They say #OwnYourShit, but they ask you to do the opposite
The first time I heard about Poo Pourri, I chuckled. In the middle of one of my favourite podcasts, there was it. An advert discussing poop and the teenager inside of me was amused. But then Poo Pourri took over. By now every podcast I listen to seems to be sponsored by it. The good thing about it is: they finance some of my favourite shows. But then there is this other thing: Where their business model relies on making money of the insecurities of (mostly) women and femmes.
Looking at their youtube list I had to stop watching at some point. The tagline is ‘Save your relationship’. Let’s be frank: If your relationship is problematic because you poop, there is more wrong with it. But there’s more: There are several videos, which try to talk quirky and provocatively about dropping huge dumps. Just to tell you how you have to be ashamed of the resulting smells and the only thing truly saving you from it is your own product. This plays hugely to the toxic image of ‘pretty girls don’t poop’ which in itself shows, how beauty standards are literally impossible to follow through for any woman or femme. Conveniently, this product then goes right into that space and helps you create an illusion.
I raise a two-year old who recently discovered bums and poop. And I do want to tell him how this is a normal thing and how, yes, everybody poops and that’s great. We curiously investigate different types of shits and what they mean. We learn what consistency and smell can tell you and when there are warning signs to look out for. Poo Pourri puts a layer over that smell. It detaches you even more from it and hinders you in exploring more things about your body and just casually checking in, that everything’s find.
They are right in one way: Own your shit. But don’t do it by pretending it’s not there. Talk about bowel movements, celebrate healthy bodily function. Joke about smells and open a window, if they bother you, but we all have them. What it means is that our bodies accomplish the incredible feat of taking what they need and dumping the rest. And isn’t that absolutely fantastic? Let us not create the illusion that poop isn’t there, but rather learn more about it and talk about it honestly and joyously.