I know, I know, I know you've heard it all before, the same old argument yet again. BUT why not do something about it? This has come up for debate earlier this week due to a popular petition requesting Dominic Mohan (Editor) to banish the Page 3 topless babe from The Sun newspaper.
Some might say this is the actions of the feminist middle class Britain demonising the working class male but I want to know how YOU the women of all different backgrounds and ages feel when you see a bloke gawping at Page 3. Comfortable? I'm not.
I am quite positive that in the workplace men are banned from putting up calendars or pictures of naked women because this is deemed offensive to women. Fair enough. So why is it ok for them to bring a newspaper into the workplace which only after opening the first page you are confronted with a semi-naked girl?
What is the point of printing a picture of a topless girl everyday? Is there any need in a NEWSpaper? Surely with the easy access online or even the purchase of a top shelf magazine is enough to satisfy the mens' need. Can Dominic Mohan honestly say hand on heart, the sales of The Sun would decrease significantly if they dropped the topless shot, I doubt it.
If you ask a man why they have bought The Sun they will often say - "I bought it for the sport pages" or "It's an easy read of the daily news" or "It has some fun and interesting stories in it." I don't think they ever say, oh I like to drool over the girl on Page 3. If they did then why have a paper with only one picture when you can buy a magazine full of them.
And lets remember here, these Page 3 girls are young. Yes they're adults with their own minds and can do as they please but what message are they conveying to younger girls?
What message does The Sun newspaper convey to a young child when their Dad leaves it on the side when they walk in from work each day? It's not as if their little daughter doesn't know what's in that paper once you turn the first page. It's not as if she has never stood staring in bewilderment as to why her father wants to look at naked girls. All that little girl learns is that men only fancy topless girls, why else would a very popular newspaper such as The Sun print pictures of them?
Not forgetting as she starts developing during her early teenage years who is she going to compare her new boobs to? Yes, that Page 3 girl you expose her to everyday. Who else is going to be her 'boob' role model? Well, she is going to think boobs must be a very important part of the female anatomy, why else would a popular 'family' newspaper print a picture of them everyday?
The sexualisation of children is horrific enough and believe me, you do not want to get me started on parents who do not monitor their childrens' online activity. It's shocking and I know this from personal experience (thankfully not my children). All I can say is, people please do not allow your child to take a laptop, an iPad or a smartphone to their bedroom. If they want to go online then they should do it in a regularly frequented room where you can keep an eye on it. Too many children are sitting in their bedrooms looking at all sorts, talking to god knows who and you haven't got a clue. Get tech savvy and learn what your children really are up to, now! (*stands down from soap box*)
It would be interesting to hear what your views are on Page 3, do you mind your boyfriend/husband buying The Sun? What do you think will happen when the Page 3 is used for something like, NEWS? Think about it, the big TV channels banished Miss World from our screens decades ago so why on earth is the most popular newspaper still feel it fit to print topless girls for male gratification?
We are no longer living in the 1970s where men managed the country and when only men managed the newspapers and saw fit to indulge in a bit of nakedness in their newspaper. Today we live in a equal environment (supposedly) so lets make it equal.
Teresa x
