Just A Fool On You

You may or may not have heard about the tempest caused by Edmonton salon Fluid Hair. A New York-based copywriter and blogger drew attention to one of their ads featuring a woman with a black eye and the tagline “Look good in all you do.” Behind her, a sullen man holds a necklace.

Lest there be any doubt about what is being depicted, check out the caption below a photo posted by the salon itself.

“hottest battered woman I’ve ever laid my eyes upon”

Uh yeah. So if that isn’t offensive enough, Fluid’s owner, Sarah Cameron, has dug herself in even deeper, defending the ad in interviews with media. She calls the campaign edgy and provocative. In a written statement she says:

“Media genre that promotes freedom of speech and expression only for themselves are hypocritical.  Please interpret the ad as freedom dictates – that is your right – just as artistic expression is our right.”

There’s so much I would like to say about this attitude of projecting blame. Instead, I suggest an enlightened (I hope) approach. Encourage Ms Cameron to volunteer at a women’s shelter or with the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton. Perhaps in speaking with women who have fled violence she can find out how “edgy” and “provocative” domestic abuse is.