Bavarian Breastfest – Sexism in Sydney
Head,`why would she need a head…. ?
Sorry, today was supposed to be a fun-sun-private-holiday in Bondi blog, until walking down the hill rapidly changed my mood and mind. Sometimes it’s unfair that Germans cop prejudice and cliche. This time it’s well deserved thanks to our countrymen from Löwenbräu and their oh so imaginative PR campaign. What am I ranting about? Well, it’s big fat breasts stuck in your face wherever you look, plus the girl on the poster only has half a head. 
Why would she need a whole one? She’s got those balloons sticking out of her dirndl, right? I haven’t used the word sexist in a long time. Today I do and I’m disgusted about those poor brains at the beer company again inviting an easy shortcut: Bavarians, beer, breasts, vulgar, sexism. Thank you very much. And I’m not even close to being Bavarian.
Maybe I’m especially annoyed since a waitress at Bavarian Bier Cafe’s Bondi outlet explained to me why all her colleagues have their blouse buttons open all the time. So why do they? Because they have to. Those who don’t like pushing their breasts in every customer’s face can work elsewhere. Sorry, Bavarian beer fans, but I find that sexist too. And now, make mine a Whale Ale, please.
Ps: why is this blog in English – because I’d like my fellow Australians to read it too. Back to ze Djermän tomorrow. In the meantime… here’s a german version
16 Kommentare zu “Bavarian Breastfest – Sexism in Sydney”
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Julica in Bondi 
See it in a good light, it is one of the few occasions the war or the Nazis aren’t mentioned when the German are used for PR or comedy or both. On the other hand it would be good to know if the same rule applies at the real Oktoberfest as well, on right now in Munich.
By the way, today they also have the ‚Tag der Deutschen Einheit‘ (reunification holiday) in Munich – for sure buttons are up closed on that occasion.
Greetings from the motherland
CW
hm, not so sure there… if it’s okay to be sexist just in order to not get war stories on the table, we’re in bad shape …jj
Marlene Dietrich is quoted as saying: „Maybe if I have accepted his invitations and slept with him I could have changed his mind“.
That’s from a great woman who scandalised the world selling her legs.
Nearly a century after, there’re still people uneasy with women selling her breasts.
haha, glad to welcome Marlene to my Blog! Never mind people selling their body parts, as long as people get the whole package.
I guess Marlene wouldn’t have agreed to be decapitated though… jj
I don’t like this truly sexist image of ‘Germans’ either – I haven’t seen anyone with plaited hair for years in Germany, let alone with superboobs coming out of their blouses (blouses are not really THE thing in the Ruhrpott anyway). For once I would love to see a clever campaign for the Octoberfest, something without bimbo-looking girls, without blue and white patterns and without massive beer glasses. Sure there is more to the octoberfest? Or don’t I get the whole thing because I am an Ex-Ruhrpottler? Loved the article Julica! Cheers, from the hills in Melbourne
thanks! happy you liked it.
someone suggested the O-fest /boob thing is mainly invented by Bavarian males who don’t get lucky very often – and this is just telling stories about their mainly unfulfilled dreams ;-)
that sounds right – you never see german men with very tight leaterpants with the zipper partly open. Not that I would want to see that anyway…..
Herrjee… hat’s euch da untern auch erwischt! Überall Oktoberfeste … und dann noch so! Befürchte, es wird nicht besser werden … J.
When I read in German forums that women in dirndls please shouldn’t complain when they get pawed at the Octoberfest in Munich because that’s what Octoberfest is like and there for and that they should stay away if they don’t like it … well .. I think then the LB marketing team has got it right in terms of target group approach.
*Irony off*
I’m too North German to understand the whole schebang anyway, but have to agree with you, Julica. The images are as bad as the headlines.
Lighten up! Reading this poor piece of bluster about a very attractive young woman wearing a very traditional German piece of clothing, I first had the impression it was written by Alan Jones, because he also hates looking at women. After seeing that this rant was written by a woman, I would suggest to Julica to have a look into the next mirror and discover that most likely you have breasts too, yes and there is nothing to be ashamed, afraid or embarrassed of.
Helping you to understand the intended plot of the marketing campaign you should have read the sentence under the “oh” so offending picture instead of staring at the body part which all humans have seen first when they where born. (Unless you where raised on a bottle….). The text says clearly „Release your inner Bavarian“ with the top jacket which looks like a business suit torn open by the girl revealing a dirndl. And yes, it does expose her bosom, but not because of some sexist male conspiracy to desecrate women worldwide as you would put it, no they are there only because that’s where Mother Nature has positioned them for sheer convenience.
So called, “Dirndln” have been worn by Bavarian, Austrian and Swiss women since hundreds of years if not longer. These very traditional and beautiful dresses are part of our culture and men as well women like looking at them. That they are tailored in a way to show cleavage is a cultural thing and results out of a people who are not afraid of their bodies and are not confused about their sexuality.
I for my part am very happy to look at pretty women and I have enjoyed the free, open and natural behaviour and culture of people I used to grow up amongst. For everyone else and Julica who feels threatened by the sight of a women’s (and probably even male) body part which doesn’t fit into their religious or personal moral standard, I can only suggest don’t stare. And if you can not live in a society which has the freedom to express their sexuality free of prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness you have always the choice to move to a country on the Arabian peninsula or to Asian. You will find societies which will contentedly supply you with a burqua, a hidjab or veil if not lock you in a dark room so that you don’t have to show your bids or have to see any.
So dear Julica don’t come to your “derzeitige Wahlheimat” and criticise our open minded society which enjoys their freedom of expression and the beauty of the human body, mind and spirit. I live in Australia since 25 years and as an Austrian married to a beautiful Bavarian women who owns a Dirndl, which I always enjoy very much to look at, when she is wearing it, I find your comments very offensive if you imply that she is vulgar and I am sexist because of your bigoted views. Please, go and live in a convent, a monastery or try the Amish Mennonites in America because Sydney is obviously not your kind of place. The people in Sydney are open minded modern and friendly and they do love their freedom, so if you have an agenda or are on a moral crusade you are on the wrong place.
For all readers of this I suggest to head over to the WEEK in Australia http://www.woche.com.au the only German language weekly newspaper in Australia since 1957 for more Oktoberfest fun. Get your news from real journalist!
You can also reach us via Facebook
Like us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Woche.in.Australien
Bill Hauber
German language media correspondent
GLANN – German Language Australian News Network
thanks, Bill, for your interesting comments, and don’t worry, I don’t feel „threatened“ by mine ore other people’s breasts or male body parts. I actually quite enjoy them.
I just don’t like the way these women are used by a beer company. And I don’t like the image it creates, reducing german women to breasts. Sorry, if you didn’t understand the point.
The fact that you don’t like me expressing my opinion and suggest instead that I should live in a different country or a convent or wear a burqua shows a lot about your level of tolerance. Yes, I remember there were places and times when people with different opinions, skin colors or other religions better left their countries than stay…. great backwards move, Bill, wow.
Since you live in OZ longer than I you probably didn’t have to sit the citizenship test. Otherwise you’d know: In Australia we don’t discriminate for religions or opinions. I’m a happy and proud Australian, and love Sydney, and I like my freedom of speech too, mate. Sorry for you if you don’t appreciate me expressing it.
I’m afraid your views are not the most convincing advertisement for your german paper either, but good luck if the posting on my blog brings you plenty of new readers in search for a „real journalist“.
Oh dear, thanks Julica to stand up for the women who hate do be reduced to pieces of meet. And Bill, if you find a woman whose head is half chopped off attractive, I wonder what in her attracts you. It is a shame that still and again and again women are used as objects in order to sell something that has nothing to do with them. It is just like women rolling around on sportscars at the car shows around the world or similar. Have we ever had sexy men on those cars? I don’t remember ever having seen any. So, yes I do agree with you Julica, it is a disgrace that Octoberfest still is using this ancient form of advertising although coming from a german background they really should know better as the sexual reforms in Germany and all the bad advertising that we had before, has been widely abolished. I say widely because we know there are still some reminiscence in some corners – like the Octoberfest. Keep up the good work and Bill, I find it also disgraceful that you use this space for your own advertising. Not cool at all.
Good on ya, Julica. This campaign really is poor sexist crap, thanks for pointing that out. How about someone comes up with something archetypically German that doesn’t involve Nazis or pornstar like dirndl wearers?
great discussion, thanks all for your comments (and the 20 more I got via mail including an almost semi official statement from german institutions distancing themselves from the male beer drowned attitudes suggested to be typical german),
I do love a good exchange of arguments,
little update: one of the ‚head off posters‘ in Bondi has been glued over by a Belvoir theatre poster (it wasn’t me, I promise!)
happy weekend jj
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I am sickened by the posters in my area