or are you somehow being exploitative? Is it ok for Blue Sky to use patterns loosely inspired by Native American art on a can of soda, or for Seventh Generation to take their name from The Law of The Iroquois? It's also interesting to note that a lot of new agey co-op health food store shoppin' types have seemed to have NO problem with appropriating Native American spirituality since the late 1960's (dream catchers anyone? smudge sticks? Bueller?)

Their policy is ill-defined, poorly executed and stupid. They appear to be arbitrarily applying it to any product that raises the hackles of a small group. They also appear to have no grasp of what exploitation means.


I'm glad no one is asking them to take any real action.

Real action is for reactionary oppressors!

Judging from the number of dream catchers and dashboard buddhas spotted in the coop parking lot, I'm guessing the majority of their membership has no problem with appropriating other cultures' spirituality either.

How about blue on white?