Pasta Company Says Their Noodles Are Only for Straight People

donderdag 26 september 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Adriana Velez 1 hour ago

I don't know about you, but I've always considered pasta to be gender-neutral. Pasta doesn't really care if you're male or female, gay or straight. Pasta just wants to give you some carbs and make you feel warm, fed, and slightly bloated for a while. Pasta is not picky. But one pasta company sure is. Italian pasta company Barilla likes to feature "traditional" families in its ads: One dad, one mom, and their kids. Coincidence? Nope. Barilla's chairman, Guido Barilla, recently spoke out about the choice and said it was deliberate. The gays can go eat some other brand of pasta.

Yes, he really did say that. Here is the quote, translated into English: "We won’t include gays in our ads, because we like the traditional family. If gays don’t like it, they can always eat another brand of pasta. Everyone is free to do what they want, provided it doesn’t bother anyone else." Oh! Well. At least he believes in the right to choose someone else's pasta. I'm sure telling everyone you don't want gays to be seen eating your pasta doesn't bother anyone else at all.

Just to clarify, gays can eat Barilla. It's just that it's going to give them a sour stomach.

So that's kind of a shitty thing to say. I think we all know our idea of what a family looks like is changing. That's very rarely reflected in any advertising, and I don't expect a pasta company to be on the avant garde; but to make a point of avoiding gay families is kind of icky. Even if you're the kind of homophobic jerk who won't feature gay families in your ads, do you have to announce that to the world? Couldn't you keep that to yourself, you know, in the home, not out in public where it'll disgust people?

This is such a bummer, because I used to eat Barilla. But now, out of solidarity with my gay friends, I feel I must choose another pasta brand. Fortunately almost all the pasta at that price point tastes nearly identical, but still. I liked the blue box. Oh wait! Here's Guido Barilla with an apology!

With reference to statements made yesterday, I apologize if my words have generated controversy or misunderstanding, or if they have hurt the sensibilities of some people. In the interview I simply wanted to highlight the central role of the woman in the family.

Oh my God, I feel even worse now. 

Does it bother you when food company owners talk about their politics or beliefs?

Image via moonlightbulb/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adriana Velez

is a staff writer who dabbles in food, parenting, news, entertainment, molecular biology, and anything else that that pops into her head. She lives with her elementary school-aged son in Brooklyn, land of urban farms and artisan everything.  

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Dina Lohan's Alleged DUI Could Be Just the Thing to Keep LiLo on the Straight and Narrow

zaterdag 14 september 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Jacqueline Burt Yesterday at 5:44 PM

It's a good thing the Lohans are a photogenic family, because their mugshot gallery just keeps getting bigger! And nope, we're not talking about now (hopefully) sober LiLo -- this time, it's 50-year-old Dina Lohan who's in trouble with the law, getting arrested last night for drunk driving in Long Island, New York.

Mama Lohan was allegedly driving 77 mph in a 55 mph zone when cops pulled her over at around 11 p.m. on Thursday night, with a blood alcohol level registering at .20 (over twice the legal limit of .08). Dina was booked on two counts of driving while intoxicated and one count of speeding, then released to an unidentified "sober third party," but is due in court later this month. Yikes!

Now, I have to tell you that, initially, I was extremely tempted to go on a "guess the Lohan doesn't fall far from the tree" type rant about this unfortunate event. 

You know, "of course Lindsay is a mess with a mom like that, yada yada yada, this is probably going to screw up her newfound sobriety big time, blah blah." But then I realized something -- it could be that the exact opposite is true. Think about it: Back when Lindsay was crashing Porsches and mopping up morgues and slapping gypsies, her mom's behavior probably seemed completely fine. Better than fine, even -- what's better than a mom who's also a drinking buddy?? (Obviously lots of things, but you get my point.) Now that Lindsay is cleaning up her act, she's probably seeing things a lot more clearly -- seeing things for what they truly are. Meaning, she's probably realizing that she doesn't want to end up like her mom, still posing for drunken mugshots at 50 years old. And that's the kind of realization that could keep LiLo on the straight and narrow for a long, long time.

Do you think Dina Lohan's DUI could be a good thing for Lindsay?

Image via New York State Police

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jacqueline Burt

has written for numerous magazines, newspapers, and websites. She is easily bored and often tired, so she requires constant entertainment to keep her awake. Dance, Monkey! Dance! 

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Gay Married Veterans Finally Get the Same Respect as Straight Military Couples (VIDEO)

vrijdag 30 augustus 2013

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AppId is over the quota
by Maressa Brown 8 hours ago

Tracey & Maggie Cooper-HarrisWhen the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), it was easy to assume that the rights same-sex couples had been denied as a result of the law would be enstated ASAP. But that wasn't exactly the case. The law governing veterans' benefits, Title 38, still defined marriage as between opposite-sex spouses. So for couples like Tracy Cooper-Harris, a U.S. Army veterinarian who served in Iraq and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, and her wife Maggie Cooper-Harris, it meant inequality still reigned and they were denied financial support for Tracy's medical costs that was readily available to heterosexual couples. That is ... until this week!

A federal court ruled on Wednesday that a married same-sex couple must be eligible for the same veteran benefits as married heterosexual couples. Hooray!!

Thank goodness this inequality has been set right. All you have to do is consider some embarrassing realities and cringeworthy facts to know veterans who are in same-sex marriages were getting the short end of the stick. For instance, according to her lawsuit, Cooper-Harris would be eligible for $124 more in aid were she married to a man. Ugh.

More from The Stir: Gay Soldiers' 'Marriage Leave' Shows Our Country's Love for All Military Families

Now, in light of this ruling, the Cooper-Harrises should get what they rightfully deserve, as will so many other couples in their shoes. While the Dept. of Veterans' Affairs has yet to respond to the ruling, the director of the VA, Eric Shinseki, told Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire on August 14 that if Title 38 were "revised or determined to be unconstitutional," then the "VA will be prepared to update its policies and systems in a timely manner." Cheers. To. That!

What's your reaction to this ruling?

Image via Maury Phillips/Getty

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Maressa Brown

has enjoyed reporting and writing for a variety of entertainment and women's magazines and websites. More often than not, you'll find her blogging, hitting the gym, reading, researching something on her iPhone, laughing, chatting at an above-"normal" volume, or getting her caffeine fix.

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