So June is finally upon us and already today we've encountered plenty of examples of sexism!
From 'kitsch' nude ladies on a Brighton café wall to 'Wags' in bikinis in The Sun, the sad truth is that we do live in a culture where 'casual sexism' is rife and widely accepted as the norm.
Let's Spot The Sexism this month and add our voices to the growing number of people saying 'NO'!
Here's how:
- Share your examples of sexism in the media and advertising by commenting on this blog.
- Follow us and share on Twitter @SpotTheSexism or using the hashtag #sexistpress
- Like us on Facebook and get involved in the conversations there.
The comment made by comedian Bob Mills that Clare Balding "is a horsewoman who appreciates power between her thighs" During a show called Defending the Indefensible, he said "Give me 20 minutes with her and I'm pretty sure I could turn around Clare Balding." It's an old claim, used by men who think it's funny. It was only published by the media because it concerns our national treasure. It is a sexist comment, offensive to anyone whose sexual preference is challenged in such a disrespectful way.
ReplyDeleteGuardian: 4 June National news page 5
From page 16 of today's Metro paper - a story about a successful woman in a man’s world starts with the line “You should really hate her..."
ReplyDeleteThe catchy advert for the new Beats speakers, featuring Pharell's "Blurred Lines", in which scantily clad, attractive young models dance and pose suggestively as a man in a suit looks on. The lyrics include "You know you want it, you're a good girl"
ReplyDeleteI applaud Caroline Lucas for making a stand against 'Page 3' and media sexism. Time women who agree with her take up the "suffragette
ReplyDeletespirit" and get together to outlaw this culture, which is degrading to the female sex. I would like to see women's groups calling for a boycot of The Sun. After the Hillsborough disaster no newsagent in Liverpool would stock The Sun. If sales went down The Sun would most likely have a rethink. I would certainly support any petition.
According to a report published last year by the Chartered Management Institute, female executives earn £400,000 less over the course of their working lives than male colleagues with identical careers – and are far more likely to be made redundant. The media focuses on the controversial issue of quotas for Board positions every year, without creatingproducing any stories about why corporations don't seem to be bothered by the lack of gender diversity in their upper echelons. In an interview for the Guardian, Angela Ahrendts, the American CEO of Burberry, called the quotas "dangerous", despite the fact that she and Imperial Tobacco's Alison Cooper are the only two women heading FTSE 100 companies in 2013. There was no mention in that November 2012 article about alternatives to quotas, or what Burberry does to promote women. I do know that while the Ms. Ahrendts earned £17m in 2012, many of the underpaid women in middle management work 60-80 hours per week to keep the wheels turning. This equates to a paltry hourly wage.
ReplyDeleteOne could as easily make a case to the contrary, that maintaining homogenous Boards of good old boys working in "Groupthink" has been more dangerous to corporate well being as well as to society as a whole. Considering the rampant inefficiencies and poor performance of many large corporations, promoting knowledgeable, experienced women to Boards would be a welcome challenge to the status quo. It is the duty of media to present balanced reporting. Unfortunately, this article appears to have only presented one side of the issue. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/nov/07/boardroom-gender-quotas-dangerous-burberry
I've come to this campaign rather late and somewhat by default.
ReplyDeleteYes, sexism continues to prevail but perhaps positive example is the best form of defense. For women to live openly, honestly and confidently will have a far deeper impact over time and successive generations than momentary focused criticism, particularly of men and some men's prevailingly myopic attitudes.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone, women and men, could live openly, honestly and confidently? If choices were not limited by stereotypes or young women's confidence damaged by judgement. To call for a media and a culture that allows women to flourish is not to criticise men but to criticise media and culture which makes it harder for women to live in this way.
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