天天 Everyday Comfort - Lin Yu-ting "What is a woman?" (2024) Thailand

Lin Yu-ting along with Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, was disqualified from the 2023 Women's World Boxing Championships due to failing unspecified gender eligibility tests administered by the International Boxing Association (IBA). However, both boxers were allowed to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) supported their eligibility, highlighting a disconnect between the IBA's and IOC's standards. This caused quite the uproar online, and drew a lot of attention to both boxers.

The exact nature of these tests has been a point of contention. Initially, there were claims about them having XY chromosomes, but the details of what tests were conducted, how they failed, or specifics about their genetic makeup have not been conclusively disclosed by the IBA.

This ad, for feminine hygiene products such as tampons and pads, leans in on the controversy. Even if you don't speak Thai, you can hear that there is a play on repeating words going on. What is said are repeated questions about being a woman. "What is a woman? I'm not a woman? Then what is a woman?" etc. "I don't want to go out. I go out." The end tagline shown as a super is something akin to "I'm not the same as the old one." Alrighty then, talk about leaning in.

"Be Relax. Be You" Got it. Individual freedom in being who you are, comfortable in your own body. That's a nice thought. Also a bold move, considering the controversy. Getting "Reebok lets U.B.U." vibes from that tagline.

The brand posted this on facebook in August, along with this message:

Girls are not born for anyone’s imagination
When magic tries to twist the truth
turn all doubtful eyes
cast on her
we will tell the world
Lin Yuting is our spokesperson
Spokesperson for a sanitary napkin brand
as a girl
Not only endorse our products
It also represents our belief in girls
Just because we believe
Every girl has the right to be the way she is most comfortable
No need to explain to anyone, let alone prove to anyone
In our eyes, that’s the girliest you
Lin, Yu-Ting.

A second video in the campaign focuses on pain. There also seems to be some alliteration puns going on with the changing names.

Strong is Lin Yu-hun
It's Lin Yu-tong, trained in hell.
Lin Yu-bin, who has received countless fists
It's Lin Yu-ting smiling and talking about questioning
Strong isn't just Lin Yu-Hing
It hurts so much that you roll in bed
It's you who hesitated to take leave
It's useless to eat sweet and drink hot
It's you who are mad at the uterus
It's you who are uncomfortable with menstruation but still strong
From the moment we are born we have no choice
Only a few days of the month
Grit your teeth and fight your body
You don't have to be brave every time in front of menstruation
But in the eyes of every day, strong is always with you
Lin, Yu-Ting

Not every person commenting on the brands facebook page is loving this, however. One commentator asks the brand to clarify if they know more about Lin Yu-ting's sex than they let on at this post.

Client: 天天 Everyday

By the way, I did not tag this with transgender, because it would be incorrect.

What we know is that Lin Yu-ting did not pass a test done by the International Boxing Association (IBA). It's unclear if this was a simple DNA swab, which would show XX-XY.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) measuers for levels of testosterone, which Lin Yu-ting and fellow boxer Imane Khelif both passed.

The protesters against them are concerned that these boxers, like male athletes before them such as Caster Semenya, Francine Niyonsaba and Margaret Wambui, are born with a DSD, also known as an intersex condition, and really belong in the men's category of boxing. Their heightened testosterone is a natural one, not chemically induced.

This is not like the East and German athlete doping wars where women were fed anabolic steroids and testosterone.

And so this is also not like Lia Thomas, who always was a man until he decided to become a transgender woman and compete against women.

But in the end, the fact is that Lin Yu-ting will likely never need what is advertised here, and that takes quite a lot of the air out of this advert.