Cup o’ disappointment

When my husband passed me the Triangle & Co. section Jan. 7 and pointed out Josh Shaffer’s commentary, “Coffee with a sexy smile,” my heart sank. Covering about 50 percent of the front was a photo of a woman accompanied by an article about her business, the marketing strategy for which is simply self-objectification.

A woman-owned business, yes, but one that sells sex, not coffee. Even assigning bra cup sizes to the drink sizes reinforces what media tell us: that larger breasts are valued more highly than smaller ones.

My 13-year-old daughter and her Girl Scout Cadette troop spent last year exploring how women are portrayed by the media. Your article is just one example of the types of negative messaging that barrage her and her peers: teen-aged girls growing through the most challenging, emotionally fragile times of their lives.

I would have expected better from the Old Reliable than relying on sex to sell its issues.

Elaine Loyack

Cary