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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask you all to sign the "No More Page 3" petition?

466 replies

UnrequitedSkink · 17/09/2012 21:18

It's a bit of a no-brainer really. How are we ever supposed to show our kids that women are more than just sex objects when Page 3 exists? It's archaic and totally unnecessary. It's also an anachronism and offensive. Please sign if you believe that pictures of topless girls don't belong in a so-called family newspaper.

More info here and a facebook page here

Fantastically, the petition has gone from 2,000 signatures yesterday morning to over 16,000 today!

OP posts:
emcwill74 · 18/09/2012 13:26

arse - done the Flowers thing again...

JodieHarsh · 18/09/2012 13:32

:)

It's important to try and understand all sides I think.

I saw a photo recently of someone holding a placard at a protest. It said something like:

"WHAT DO WE WANT?

Mutually respectful discourse with a view to achieving better understanding and a productive way forward!!

WHEN DO WE WANT IT?

I am free now, but would be keen to arrange a mutually convenient date!!"

Grin
gilbertta · 18/09/2012 14:44

I've always thought there should be a subsidy for proper newspapers, perhaps funded by a tax on the tabloids. The difference could be defined by the ratio of current affairs articles to gossip/scandal/titty pics.
(Guardian Telegraph, Times, Independent would qualify as serious news, Mail and Express would tax neutral, and the Sun, Mirror, Star etc. would be a little dearer in the shops).

LittleWhiteWolf · 18/09/2012 14:45

I signed this earlier. What a prude I must be. Hmm

markjohnson · 18/09/2012 14:53

wtf is it if it's not a ban then? Petition to get rid of = ban

emcwill74 · 18/09/2012 15:05

From OED: 'ban' (vb) 'to officially or legally prohibit something'. The petition (as you would clearly see if you clicked on the link) is not to any politicians, but to the Sun's editor to ask him to stop doing something (voluntarily) that the Sun started in 1970. There was a time when we didn't have Page 3 you know! Asking someone not to do something is a very different kettle of fish and bicycles to legally preventing them from doing so.

modifiedmum · 18/09/2012 15:19

I swear some people have the brains of a gnat, if it was being petitioned to be "banned" that would mean it would dissapear from all papers as as i recall, daily star also has a page 3, if you actually took the time to read and not jump on the "all these women must be fat ugly munters" bandwagon you might see the petition is just aimed at the sun editor. Teenage titties are NOT news. Also, there is PLENTY of magazines for men who like to look at tits, go buy them. Again someone else was wrong, the sun is not on the same stand as nuts/zoo what shops do you shop in? I work at a well known supermarket and in the bigger and little versions and both shops they are no where near each other :S same with WH Smith and all the news agents down here. Infact we have to keep the lads mags at a certain level so they arent eye length so a child can see...

Also YANBU. I do modelling and guess what before anyone flames me, i also have done topless modelling but for magazines for THAT purpose. And paid work. I would never take on paid work for page 3 as i dont want my tits in a newspaper, its just weird the fact that we have school kids come in and buy it to. No thanks.

LadyBeagleEyes · 18/09/2012 15:35

Wow modifiedmum
"Brains of a gnat"
"all these women must be thick ugly munters" er who said that?
"Teenage titties".
Well that is a really persuasive argument, ta for that.

Not.

princesschick · 18/09/2012 15:43

YANBU. Page 3 is simply creepy. And that's it. Consider your petition signed.

delightfullyfragrant · 18/09/2012 16:32

Isn't torso of the week aimed at gay men.

Also correct me if I'm wrong but closer isn't selling news. I wouldn't be crying if all those 'celeb' were put in room 101

AliceHurled · 18/09/2012 16:45

YANBU. Signed and shared.

GeorgeEliot · 18/09/2012 17:59

Didn't used to think this was a big issue either way.

Until last week, when my 10-year-old son picked up a copy of The Sun in the barbers while we were waiting to get his haircut.

Some very awkward questions - 'Why Mummy?'

I am going to ask the proprietor (nice guy) to stop buying it - it is where all the local kids go for cheap hair cuts. and if he refuses, I will stop taking my kids there.

GeorgeEliot · 18/09/2012 18:02

And I signed the petition.

YANBU.

Nancy66 · 18/09/2012 18:28

No ta.

...think it's a bit outdated and I believe it will be faded out slowly over the next couple of years anyhow but i wouldn't want to ban it.

StaceeJaxx · 18/09/2012 18:36

Signed.

margerykemp · 18/09/2012 18:36

Are there really still more that a rather daft tiny minority of women who still believe in page 3 in 2012?

That astounds me.

CanIOfferYouAPombear · 18/09/2012 18:39

Yanbu, signed it.
I have no problem with the female form, or porn, but I do think it's very unnecessary to have it in a family news paper.
I also agree with all the other excellent points others have raised on this thread.

LadyBeagleEyes · 18/09/2012 18:49

It's not that people believe in it Margery, it's just not something I get my knickers in a twist about.
I think people who think that signing a petition will make any difference are rather daft.
It would be hypocritical for me anyway, I was a topless bar hostess many years ago in Amsterdam.Grin

SPsFanjoSponsoredByOrange · 18/09/2012 18:58

What lady said. apart from the topless waitress bit. I wish I had done that!

voddiekeepsmesane · 18/09/2012 19:18

Until last week, when my 10-year-old son picked up a copy of The Sun in the barbers while we were waiting to get his haircut.

Some very awkward questions - 'Why Mummy?' Really GeorgeEliot ?

I would think by 10 a lot of these questions would have been already answered. My 8 year old certainly has had a talk about these things.

We cannot continue to be so prude and "oh dear me" about these things.

Wasn't feminism all about choice and I truely beleive that women in Britain doing a page three is not the down trodden female of yesteryear and have very much taken control of their lives and know exactly what coverage and (excuse the pun) exposure page three gives them.

emcwill74 · 18/09/2012 19:20

Nancy66 - you'll be delighted to hear that the petition is not calling for a 'ban', as can clearly be seen by actually spending a few milliseconds reading it, so you are quite free to sign it and, hopefully, hasten the fading out you see coming anyway.

emcwill74 · 18/09/2012 19:25

voddie - feminism is about equality. This petition is not about the models and 'protecting them', it is about protecting society from the harm it does in presenting women as a sexual underclass, here for men's entertainment above all else. If page 3 bit the dust there would still be plenty of other options for the models to 'take control of their lives' and attain their desired 'coverage' and 'exposure'.

I am not a prude, or 'oh dear me' about these 'things'.

voddiekeepsmesane · 18/09/2012 19:38

Feminism is about choice of equality. If I choose to be subservient to my partner...fine. If e wants to be subservient to me ...fine. If we want to be equal thats good too.

I DO NOT see page three as a threat to women and feminism...we have moved on surely.

We as women perceive a sexual underclass only because we are seen as hysterical "femenists". I agree with Nancy66 it will die a death on its own. The more women make a fuss the more men will want it kept.

Nancy66 · 18/09/2012 19:41

A petition got together by readers of the The Sun would make sense. Not this.

It's appealing direct to the editor - why would he take into account the views of those who:

1)never buy his product
2) never will

???

LadyBeagleEyes · 18/09/2012 19:44

Exactly Nancy.