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Bic is in loads of trouble over this sexist Facebook post

That’s why pencils have erasers… (No, wait).

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER social media fail.

Two days ago, South Africa celebrated National Women’s Day.

And as is to be expected, a number of brands hopped on the bandwagon, including Bic.

Bic South Africa commemorated the by sharing the following photograph:

10981704_1136563863074009_7774605099499869614_n Bic South Africa / Facebook Bic South Africa / Facebook / Facebook

bic Bic / South Africa Bic / South Africa / South Africa

The photo didn’t go down well with people.

Why?

Because of its assertions that…

  • A woman should look like a “girl” instead of a, you know, woman
  • A woman should act like a “lady” instead of a, you know, woman or however she damned well pleases
  • A woman should act like a “man” instead of, God forbid, a woman

In response to the furore, Bic South Africa apologised and explained that they had lifted the quote from a blog.

We would like to apologise to all our fans who took offense to our recent Women’s Day Post. We can assure you that we meant it in the most empowering way possible and in no way derogatory towards women. We took the quote from a “Women in Business” blog site. The blog site explains the quote and what its intentions were when it was written. BIC believe in celebrating women and the powerful contribution women make to our society.

The quote they are referring to was posted on an Australian graphic design agency’s blog back in 2012.

This is not the first time Bic has come in for criticism for its (faintly sexist) marketing.

Back in 2012, it was almost universally mocked when it launched a line of pens for women called Bic For Her.

God help us all.

By Amy O’Connor. Originally published on DailyEdge.ie. 

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33 Comments
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    Mute Duck Knight
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    Aug 11th 2015, 6:50 PM

    Bahaha, I don’t know what is funnier. The dumb ad or the eternal social media outrage?

    366
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    Mute Ronan Stokes
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    Aug 11th 2015, 7:17 PM

    how dare you!?!?

    89
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    Mute bacoxy
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    Aug 11th 2015, 7:25 PM

    Internet offended??? Never!!

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    Mute Ronan Stokes
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    Aug 11th 2015, 7:44 PM

    how can people red thumb my “how dare you” comment? How dare you!!! im appalled!

    79
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    Mute Brian O'Donnell
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    Aug 11th 2015, 6:49 PM

    People are easily offended.

    179
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    Mute Debbie Louise
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    Aug 12th 2015, 9:28 PM

    Says a man!

    3
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    Mute sonny red
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    Aug 11th 2015, 6:52 PM

    No more of this feminist bullshit please,I can’t take any more.For the love of god,please.

    169
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    Mute O Swetenham
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    Aug 11th 2015, 6:51 PM

    This consent flood of sarky twitter outrage is getting a bit ridiculous.

    120
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    Mute Dermot Lane
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    Aug 11th 2015, 7:23 PM

    Going by these standards then surely A national woman’s day is sexist by it’s very nature and we should all be outraged

    80
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    Mute sonny red
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    Aug 11th 2015, 6:54 PM

    Feminism is the red stain on the g string of society.

    64
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    Mute Mrs Shalakalananaka
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    Aug 11th 2015, 7:29 PM

    The funniest thing ever is the Amazon reviews for the Bic for Her pens, they just take the piss out of the pens so much. And the toilet paper book thing review that made me laugh but I forget what it is so I can’t describe it better. I’d be on Amazon reviewing stuff too, but they make you buy something first before you can leave a review, which is stupid and I’m too scabby for that, so that’s why I’m on the Journal instead, since it’s free.

    64
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    Mute Ron North
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    Aug 11th 2015, 7:54 PM

    Here’s a link to some of the reviews. I liked “Love this pen, but the color choices seem to be lacking. Really wish it came in 50 shades of grey.”
    http://tinyurl.com/od32ngw

    42
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    Mute Darren donohoe
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    Aug 11th 2015, 7:50 PM

    What is she doing out of the kitchen?

    63
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    Mute Drew TheChinaman :)
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    Aug 11th 2015, 6:58 PM

    Lazy bone idle feminists… Can’t do any work today, we’re boycotting the pen company. Why? Well… They implied we were youthful, classy and equally capable of doing anything a man can!!!

    62
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    Mute The Green Monkey
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    Aug 11th 2015, 6:54 PM

    Does anyone else remember using those HB pencils in school, i think they had different letters and numbers depending on how dark they were, yes those were simplier times ( primary school 1982 to 1988)

    48
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    Mute Seán O'Ceallaghan
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    Aug 11th 2015, 6:58 PM

    Technical Drawing. HB H1 B1, ect. Ect

    62
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    Mute Andrew McQuillan
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    Aug 11th 2015, 7:01 PM

    Eh, those ‘simpler times’ are still here. H refers to hardness, B for blackness.

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    Mute The Green Monkey
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    Aug 11th 2015, 7:29 PM

    On the way out the door to Eason’s……….

    16
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    Mute Ron North
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    Aug 11th 2015, 8:01 PM

    I remember the 12 H pencils for woodwork. *Wipes away a tear*

    17
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    Mute Claire Stack
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    Aug 11th 2015, 8:06 PM

    I remember using a poxy 12H pencil when I had no other pencils left from giving them away etc The carnage it left on the paper was ridiculous it was like using a scalpel to write with, Really chewed up the paper haha #BadTimes

    26
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    Mute Ron North
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    Aug 11th 2015, 8:14 PM

    A nice gentle Bic for Her pen would have saved the day for you there Claire.

    31
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    Mute ConorBeta
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    Aug 12th 2015, 9:02 AM

    woodwork will always remind me of Mr C. screaming “waste side of the line”

    2
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    Mute Neal Ireland Hello
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    Aug 11th 2015, 6:58 PM

    What’s wrong with encouraging women to “Think like a man?”. Thinking is a good thing. Everybody should be encouraged do it, not just us men.

    44
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    Mute Carmo Vanderval
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    Aug 11th 2015, 6:55 PM

    Feminazis or something

    42
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    Mute Mella Meyer
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    Aug 11th 2015, 7:34 PM

    Jeez, you really can’t say anything these days without someone getting offended

    32
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    Mute Gary
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    Aug 11th 2015, 7:32 PM

    They should change their name to ‘bic penus’.

    32
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    Mute Suzie Sunsine
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    Aug 11th 2015, 7:59 PM

    the company should have stood by what they said , explain their reasons yes , but don’t take it down .

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    Mute Richard Cheney
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    Aug 11th 2015, 8:31 PM

    Last week Cecil the lion, this week BIC, what will next weeks ‘outrage’ be? Twitter is full of sad cnnts, it’s like Orwell’s 1984, except the plebs are doing the government’s work for them, distracting themselves with meaningless bollocks online whilst getting endorphine rushes when someone gives them an RT or Like, welcome to Generation Jerk-Off in the Mirror.

    18
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    Mute Powerful Sayings
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    Aug 11th 2015, 6:52 PM

    I hope for a world where everyone agrees with each other..then and only then will the red thumb become obsolete.

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    Mute Tweety McTweeter
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    Aug 11th 2015, 6:54 PM

    I disagree

    73
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    Mute Seamus Brady
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    Aug 11th 2015, 8:53 PM

    If you have lots of lead in your pencil you should always have a big rubber

    8
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    Mute Unmaking you
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    Aug 11th 2015, 10:17 PM

    No BIC…Think like a woman because a brain is more powerful than a pen is.

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    Mute Spoddgy
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    Aug 11th 2015, 9:33 PM

    Get over it!

    5
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