Sexist Metro ad asks “Can’t we just talk about shoes?”

WMATA thinks talking about reliable buses is boring, asking “Can’t we just talk about shoes?” Instead, many riders are talking about how sexist the agency’s new ad is.

WMATA placed the ad highlighting its Metro Forward rebuilding campaign at Metro Center. Capital News Service correspondent Lucy Westcott first noticed the ad, which then appeared on DCist. Backlash to it has been fierce, with many Twitter users and anti-sexism group UltraViolet calling the ad sexist and offensive.

A WMATA spokesperson told DCist that “The point of the ad is to get people talking about Metro’s massive rebuilding effort by juxtaposing technical facts with a variety of light responses in conversation between friends.”

The ad certainly has people talking, but not for the reasons Metro intended.