Should we back the No More Page 3 campaign? Please let us know what you think...

[JustineMumsnet]

Hello all,

As some of you will know, there have been a few on-board debates about the No More Page 3 nomorepage3.org/ campaign, and whether or not Mumsnet should 'officially' join up as a supporter.

Previous threads here here here and here have been on balance supportive but not of a sufficient consensus for us to feel comfortable putting our full weight behind the cause.

With our most recent blog post on the issue, however, support seemed a bit more clear cut and there were lots of calls for us to back the campaign.

So we thought we'd canvass support more officially and widely. Do please use this thread to let us know whether you think we should sign up.

Obviously this is by no means a precise science, but in order to try to get a representative Mumsnet view, we will be placing a bit less weight on the views of those who have signed up to Mumsnet very recently.

But MN aren't really the suns target audience are they? It seems like a waste of effort.
Very few on MN buy the sun. It's aimed at a different demographic so how would what is effectively viewed as a MC website go about getting an editor to effectively ban one of the main selling points for it's mainly WC readership?

I do get what you're saying about page 3. I just don't see how MN can play any type of role in stopping it.

I also haven't seen anything come out of an MN campaign outside of mumsnet.

Neither are the girl guides but they're still supporting it!

Definitely think you should support it. We owe this to our daughters.

I'm perfectly happy to support a general campaign against sexism and sexualisation in news papers, but not ban pg3 specifically.

To target only pg. 3 simply says the nude female form is dirty.

It narrows and looses the point of the debate.

Yes please, I would like you to support it.
Sexualised imagery does not belong in a 'news'paper.

TheNightIsDark are you saying that unless you think you can change the world on one's own, you should never speak up for something?! So what if MNers aren't on the whole Sun readers? The sexist view of women perpetuated by page 3 leaks into society like pollution in a river. So what if MN joining the campaign makes no difference? It's about speaking up for women. And that is absolutely what MN should do!

And I take issue with your assertion that newspapers are not family -oriented too. I grew up in a house that took the Sun (along with the Telegraph). It wasn't hidden! It was left lying around as a TV guide. It often has things like Lego giveaways on the front. My kids would pick it up and leaf through if they saw that! It also sometimes runs features about helping kids with homework etc. A newspaper is clearly something that sits in a family environment. Plus it is read in public. As I posted a couple of months back on another thread, I was recently on the tube with my 8 y.o. DS and bang opposite was a man reading the Sun with it folded so that page 3 faced us. I wasn't worried about my DS seeing breasts, he seems plenty of mine, it is the message that that is what women are for that bothers me.

No, there are more important things to campaign about. It's not a "family" newspaper. It's an adult newspaper that people can choose to buy or not. I don't want to see page 3 so I don't buy The Sun.

yes please

I utterly support MN officially supporting the campaign

Of course there are other big issues at stake, supporting NMP3 doesn't mean MN then can't support a big campaign against FGM - stupid argument.

It absolutely adds to the sexualisation and dehumanizations of women and it is impossible to avoid it

AgentProvocateur I didn't buy the Sun and my son and I saw page 3. Should I not ride on the tube either?

Yes absolutely - please back this campaign!

Yes I think you should support it

Starballbunny said it better than me. General sexism should be dealt with. Highlighting one area such as page 3 does seem a bit off when there's much wider issues.

Also the FAQ on that website is very hard to read with the italics. Italics make it look a bit wishy washy. Questions should be in italics, answers should be bolder as if the campaign actually believes in what it is saying.

Just in case anyone involved with the site is on here!

Yes! Please Mumsnet! You have a chance to change the world for the better, why would you not take it?!

Yes I would like to see Mumsnet support the campaign - I have signed the petition ages ago and think Eaurouge put it brilliantly!

NO MORE PAGE 3!!!

Ah right I see. So there is so much sexism in the world we shouldn't address any specific sexist things that contribute to it. Right.

I totally support Mumsnet backing this campaign. Whatever you think of sexualised displays of women, a family newspaper is a totally inappropriate place.

I have worked with children who have brought in newspapers for craft activities. have had to sort through them beforehand to take out the page 3. Really not okay.

Yes, I have signed the petition and would like MN to support the campaign.

The FAQs explain it much better, and it was a result of reading them that I signed. If MN were to support it, maybe a webchat with the founders of the campaign would be a good thing?

Please do back no more page 3

yes

Addressing the way women are portrayed in the media rather than pinpointing page 3 in particular may make the campaign look more credible.

So not just the sun, those awful mags with the beach photos, rings of shame, omg look she's got cellulite stuff etc. All of these are far more harmful to young girls than page 3 on its own.

More articles about successful women that don't mention their looks or clothing would be better. That's where an MN campaign could come into its own. There's many posters who are witty, articulate and successful that could potentially inspire young girls. Finding a way to get that out into the public would be amazing.

Yes please.

It is an adult newspaper but many children will be exposed to it (prob not a good choice of words!) including the local toddler group we go to who had page 3 open on the painting table

Sadly, page 3 seems pretty tame compared to many music videos children are viewing seemingly without need for ratings. Imo if we continue to say this is fine for our children's viewing, we have to accept that boundaries will keep being pushed further.

I would like to know what exactly the support entails ...

yes, sexism and attitudes should be questioned, but I would just like to believe that MN campaigns don't limit themselves to single issues.