....to want to ban page 3???

[DianaVreeland]

I remember seeing a page 3 girl for the first time when I was about 6 as my neighbour bought the Sun. I cringed inwardly, and haven't stopped feeling the same since. I have 5 nieces 3 nephews and my own 2 sons.....I hope they could grow up without seeing images of women objectified like this. Clearly I am not showing this to them but at some point I know they will. Does anyone else feel the same?

I have to admit, me as well. I'd be gutted.

And if she described it as 'empowering', I think that would break my heart a little bit. I realise that sounds melodramatic, but it's true. I would feel like I had totally failed as a parent.

The people who look at this stuff; especially cringeworthy nudity like Page 3. Do you think they give a low-flying shite about the actual girl in the pic? About who she is and what she's like, what she's good at? She could be anyone or no-one. She could be a computer-generated image for all they care; as long as her shell is presentable, that's all that matters. Each girl is utterly interchangeable to the people who look at them. She's a shell. What's empowering about being a shell?

This is objectification. And good on the individual women who thinks it's the right choice for her, but don't be surprised that other women don't appreciate the knock-on effect it has on the rest of us. One small step for a woman; one giant step backwards for womenkind.

I bloody hate it when beast feeding is dragged into it! Breast feeding is what breasts are designed to do, I could not give a crap if someone seen my nipple while my baby was having milk. It is not on par or anywhere near the same as getting your tits out for what you know is mens arousal. That's all page 3 is, men oggling you and looking at your breasts in a sexual way nothing more. it should not be in news papers in this day and age it should be saved for lads mags(loaded/nuts) etc

Exactly it should not be in a newspaper in 2012 very sexist. Either that r have some hunk on p4 tat women can lust after

i don't think a man in his boxers is comparable to page 3. it would imo have to be a naked man to compare & imagine the crap that would cause?
If people want to look at this sort of stuff there is a market for it (play girl/play boy etc)

I agree the bees. It should be kept to top shelf level not in a national newspaper, still stuck in the 70's

Expat - what a disgusting thing to say you absolute drama queen. After that comment I'm bowing out.

expat I hope you're OK. You didn't fail your DD. (((hug)))

Oh bore off with your "jealous" comments, I wondered when they'd come in. Thats such a typical female response when you have no valid argument. YANBU. Most of the women in page 3 are beautiful and have nice tits but is it really right to put it in a paper? no not really. it's purpose is to turn men on, it's not an art nude photo is it? You can of course have nude/topless photos done tastefully but none of them are and I do find it odd that some of the girls are as young as 18 it's just weird. I also have a nice pair of boobies (if i do say so myself) but I don't whip them out on every occasion as it's not appropriate. It doesn't "offend" me seeing the images but why not keep that stuff to nuts, zoo, the magazines what men buy to purposefully see this stuff. It has no place in the sun anymore it's out dated and tack.

I don't agree with bannings things.

Is Page 3 really that damaging to women compared to countless other negative images of women in the media? I don't see an uncovered nipple as that big a deal in 2012, sorry.

I hate the "your just jealous" argument too. it makes me laugh that I am supposedly jealous because I decided not to take my tits out for money.
I am very happy with the fact that the only person who has seen my boobs are my babies when breast feeding them and my husband. Its nice that others can only speculate what they look like & will never know!

I've got a friend who's a glamour model. She LOVES her job.
Firstly, for glamour girls page three is like the best thing they could achieve, ever. Mostly its nuts/zoo/babestation type stuff. Page 3 is a massive achievement.

the only thing I find ridiculous is that on her twitter account (she has about 20,000 followers) shes always moaning about comments pervy men put on the naked photos of herself she has on there. I don't know who she thinks looks at them...

I don't like the just trying to find a footballer type side of glamour modelling, but using your body as a woman to make money in an empowering way is different.

booomy your friend sounds like a parody of herself.

F*ck Me Pumps (Amy Winehouse) is a very good song about glamour model typw women how they are laughed at and used while they still look good then the next one comes along there is nothing empowering about being treated like a piece of meat

I agree back2two its a silly argument.
plenty of decent ways to feel empowered, stripping off for money is not one of them.

expat I'm sorry to hear about your dd, but that comment is extremely offensively and utterly utterly disgusting! You clearly have gone through a terribe terrible time but there is no excuse for tht suicide comment. Very offensive.

ghostship I feel I need to wade in here and offer support. You have given very well articulated arguments for your case and although I don't 100% agree with everything you are saying, I believe you have unfairly been spoken to at times on this thread.

My personal opinions:

I don't believe p.3 should be banned. Everyone has the choice to buy this paper and if something offends you, don't buy and view it.

I personally wouldn't want my dd doing topless shoots but I feel offended for those glamour models to be likened to porn stars and prostitutes. They are million miles away from each other.

Catwalk models are paid to showcase clothes. They ate paid for their bodies only. Why is this acceptable then? Yes glamour models are showing their bodies in a sexual manner and largely catwalk models are showing their bodies to showcase clothes but both professions are based entirely on using ones body a a source of income. It's not fair to say catwalk models for example are okay to appear in mags - and in vouge Elle etc there are plenty of high fashion models who are topless - but p.3 are not okay. Both are exposing breasts, both are using their bodies in their profession. If you ban p.3 then why not bare sexualised breasts in fashion shoots?

"if something offends you, don't buy and view it."

I don't buy it, I don't view it, but it still affects me and my daughters. Is this so hard to understand?

Ghostship if my girls grow up to be as articulate, intelligent, and proud of themselves as you are I will be a very happy and proud Mother indeed, regardless of their occupation.

That suicide comment is absolutely disgusting and uncalled for. To resort to that type of comment and to be so rude in an effort to 'win' an arguement is childish to say the least. I am also bowing out, we shall all have to agree to disagree on this one.

Thankyou so much glitter and missy. Your posts mean a lot, they really do.

allpastyears please do not speak to me in that patronising and offensive manner.

No it is not hard to understand. You are entitled to your view point as am i.

I believe that topless modelling is the choice of the adult individual. I believe that an adult woman can choose or herself what career she would like to pursue. I also believe if something offends you and the particular thing that is offensive is not hurting anyone - I don't believe glamour modelling hinders equality for women in the work place , and you have the opportunity to not exposure to said material then do not buy and view said material.

If a topless photo was used in an outdoor billboard for example I would be adverse to this as I has no choice but to see this.

Incidentally, who here that objects to p.3 objected to the famous Eva herizogva "hello boys" wonder bra advert of the 90s. Many many women view this as an iconic image, not many women seem to view Eva as a prostitute yet she was using her (albeit) slightly more covered breasts in her line of work.

Cannot believe mumsnet deleted my post but let the disgusting suicide one stay.

Could you please explain how I broke the rules mumsnet? I think I remember saying i as fucking furious, that my mum respected my right to use my body as a wish, and explained how my mother was on suicide watch, but not because of me. And this is why expats post was particularly hurtful. I probably added a few more choice words but can't remember.

Expat is still probably going through her own personal Hell at the moment, and spoke over emotionally.
Please don't knock her for her post .