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I guess 2022 is officially the year the world hit peak Marilyn Monroe obsession.
This year we had Kim Kardashian wear Monroe's dress to the Met Gala, the documentary "The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes" was released on Netflix, and of course we had the highly problematic fan-fiction-gone-wild film 'Blonde.'
I didn't think it could get any worse, until I discovered one of the most questionable, disturbing collaborations I'd ever seen.
Popular vibrator brand, Womanizer, announced last month they were collaborating with Marilyn Monroe for their latest vibrator range.
According to their website, the collaboration "honours the icon Marilyn Monroe with an elegant, joyful tribute - an indulgent clitoral stimulator for the free spirited."
"Marilyn’s powerful and positive legacy is the inspiration for the gorgeously silhouetted and eminently pleasurable Womanizer toy in four indulgent colours that are, like Marilyn, breathtakingly elegant and special," as stated on the brand's website.
Many took to the comment section to criticise Womanizer and their "problematic" collaboration.
"How can you justify using a dead woman's image for this?" wrote a user on Instagram "Marilyn's story is a sad tale of being used and abused by misogynists and the patriarchy and here you are slapping her face on a sex toy of all things."
"Marilyn is a person who has passed and can’t consent to how her image is used," wrote another follower, "this isn’t appropriate it’s in poor taste."
Despite the criticism in the comments section, Womanizer has yet to remove any posts promoting the Marilyn Monroe vibrators.
In fact you can still buy the sex toys on their website and at Lovehoney.
Womanizer responded to several comments with the same justification: "We believe Marilyn is unique as a person but also as a brand and embodies empowerment. And therefore, is suitable to Womanizer and the brand’s values and mission. The Special Edition and campaign is a tribute to her and her achievements and we hope it can inspire people, especially women, to live their life and truth unapologetically.”
It's astonishing how the brand continues to label this collaboration as "empowering."
What's EMPOWERING about exploiting a woman's image, name, face and body just to sell products without her consent?
And how is this a collaboration when Monroe isn't even alive?
At any point in her life did Marilyn Monroe ever say, "you know what, I would love to be the face of a sex toy, I hope some day a brand uses my sex symbol status to promote their vibrators?"
The woman has been dead for 60 years - can we please just leave her alone!
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