Drumroll: An Academic Journal For Porn Fans

If there were ever a human phenomenon in need of serious objective investigation, Internet porn use is surely it. Never has the youthful human brain been battered with so much erotic novelty during such a critical window of sexual development, and cracks are definitely appearing. However, judging from the board of the upcoming Porn Studies Journal, this particular publication will lack the detachment and expertise to fulfill this critical role.

According to HuffPo:

The journal, which is being published by Routledge starting in 2014, will welcome submissions from fields as diverse as criminology, sociology, labor studies and media studies. According to the New York Times, Porn Studies will focus on pornography as it relates to “the intersection of sexuality, gender, race, class, age and ability.” This is definitely XXX-content for the scholarly set.

There is nothing in the list of proposed topics about the adverse effects of Internet porn on users. In fact, all of the 32 board members for the new journal appear to think porn’s benefits far outweigh its costs.

Imagine a “Dietetics Studies Journal” in the Land of the Obese, whose board consists only of the Chairman of the Board of PepsiCo, the CEOs of Nestle and Pillsbury, and a marketing exec from Kraft, and you have a good feel for the bias of the upcoming journal. Read more here

Why not read this instead?

Big Porn Inc: Exposing the harms of the global pornography industry (Spinifex Press, 2011, Melinda Tankard Reist, Abigail Bray eds).

‘Once a self is ceded it’s hard to get back’

Gosh this is good.

It appeared on Huffington Post last month but I’ve only just read it. It is the kind of piece which needs to be read slowly, and a few times, it contains so much to absorb. Here’s an extract:

The problem is determining at what stage she started to cede her self and becomes, in her own eyes, mainly some (bright, young) thing other people see and use.  This process begins much earlier than when a girl is 15 and maybe buying thongs.

In general, parents, schools, counselors, “concerned” adults aren’t openly confronting the unrelenting pressure girls feel to base their self worth on being beautiful, perfect creatures idealized for the sexual and breeding purposes of others. For many people, girls and women are biologically meant to be available to boys and men in these ways. Our default is “Yes!” and “Of course!” You know the kind of being I’m talking about — females whose purpose, abstracted, divine or biological, is to look out for boys and men and guide them to ultimate pleasure and eternal happiness. Hey, aren’t Victoria’s Secret’s models called ANGELS?  What a visually pleasing, totally random and meaningless coincidence.

Once a self is ceded it’s hard to get back.  Regardless of a girl’s or woman’s age, this kind of objectification and “sexualization” results in a performance. It’s not about being a sexual person, it’s about acting out someone else’s idea of a sex object. And… what girls and women want, feel, need and experience are irrelevant unless they help fulfill the dreams of boys and men.  The impact is real, meaningful and measurable. It’s also serious and not at all entertaining.

Girls who conform well and internalize their “thing-ness” don’t miraculously stop doing it when get their driver’s licenses. It NEVER ends. Read the full article here. 

Dear Mr. Jónasson,

We are writing to express our support for current efforts in Iceland to develop and implement legal limits on violent Internet pornography. As scholars, medical and public health professionals, social service providers, and community activists, we commend your government’s determination to confront the harms of pornography. As part of a comprehensive approach to violence prevention, sex education, and public health, legally limiting Internet pornography will reduce the power of this multi-billion dollar global industry to distort and diminish the lives, opportunities, and relationships of Icelandic citizens.

Especially commendable is your government’s commitment to protect children from the harms of pornography. We recognize in other contexts (e.g., advertising) that children’s unique developmental needs mandate protecting them from predatory corporate interests. As pornography invades children’s lives and psyches at ever earlier ages and with ever more distressing effects, this recognition must be applied to pornography. It is naïve and unrealistic to expect parents and schools to counter effectively the influence of this powerful and pervasive industry. Rather, society must act on its compelling interest in providing a safe and nourishing environment for children. We applaud your government’s effort to exercise collective responsibility for children’s well-being by placing limits on a toxic media environment from which they cannot otherwise be sufficiently shielded.

We are inspired by your boldness and innovation in protecting children, honoring women’s rights to safety and equality, and maintaining the integrity of Icelandic culture against the onslaught of an unrestrained industry of sexual exploitation.

We understand that your deliberations remain at an early stage and that many important aspects of the proposed legislation remain to be worked out. That said, we commend your government’s stated intention to define pornography narrowly (as sexual material involving violence and degradation), thus ensuring Icelandic citizens’ access to the fullest possible range of online information  onsistent with the protection of children and of women’s civil right to equality. As your efforts continue to develop, we would urge you not to be dissuaded by dark invocations of totalitarianism or of an unregulated black market in pornography. The pornography industry could hardly be any less regulated than it is currently, nor could the motivations and methods of the Icelandic initiative differ more starkly from those of authoritarian governments.

From adopting the so-called “Nordic” approach to prostitution in 2009 to banning strip clubs in 2010, and having stood virtually alone among nations in holding banks to account in the wake of the global financial crisis, Iceland is a global leader both in gender equality and in confronting corporate power. We are inspired by your boldness and innovation in protecting children, honoring women’s rights to safety and equality, and maintaining the integrity of Icelandic culture against the onslaught of an unrestrained industry of sexual exploitation. As a group of similarly committed scholars, activists, and professionals across the globe, we stand with you and look forward to seeing the final result of your efforts.

Sincerely,

 Dr. Esohe Aghatise, Executive Director, Associazione Iroko Onlus, Turin, Italy

 Ruthanna Barnett, Human Rights Lawyer, Santa Cruz, California, USA/Oxford, England

 Roseanne Barr, Actress, Producer (“Roseanne”), USA

 Dr. Kathleen Barry, Author, “Female Sexual Slavery” and “Prostitution of Sexuality,” Professor Emerita, Penn State University, USA

 Angela Beausang, Chair, Roks (The National Organization for Women´s Shelters and Young Women’s Shelters), Sweden

 Julie Bindel, Journalist and Feminist Activist, London, England

 Edda Björgvinsdóttir, Actress, Iceland

 Dr. Ana Bridges, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Arkansas, USA

 Anne Burns, Health Improvement Lead, Child & Maternal Health, Health Improvement Team NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Scotland, Scotland

 Tanith Carey, Author, “Where Has My Little Girl Gone?” London, England

 Vivien Caldwell, Solicitor, The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscals Service, Glasgow, Scotland, former Local Councillor, Renfrewshire, Scotland

 Elaine Carr, Clinical Psychologist, Coathill Hospital, Coatbridge, Scotland

 Vednita Carter, Founder and Executive Director, Breaking Free (Anti-Trafficking Organization), St. Paul, Minn., USA

 Alexandra Charles, President, Ordförande, 1.6miljonerklubben, Stockholm, Sweden

 Chris Cherry, Director of Communications, South Carolina Democratic Women’s Council, USA

 Collective Shout, Leading Anti-Pornography Organization, Australia

 Dr. Deirdre Condit, Associate Professor of Political Science, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA

 Angie Conroy, Activist, Strategic Advisor, Strey Khmer, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

 Dr. Gail Dines, author of “Pornland,” Professor of Sociology and Chair of American Studies, Wheelock College Boston, Mass., USA

 Anni Donaldson, Violence Against Women Team Lead, West Dunbartonshire Violence Against Women Partnership, Glasgow, Scotland

 Kezia Dugdale, Member, Scottish Parliament, Shadow Minister for Youth Employment, Lothian Region (Labour & Co-op) Scotland

 Sharon Dunn, Scottish Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation

 Matthew B. Ezzell, Ph, Assistant Professor of Sociology, James Madison University

 Harrisonburg, Va., USA

 Dr. Melissa Farley, Executive Director, Prostitution Research & Education, USA

 The Feminist Party of Germany

 Camilla Silva Floistrup, Project Manager, Danish Institute for Human Rights, Copenhagen, Denmark

 Robert L. Franklin, MS, Sexual Violence Prevention Professional, Virginia, USA Fredrika-Bremer Association (Oldest Women’s Movement Organisation in Sweden)

 Dawn Fyffe, Say Women, Glasgow, Scotland

 Marlyn Glen, Former Member, Scottish Parliament

 Ruchira Gupta, President, Apne Aap Women Worldwide (sex trafficking), India

 Sophie Gwyther, Team Leader, Children and Young People’s Service, Fife Women’s Aid, Scotland

 Professor Simon Hackett and Dr. Nicole Westmarland, Durham University Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse (CRiVA), UK

 Kolbrún Halldórsdóttir, President, Federation of Icelandic Artists

 Elizabeth Handsley (Northwestern) Professor of Law, Flinders University; President, Australian Council on Children and the Media (ACCM)

 Birgitta Hansson, Union President, Sweden Union, Soroptimistklubbar

 Maree Hawken, coordinator, Queensland Women’s Health Network, Australia

 Dr. Susan Hawthorne, Publisher, Spinifex Press, Adjunct Professor, James Cook University

 Ann Hayne, Gender-Based Violence Manager, Coathill Hospital, Coatbridge, Scotland

 Marta Torres Herrero, Violence Program Coordinator, Pozuelo de Alarcon, Spain

 Wiveca Holst, Swedish Expert, The Observatory European, Women’s Lobby

 Derrick Jensen, Author, “Endgame,” Crescent City, California, USA

 Cherie Jimenez, Director, Kim’s Project (Anti-trafficking), Boston, Mass., USA

 Dr. Jennifer A. Johnson, Associate Professor and Chair of Sociology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA

 Hetty Johnston, Founder and Executive Director, Bravehearts (child abuse prevention), Australia

 Dr. Sue Jones, Centre for Gender and Violence Research, School for Policy Studies, Bristol University, UK

 Guðrún Jónsdóttir, Spokesperson for Stigamot, Reykjavík, Iceland

 Jackson Katz, Ph.D., Director, MVP Strategies, Long Beach, Calif., USA

 Dr. Liz Kelly, Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit, London Metropolitan University London, England

 Jenny Kemp, Coordinator, Zero Tolerance Campaign, Scotland

 Connie J. Kirkland, National Certified Counselor, Certified Trauma Specialist, Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists, Northern Virginia Community College, USA

 Dr. Renate Klein, Associate Professor (retired), Women’s Studies, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia; Publisher, Spinifex Press

 Elizabeth Koepping, Associate Director, CSWC, School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh, Scotland

 Iluta Lace, Manager, Association Resource Centre for Women, MARTA, Riga, Latvia

 Dr. David Levy, Professor and Chair, Business School, University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA

 Dr. Julia Long, Author, Activist, VAWG Services Manager, UK

 Linda MacDonald, MEd, BN, RN, Nurse and Human Rights Defender for Women, Persons Against Non-State Torture, Nova Scotia, Canada

 Finn Mackay, Founder, London Feminist Network; Centre for Gender and Violence Research, University of Bristol, UK

 Jan Macleod, Senior Development Office, Women’s Support Project, Glasgow, Scotland

 Dr. Ramesh Manocha, Convenor and Chairman, “The Right to Childhood,” CEO Healthed and Generation Next, Australia

 Malka Marcovich, Mediterranean Network Against Trafficking in Women; International Coalition Zero Impunity

 Dr. Betty McLellan, Coalition for a Feminist Agenda, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

 Robin Morgan, Author, Activist, USA

 Kate Morrissey, Counselling and Supervision Services, Manchester; UK Feminist Network

 Sarah Morton, Co-Director, Knowledge Exchange, Centre for Research on Families and Relationships (CRFR), University of Edinburgh, Scotland

 Wendy Murphy, JD, Professor of Sexual Violence Law, New England Law, Boston, Mass., USA; Former Sex Crimes Prosecutor

 Pauline Myers, National Chairman, Townswomen’s Guilds, Birmingham, England

 The National Organization for Women’s Shelter and Young Women’s Shelters, Sweden

 Rachel McPherson LLB (Hons) M.Res (Law), Institute for Society and Social Research, Glasgow, Caledonian University

 Eleanor Mills, Associate Editor, The Sunday Times, England, UK

 Bel Mooney, Author, Columnist, UK

 Hiroshi Nakasatomi, Associate Professor, University of Tokushima, Japan

 The Hon. Alastair Nicholson, AO RFD QC, Former Chief Justice of the Family Court and Founding Patron, Children’s Rights International, Australia

 Dr. Caroline Norma, RMIT University, Australia, School of Social, Urban and Global Studies

 Dr. Lesley Orr, Feminist Historian, Theologian; Acting Chair, Zero Tolerance Trust (Fighting Male Violence Against Women), Scotland

 Sue Palmer, Author of “Toxic Childhood,” Edinburgh, Scotland

 Bridget Penhale, Reader in Mental Health, School of Nursing Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK

 Dianne Post, International Human Rights Attorney, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

 Dr. Helen Pringle, School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia

 Norma Ramos, Esq. Executive Director, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, Int’l.

 Rape Crisis Scotland

 Rape Crisis Glasgow, Scotland, Emma Ritch, Chair; Isabelle Kerr, Manager

 Eha Reitelmann, General Secretary, Estonian Women’s Associations Roundtable

 Dr. John Sanbonmatsu, Associate Professor, Philosophy, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Mass., USA

 Amber Schalke, Feminist Party of Germany; Renate Schmidtsdorff-Aicher, Treasurer; Margot Müller, National Spokeswoman

 Dr. Marsha Scott, Convener Engender, Scotland

 Elaine Smith, Member, Scottish Parliament

 Rt. Hon. Jacqui Smith, British Home Secretary (2007-09), UK

 Gloria Steinem, Writer, Lecturer, Co-founder, Ms Magazine

 Ane Stoe, Ottar (Feminst Organization), Norway

 John Stoltenberg, MDiv, MFA, Author, Washington, DC, USA

 Jacci Stoyle, Amnesty Paisley (Campaign Against Human Trafficking), Scotland

 Swedish Medical Women’s Association, Gothenburg, Sweden (Johanna Berg, National, Coordinator)

 Swedish Women’s Lobby, Gertrud Åström, President, Stockholm, Sweden

 Melinda Tankard Reist, Editor, “Big Porn Inc.,” Australia

 Emily Thomson, Lecturer, Co-Director of Women in Scotland’s Economy Research Centre, Glasgow, Caledonian University

 Liane Timmermann, MillionWomenRise, Wales, UK

 Linda Thompson, National Development Officer, Women’s Support Project, Scotland

 Teresa Ulloa Ziaurriz, Regional Director, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women and Girls in Latin America and the Caribbean; Winner, 2011 Gleitsman International Activist Award (Harvard)

 Megan Walker, Executive Director, London Abused Women’s Centre, London, Ontario. Canada

 Vivien Walsh, Professor, Innovation Studies, University of Manchester, England, Author, “Whose Choice?”

 Lori Watson, Associate Professor, Philosophy, University San Diego, Calif., USA

 Karin Werkman, Researcher, The Netherlands

 Maria Weston, Nurse, National Health Service, Nottingham, England, UK

 Dr. Rebecca Whisnant, Associate Professor, Philosophy, University of Dayton, Ohio, USA

 Women Graduates’ Association, Dr. Catherine Dahlstrom, Associate Professor, Stockholm, Sweden

 Women’s Front of Norway, Agnete Strøm, International Coordinator

 WOCAD: Women’s Organisations Committee on Alcohol and Drug Issues, Stockholm, Sweden

 John Woods, Consultant Psychotherapist, The Portman Clinic, London, England

Not buying it

Thanks to our friends at ‘The Illusionist’ for this blog post on Dove. With the deluge of lovey-dovey isn’t Dove wonderful guff all over the social media stratosphere, it was refreshing to read this piece which sums up all that is wrong with the so-called ‘Real Beauty’ campaign. So what if they make cool videos? Does that justify everything else the company does? Collective Shout has had Dove in its sights since our inception four years ago, and its parent company Unilever continues to appear on our annual ‘Cross ‘em off your XMAS list’

This week my inbox was flooded with emails from friends and acquaintances – who had forwarded me the link to the latest Dove “Real Beauty” video, highlighting the disconnect between women’s perceptions of their own attractiveness and how outsiders see them. The point of the video is to show that women are often too critical of their looks. I was glad to see how this video sparked important conversations in the blogosphere and social media. But there’s a dark side to Dove that many people are unaware of.

I had written a blog post about some problematic aspects of Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign back in October 2008. Recently, while researching material for my feature-length documentary, I came across more evidence that supported my earlier points. Thing is – I’ve been reluctant to speak up about these issues for several reasons. The key ones:

Dove’s campaigns are the only ones that – at least on the surface – promote positive body image, in an ocean of toxic advertising set to make women feel insecure about their looks

I am acquainted with several people connected to Dove’s Real Beauty campaign – they’re good-intentioned people I deeply respect and admire.

I actually really like Dove’s videos

So, I considered these issues and thought about the latest email I received from my friend S. I wondered, would she feel that same way if she knew the other side of the story? My hunch: probably not. Staying quiet would be the easy thing to do. But is it the right thing to do?

So, without further ado, I am addressing the big elephant in the room. Below you will find my original post about Dove – with some tweaks and updates reflecting new evidence I recently discovered.

About three months ago, upon completing the first phase of research for my film, I held two slideshow presentations in front of an audience of friends, acquaintances, and a few people working in the TV/movie industry in Paris. Very much in the style of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth.”

At the heart of the presentation is the assertion that the obsession over the pursuit of the perfect female body is one of the integral parts of the capitalist system. If women were suddenly content with their appearance – accepting their body size, skin tone, wrinkles, graying hair, and the size and shape of their breasts, amongst other things – entire industries would collapse. Indeed worldwide revenues for cosmetics, dieting products, and cosmetic surgery totaled almost 500 billion dollars in 2006. Thus the saturation of images in advertising and mass media promoting an idealized, surgically-enhanced beauty that is impossible to achieve.

Well, during my presentations I would invariably get asked about the company Dove and its campaign for “Real Beauty.” Wasn’t that refreshingly positive? People would ask. It is a question that comes up every time I talk about my project. The short answer? Yes and no.

The people at Dove have actually exploited a void in the marketplace. By introducing so-called women with “real” bodies, they distinguished themselves from their competitors. According to the New Yorker, after the introduction of their “Real Beauty” campaign, Dove’s sales shot up 700% in the U.K. Read more here.

And what about this, also brought to you by Unilever? 

Meaningless Platitudes

Germaine Greer has some great things to say on this in an article reprinted in this blog post: ‘Do we repeat meaningless platitudes about beauty or honour women for their achievements?’  

Perfectly captured in this tweet! 

Kezrah Of Kapitola (@wearemostamused)

17/04/13 7:41 PM

@MelTankardReist their lastest video emphasises that self-esteem should come from how I view my looks. What about how I view my brain?

See also ‘Girls still getting the wrong messages about their bodies’ in which I argued what we really need is a ‘Love your Mind campaign’.

Claims to love me but I don’t think he meant it

Following our protest against 30 Rock stand-up comedian Tracy Morgan – who spread his anti-women pollution at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival this week – and our calls for Regal Theatre in Perth not to give him a platform to spread his hate speech further, Morgan responded on Monday night. According to The Real Steve Gray, this is what he said:

In front of a sold out Regal Theatre in Perth last night, 30 Rock star Tracy Morgan addressed the bad press he received in Melbourne on the weekend.

“All I’m trying to do is make people laugh,” he said onstage.

Fans allegedly stormed out of Hamer Hall during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in disgust – some demanding refunds – claiming he was misogynist and lacked humour.

It was all sexually related. He said he was a pervert and this is the sort of stuff he liked and then it went on from there,” she said.

“He went everywhere, he discussed disabled people having sex, what his experiences were, everything he discussed was just disgusting.”

Women’s rights campaigner Melinda Tankard urged for the cancellation of his remaining Australian dates.

Morgan has been called out for offensive material in the past..

“Collective Shout is calling on Regal Theatre to not give Morgan a platform for Morgan’s misogynist hate speech,” Tankard posted on her website.

“It’s fear, [Tankard] doesn’t understand me,” Morgan told Perth fans. “I love her anyway,” he added.

Social media exploded with conversation after the initial MICF reviews surfaced.

“Unfunny, sexist, racist, misogynistic, disgusting rubbish,” one Melbourne attendee posted.

“I left thinking he is chauvinist pig and I can’t believe I paid almost $80 for it!” commented another.

On occasion last night Morgan made jokes at the expense of his enemies and refused the censor his material. “Go home and blog some shit ’cause you ain’t gettin’ any,” he said. “I don’t give a fuck what you think.”

See also ‘Tracy Morgan sparks outrage in Australia’ 

 

The deluge of apologists for Morgan’s behaviour has been remarkable, even by usual standards. I’m still processing it and will write about it further. Seems anything is justifiable in the name of ‘art’ or ‘entertainment’. Here’s the Regal Theatre’s response to a Collective Shout supporter:

Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:27:12 +0800

From: regal@iinet.net.au

Subject: Re: Tracy Morgan hate speech

Hi

I appreciate your email, but the Regal does not engage in discrimination when selecting acts for our venue.

Many thanks,

KIM KNIGHT

Manager

Regal Theatre 474 Hay St Subiaco Western Australia 6008 0448 111 308 9388 2066

That’s right folks, we allow acts at our venue to discriminate against ANYONE!

If you don’t like it don’t go?

There’s this idea that the problem with us, for being ‘offended’, not with Morgan’s speech.

My colleague Nicole Jameson addresses this really well:

‘If you don’t like it leave, or don’t go in the first place’ IS a defence of misogyny – it’s based on the false, apologetic premise that hate speech against women is only subjectively offensive. Sexism doesn’t go away if we ignore it, nor if we dress it up as ‘edgy humour’ or ‘boundary pushing’ in order to swallow it.

Related to this is this Women’s View on News piece ‘Bare boobs are now news’ 

Call on Regal Theatre to pull Morgan off the program  

How much more women-hating are we expected to endure? And this latest manifestation in the name of ‘entertainment’? 

Steve Bennett has written this review of 30 Rock’s Tracy Morgan’s stand-up Performance at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival  for UK comedy guide Chortle. Here’s an extract: 

So here’s the problem. There’s only one reason Tracy Morgan can fill Melbourne’s 2,600-seat Hamer Hall twice in one night, and that’s 30 Rock: a sophisticated, endearing and witty sitcom. But Morgan’s stand-up is none of those things.

This is an unpleasant, graphic, charmless 45-minute tirade – brevity being a rare redeeming feature – sharing his baser instincts in putrid detail, and very little humour.

‘Fucking women are crazy’ he tells us, with his advice to the fairer sex being both, ‘get yo’ ass in the fucking kitchen’ and ‘give that pussy up and stop this bullshit.’ For ‘bullshit’, he means ‘conversation’, I think, for as he taps his head, he warns the men: ‘Once a woman get in there, she live rent-free.’

Let us not assume he is discriminatory about ‘bitches’, though, as he shows no prejudice as to where he sticks his penis: Fat, thin, black, white, disabled – all women can be a receptacle for him. He is something of a vaginal connoisseur, sharing his informed reviews: ‘That pussy be burnt out’; ‘That crippled pussy stays wet’; ‘that pussy stink just a little bit’… there was something about the lubricating ‘discharge’ from a disabled woman too, but I was too busy gagging to write that line down verbatim. Read full story here 

It was good to know at least some people walked out. Even better would be if those planning to attend his gig at the Regal Theatre tomorrow night boycotted it. Collective Shout is calling on Regal Theatre to not give Morgan a platform for Morgan’s misogynist hate speech.

Contact details for the Regal theatre in Perth:

https://www.facebook.com/theregaltheatre

t 08 9388 2066
f 08 9388 2860
regal@iinet.net.au
www.regaltheatre.com.au
474 Hay Street Subiaco WA 6008

See also:

Lip Magazine – Fans storm out of Tracy Morgan’s MICF comedy show

News.com.au – Fans walk out on Tracy Morgan’s comedy show

 

‘We showed companies all over the world that rewarding rape is not just wrong, it’s a bad marketing strategy’

So happy to report some good news.

U.S based women’s protest movement UltraViolet led a massive protest against rapper Rick Ross and his endorsement deal with Reebok, prompted by his lyrics in the Rocco song ‘U.O.E.N.O’., about drugging a woman and having sex with her without her knowledge.

Ross’s segment on the song featured spiking a woman’s drink with the drug MDMA, also known as Ecstasy or molly:

Put molly all in her Champagne

She ain’t even know it

I took her home and I enjoyed that

She ain’t even know it.

Only 13-months-old, UltraViolet harnessed a groundswell of protests that forced Reebok to end its relationship with the rapper. Much of the action took place through social media, resulting in a mammoth 90,000 signature petitions, 10,000 phone calls and 2000 tweets.

Protest outside the Reebok store in Manhattan (NYT)

Here’s an email I just received about the campaign’s success.

Dear Melinda,

YOU just dealt a big blow to rape culture.

Thanks to 100,000 UltraViolet members and our allies who spoke out, Reebok just ended their endorsement deal with Rick Ross, the rapper who brags about raping a woman on his recent single. The 90,000 petition signatures, 10,000 phone calls, 2,000 tweets, the letter signed by 500 rape survivors, and the nearly 100 people who rallied at Reebok’s New York City flagship store sent a clear message: we won’t stand for a company that rewards rape.

And Reebok listened. In fact they issued a strong statement, saying “We are very disappointed [Ross] has yet to display an understanding of the seriousness of this issue or an appropriate level of remorse.”1

When a company does the right thing, it’s important that we thank them–so we’re going to send them a thank you card, signed by thousands of UltraViolet members. We’ll also send the card to the press to help Reebok get good publicity for taking a stand against rape. Can you sign the card?

Sign the thank you card to Reebok.

This isn’t just a blow to Rick Ross–it’s going to have an impact on how companies like Reebok choose their spokespeople in the future. We showed companies all over the US–and all over the world–that rewarding rape is not just wrong, it’s a bad marketing strategy.

After Todd Akin, Rick Ross, Steubenville, and far too many similar stories, it’s clear we have a lot of work to do together to end rape culture. But right now, we need to take a moment to thank Reebok, and show companies everywhere that if they stand up for women, it will pay off. Can you sign the thank you card?

Thanks for speaking out,

Nita, Shaunna, Kat, Malinda, and Karin, the UltraViolet team

Ross part of another video eroticising violence against women

Remember Rick Ross’s part in a behind-the-scenes clip for the Kanye West Monster video which showed him eating a plate of meat between the spread legs of a dead woman?  Collective Shout, Adios Barbie and others joined together in a global campaign against the Monster video which was described as a rape scenario set to a soundtrack – and won. MTV refused to screen it.

See also: ’32 overlooked rape lyrics in rap’

Following my Sunday Herald Sun column critical of ‘The Biggest Loser’ last week , I heard from a number of women in recovery from eating disorders, who wrote about the negative impact the series had on them – including Melbourne woman Belinda Davis, 38, who was happy for me to share her story here.

It all began when I was about 10-years-old. Having footage beamed into our lounge rooms every night of starving Ethiopian children just filled me with immense guilt. I would tell my mother that I would eat less so that those kids could have my share It was probably then that I developed unusual eating habits and thoughts around food.

In my 20’s I tried every bizarre new diet on the market plus a few I made up myself. There would be periods of my life that weren’t heavily dominated by the eating disorder but it was always there, lingering, waiting. That was until I was 31 and I longed for the voice to return just that little bit stronger, just to help me shed those few kilos.  The eating disorder voices (demands) are strong, powerful and destructive, especially when looking for control in one’s life.

Before I knew it, this “voice” had taken over my life. Of course, there are many reasons behind an eating disorder but those childhood feelings of guilt still remain. I was severely emaciated and weighed everything before I even thought of consuming it.

With the support of great people, including an amazing clinical psychologist and a dietician who supported me daily in the initial stages of recovery, I have been able to recover. It was a long road, my general health was poor.  Eating disorders are not glamourous in the slightest. Having ECGs, Dexa scans (for bone density) and regular blood tests are not what one thinks of when dreaming of “thinness”.

Since my recovery I lost my fiancé to suicide (August 2009) which lead to nervous breakdowns that landed me in hospital. But thankfully, though I was vulnerable, anorexia didn’t rear its ugly head again this time.  Fortunately, I had learned that dieting didn’t bring me happiness, contentment or a life I wanted.

The Biggest Loser

I still recall the very first season. It was 2006, during the peak of my anorexia.

I was thrilled with the motivation it gave me to exercise after the episode.  Obviously, I wasn’t the only one.  In the beginning, my partner and I would see a number of people heading out of their houses for a brisk evening walk or jog.  I thought this was a good thing. As the show continued, I saw the obsession with calorie counting, specific diets and of course, the Sunday nail biter, “the weigh in”.  I wished I could lose as much as them.  I couldn’t.

As the years went by, the show got worse, more extreme. Today, I cannot watch it for I learned (the hard way) how to manage a healthy weight.  And I knew the show would set me back. All I see in the commercials is contestants being belittled, put down, yelled at, being sick, crying and with forlorn expressions.

The saddest part is to think that this show is aired in a very family friendly time slot. Just trying to imagine how many families sit down to watch this program together makes me hang my head in shame. What have we become? I really do feel for all those kids out there that are subject to this propaganda.  The messages they must be learning could be not only damaging but life threatening. Let’s think about it (from the mind of our inner child):

• It is ok if people in authority yell at me and call me names. It does make me feel bad about myself but they are “trainers” so they must be “right”.
• If I am thin I am worthy of a relationship (think back to the “Singles” series that aired last year).
• People cheer and get excited when I lose weight, it must be VERY important (and being ‘big’ must be VERY bad).
• I am defined by my size (which is only good if I look like someone who works out at the gym for a living).
• I now associate the word “loser” with someone who is bad (fat, lazy, greedy etc).

Fat shaming, the obesity ‘epidemic’ and extreme over correction is no way to control weight.

Why, as a society, can we not appreciate good deeds, intelligence, kindness and respect?  It all comes down to what we/they can sell.  I can only be happy that I am now in a fairly strong recovery because programs that embrace unhealthy under- eating and obsessional behaviour only serve as a trigger.

I cannot believe that this type of show is allowed on the air. With a failing public health system, it shocks me to see that people are being pushed to follow this extremism.  Show me a study that says losing more than 500g per week is healthy or a study that says morbidly obese people should be expected to work out in a gym? I was so worried that “Big Kev” was going to have a heart attack.

I now know what a healthy diet consists of, how healthy weight loss works and the importance of fitness appropriate exercise. The Biggest Loser doesn’t promote any of this.

Belinda Davis blogs at ‘Musings in the Umbra‘ . She also has a Facebook page for those bereaved by suicide 

On Saturday I appeared on Weekend Sunrise with Danielle Egan, US author of a new book which argues concerns about the sexualisation of girls are exaggerated.

You can watch it here

Beauty Redefined: Victoria’s Dirty Little Secret

The time-wasting, body-hating self-objectification proved to go hand-in-hand with such “bold, sexy, powerful” ideals – though ideal for an industry raking in $5 billion a year and expanding across the globe – is not a great pathway to real progress as females or as a culture

You’ve probably heard VS rolled out a line of lingerie for teens called “Bright Young Things.”As part of the PINK brand for all the teenaged “things” across the world, these undies feature polka-dot hipsters with “Feeling Lucky?” printed on them, a lacey thong with the words, “I dare you” on the front, and so much more. This isn’t some conservative “too sexy, too soon!” cry. This is doctoral research into Victoria’s Secret — a company that profits by selling sexually objectifying and limiting messages to all ages and claiming it is “empowering.” This may give words to the feelings you’ve been having about how harmful this brand is, so read on.

Topless women in newspapers are not ‘tough, rough, challenging’ ideas’

In a piece titled ‘Politician-Led Attack on Media Freedom is a Sentence on the public’, in The Australian last Thursday, Spiked Online editor Brendan O’Neill wrote an impassioned defence of free speech. O’Neill argued that attacks on press freedom were not only attacks on those who write and publish but also on the reader – hurting the “man on the street”. He condemned the “licensing of the press by the back door, the use of extreme financial pressure to make every paper, mag and zine bow before new codes of conduct.” He described (now failed) moves to regulate the press in Australia as a “wicked undermining” of the readers’ right to exercise their own moral judgement about the content. “…restrictions on the press are a sentence on the public, passed by elites who think we morons cannot handle tough or rough or challenging ideas”.

Tough, rough, challenging…

I support him on that. I’m all for giving as many column inches as possible to touch, rough and challenging ideas.

But O’Neill fails the argument when he includes as an example of content deserving the protection of free speech, the Page 3 semi-naked images of women, a regular feature in Britain’s The Sun newspaper. He labels as “censorious feminists” those who condemn the objectified and sexist images (over 87,000 so far in a Change petition, see below). Labelling the images as merely “saucy”, O’Neill mockingly collapsing the argument against them as being “because it makes men rapacious.”

By including The Sun’s Page 3 girls feature in his passionate treatise against the “mugging of press freedom”, O’Neil has undermined that fragile right. I was about to write about why, when I came across this piece by writer and actress Lucy-Anne Holmes, in Women’s Views on News (originally published in Huffington Post). Holmes has summarised it perfectly: “We are all affected by Page Three whether we buy it or not, because we all live in a society where the most widely read paper in the country makes ‘normal’ the idea that women are there primarily for men’s sexual pleasure.”

‘If you don’t like it don’t buy it’ – Brilliant! Why didn’t I think of that?

Guest post by Lucy-Anne Holmes, writer and actress currently working on the No More Page 3 campaign ‘to take the bare boobs out of the Sun’ newspaper.

This article appeared in The Huffington Post on 15 March 2013.

I’ve got a confession to make. I may have been a bit silly starting the No More Page 3 campaign. You see, someone just tweeted us something. “If you don’t like it, don’t buy it”, the tweet read.

There was I, ballistically campaigning about Page Three being damaging when, oh, I really am feeling very stupid now, because I could just not buy it and everything would be fine. So, I’ll be off then. Sorry about that. Or rather. No. Just no.

There are so many reasons why “if you don’t like it, don’t buy it” doesn’t work as an argument for Page 3, that I will be breaking out the big gun bullet points.

So, here goes. This is for you, Mr If You Don’t Like It Don’t Buy It and all the others before you, and that includes you, Nick Clegg.

1) I was most affected by these images at the age of 11 when my breasts were developing and my brother and his mates would be commenting on Page Three girls breasts everyday. I really looked up to my big brother and this situation taught me that my breasts were only there for men to look at. Mine fell short of the ones that were in the daily newspaper, therefore I was failing somehow and I was ashamed. I didn’t buy it. Read more here.

Click image below to sign the petition. 

Like the ‘No more Page 3′ Facebook page.