New Feminist Beer Challenges Raging Sexism in the Beer Industry

There are few things that scream "raging sexism" quite like the modern beer ad, but a new ale called Cerveja Feminista is looking to challenge the archetype of what has dominated beer and beer advertising for so long: man drinks certain kind of beer, man gets good-looking woman.

How slapping the word "feminist" on a bottle of beer is supposed to effect a sea change is unclear.

According to Fast Company, Cerveja Feminista is the creation of a group of Brazilian advertising creatives called 65 | 10 (The origins of that name are thus: 65 percent of Brazilian women feel unfairly portrayed in advertisements and Brazilian ad agencies are only 10 percent female). The idea is that, of all consumables on the market today, beer and beer ads are the most offensive in their portrayals of women.

A feminist beer was the clearest way to challenge these stereotypes, at least according to Thais Fabris, an ad creative with Cargo Collective and one of the minds behind Cerveja Feminista. "The typical Brazilian beer ad — and we're talking about big brands with big money here — shows a seminaked standard-beauty woman being harassed by men," she told Fast Company.

The beer, which is an Irish red ale, was chosen for its neutrality — the (arguable) reasoning being that dark beers are typically associated with men, and lighter, blonde beers with women. The labeling is deliberately plain and stark to symbolize its commitment to gender equality. How simply slapping the word "feminist" on a bottle of beer is supposed to effect a sea change is unclear, but the thinking is that, at the very least, it could start a conversation.

According to 65 | 10, this beer is being created quite expressly for that purpose: as a means to open dialogue. "Why not say that you believe in human rights or something?" is posted on the group's Facebook page. "Because that would be dishonest. Feminism is, of course, part of human rights in general — but to define a movement as 'human rights' is to deny the specificity and nature of the problem of gender. It would be a way to pretend that women were not excluded over the centuries."