Lads' mags in children's sight: the game is ON!

[RowanMumsnet]

After canvassing your views, we're extending Let Girls Be Girls to cover the issue of lads' mags on display where children can see them in newsagents, supermarkets, stationers and petrol stations. Have a look at our press release and survey results here. We're contacting all the major retailers to ask them to sign up, and will keep you posted about how that goes. If you'd like to cull some copy from the press release to compose your own letter to your local independent newsagent, please feel free, and post here to let us know what you've done.

Some of the retailers have asked us for examples of individual stores that are presenting problems, so if you've seen material inappropriately displayed in a specific branch, again, please post here and we'll pass the information on.

Cheers,

MNHQ

Booths stock lads mags on the top shelf wrapped up. Postedlast night how impressed I was

And Asda has a front on theshelf so you don't see the cover

Yes, HJ, local Asda here has a cardboard front so only the tops of mags can be seen (if one is tall enough).

Mumsnet, what are you doing to check that these retailers are keeping their commitments? I was in Asda just the other day and there was no attempt to hide the front covers of the lad's mags which held their usual pride of place at the eye-level of a 12-year old .

I have seen screens being used in my local BP which definitely weren't there before.

I have concerns about the free Sport magazine that is given out on a Friday as it contains a centrefold type double page of a virtually naked girl in a sexual pose. Being a free magazine about sport, many young boys pick it up, either at point of issue, or after someone has discarded it on trains/buses. I'm sure the magazine would say that their target readers are adult, but by the very nature of it being free, many children read it too. A magazine this freely available to children should not be allowed to contain objectifying pictures, who can I write to about it, and would you be able to inform your supporters about it as being a sport based magazine, I doubt many women are aware of the centrefold aspect of it!

Tesco in Douglas, Isle of Man, keeps it's stock of Nuts, Zoo etc on a high shelf but on a back wall so as you turn the corner, you can see the the contents of the top shelf even if you're 2 ft tall. Not good enough me thinks.

Although SAINSBURYS have claimed to sign up to this - my local store in WEYBRIDGE SURREY has NUTS and ZOO at floor level in full view of children. I have complained about this at least 10 times, ie every time I have been in - both instore and to H.O. and nothing has been done.

My local morrisons ovisously has taken no notice of this pledge when doing up there store as not only was the lads mags at childs eye view but also had no modesty covers over them. I pointed this out in a complaint to member of staff but i am sure nothing will be done about the matter.

forgot to say the store is in paignton - makes me wonder what other morrisons stores are like this

I couldn't agree more with LadyBlahBlah; explicit men's (boys?) mags should not be a part of the offering of supermarkets. In the meantime, having just become aware of this campaign, I'll be keeping an eye on my local Sainsbury's and any others I visit.

The reason I just joined MumsNet and noticed this is that I was looking for information about the women in Tonbridge who got WH smith to remove their 'Women's Fiction' labels on book shelves. I noticed recently that Sainsbury's categorise their mags according to things like Men's Lifestyle, Women's Interests, and so on. Presumably, they don't allow women to buy magazines about cars, angling, or any other men-only pursuits!

I'm about to write to the management about this, heartened by the success of the Tonbridge Two. I'll keep you posted.

I'm a bloke, by the way...

Not sure how many of you are uk based, but saw there's a UK E-petition to make a law for 'modesty covers' on magazines with sexually explicit material on the front cover, so that toddlers don't see this rubbish. If it reaches 100,000 signatures (early days lol) it'll trigger a debate in the house of commons to talk about it.

epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/25536

Hello! If this is the right place to give feedback on the uptake of the 'Let Girls Be Girls' campaign, then I can certainly say that if The Co-operative have signed up, their outlet on Danebury Avenue, Roehampton is not abiding by any commitment to keep Zoo, etc and the cheap nasty dailies out of sight. Having emailed The Co-operative myself a few months ago, complaining about the magazines etc, I was assured by their PR person that regular checks are carried out. From what I have seen, I doubt it. If it is possible for those running the 'Let Girls Be Girls' Campaign to reiterate the point with the Co-operative, this would be helpful! Thanks!

Hey, the e-petition for modesty covers has expired!! I am sure if more people knew about it they would have signed! Can anything like this run again? The number of signatures was disappointing low on the last one when it closed!

Like pg. 3 just somethink else I can't be very bothered to get annoyed by.

Violent games adverts and arcade machines visible to young DC do make me very angry indeed.

I don't mind sex and nudity, they are a totally natural part of everyone's life.

But blood and gore, for fun - No!!!

Old thread

RH - yes, it is an old thread. Will have a look to see if MNHQ has reported how "effective" the campaign was, and whether it needs to be repeated... if certain store chains are still ignorant.

Hmmm, seeing as mag subscriptions can be ordered online, it's effectively another area where some youngster looking for "paintball monthly" might stray into the "men's" / "adult" area...

Wonder what the supermarkets sell online in the way of lads' mags ?

I'm astonished that a certain element of society, pressure groups and web forums have taken this approach, a few pointers and facts.

A,No one is forced to view these mags.
B,Women choose this career the same way men do.
C,Try reducating children instead of demonising them.

I bet parents won't boycott holiday destinations which women openly walk with scantly clad bikini's, I'm glad the likes of Tesco and WH Smith carry on regardless and improved intelligence, understanding its not glorifying women or men for that fact.

Hypocrisy is an understatement.