Circle K launches sexist ad to celebrate Administrative Professionals' Day

Patricia Mercado, a lawmaker from the Movimiento Ciudadano party, shared a screenshot of Circle K 's sexist add , launched to celebrate the Administrative Professionals' Day today.

Through social media, Mercado Castro shared an image of Circle K 's add for Administrative Professionals ' Day. The first two packages included chocolates and wine bottles, nevertheless, the third package included wine, a bar of chocolate, and condoms .

The senator explained that the ad was sexist , that it promoted gender stereotypes, misogyny, and sexual harassment at the workplace .

Moreover, it is alarming that a company such as Circle K promotes and perpetrates these harmful stereotypes , especially since harassment in the workplace prevails in Mexico .

In the last decade, the largest number of people who have quit their jobs as a result of harassment or discrimination was registered during the first trimester of 2019. From January to March, at least 23,542 people resigned in order to avoid a hostile work environment .

According to the numbers released by the INEGI , people between 15 and 29 are the most affected sector with 14,800 reported cases, equal to 60%.

In Mexico , the workplace is still a male-dominated place. Numbers from the Mexican Social Security Institute show that from every 10 job positions available, men are hired in 6 and women are hired in four. Therefore, women are still part of a minority, which makes them more vulnerable.

Earlier today, Circle K issued a public apology . The company claims that “ inclusion and equality ” are one their main principles; it also alleges that the ad was meant to “promote an offer” and that it didn't intend to “promote a stereotype .”

Workplace harassment prevails in Mexico

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