I was watching the news this evening and they did a story about these target dummies that are very obviously supposed to be women. The news report I saw simply stated that there was outrage over these dummies because they were female targets, who bled when shot, and in further research I learned that they have been termed "Ex-Girlfriend Target Dummies." I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say that the above image is horrifying. As if constructing target dummies to be women wasn't enough, they were apparently very popular sellers on Amazon, who have recently pulled them from the market. The National Rifle Association was also criticized by activists for using these dummies.
There are no redeeming qualities about this story, nor is there anything okay with having dummies that 1) are so degradingly constructed as women 2) are supposed to act as a stand-in for an ex-girlfriend. What were manufacturers thinking?! This doesn't just send the message that acts of violence against women are okay, it encourages it. And it scares me to know that there are still people, and national associations who didn't see anything wrong with this before they were criticized.
What do you make of this situation? Do you think that there is any reason or excuse for these dummies that might justify the manufacturer's, or the buyers' thoughts?
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