Turn Your Back On Page 3

“With the recent Murdoch scandal, the enquiry into the culture and ethics of the press, Government concern over the ‘sexualisation of children’, and the subsequent Lib Dem Party vote to adopt a motion to end the projection of women as sex objects in newspapers, now is the perfect time to step up our lobbying to get rid of the Page 3 phenomena.” (OBJECT)

“Dr Harris joins the ranks of deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman, equalities minister Lynne Featherstone and former Cabinet minister Clare Short in calling for a Page 3 ban.” (The Sun)

The Prime Minister has responded to the scandal and corruption exposed at News International by launching an inquiry into the culture and ethics of the UK press.

The Turn Your Back On Page 3 campaign demands that The Sun’s Page 3 is acknowledged in this inquiry and removed from our most popular newspaper immediately.

As a cultural icon, Page 3 symbolises the acceptance and normalisation of the sexual objectification/pornographic imagery of women and girls that pervades our daily newspapers and popular culture – and thus, ultimately, symbolises and contributes to our unequal status.

The death of sexism is a battle not yet won in this country and the proliferation of this image of women and girls within our mainstream press is perpetuating and fueling it by, at best, encouraging and endorsing negative attitudes towards us and within us, and at worst, acts of violence committed against us. All of which grossly limit our choices, stall our progress and violate our human rights.

We demand that the government addresses the subject of Page 3 today and by doing so demonstrates to society that it is serious about stamping out sexism once and for all. We cannot waste any more time and we will not wait any longer. The government either values and respects the female half of humanity or it doesn’t, and the removal of Page 3 would be a momentus step in the right direction in proving to society that is does.

Together we must work to eradicate all forms of sexism in order for women to become politically, socially, economically and personally equal to men. We cannot be a progressive and prosperous society otherwise.

Turn Your Back On Page 3.

DEMAND a socially responsible media.

DEMAND EQUALITY.

To get involved email your MP, sign the petition, join the Facebook page  and/or send a photo of your back (age, name, location optional) with the campaign slogan on and a brief explanation why you are protesting to turnyourbackonpage3@hotmail.com.  Together we will show the government that we are united in the fight to end sexism in all its forms TODAY.

Who wants to be on (TYBO) Page 3?

TYBOP3 has created its very own ‘Page 3′ and we are already having lots of activist fun with them; including sneaking them into sleeve of The Sun in your local newsagent or supermarket.  Send your photographed back (and full head) with the campaign slogan on (name, age, location are optional) and a brief quote explaining why you’re protesting to: turnyourbackonpage3@hotmai​l.com. And don’t forget to write to your MP TODAY at www.writetothem.com

Here is a little bit of background to the controversial back image:

“The back image that accompanies the campaign is fundamental to the political message we aim to get across. A play on words, one might imagine it as though the women are literally turning their back on the camera, refusing to be treated like sexual objects; the symbol embodying the slogan.

We envisage a wall of a backs with as infinite a spectrum of body types as possible. By including people excluded from Page 3 on the basis of sex, age, race, body size/shape etc. we challenge and highlight the sexist, racist, ageist, unhealthy and narrow-minded nature of Page 3 and by doing so overtly display the defiant message that we are not against nudity and celebration of the human form – if it is indeed in all its forms – but we are against this one-dimensional, pornified portrayal of women and girls that is detrimental not only them but to men and society as a whole.”

Does Page 3 get your back up?

“Miss Representation”: Official Trailer

‎’In a society where media is the most persuasive force shaping cultural norms, the collective message that our young women and men overwhelmingly receive is that a woman’s value and power lie in her youth, beauty, and sexuality–and not in her capacity as a leader.’  

Like drawing back a curtain to let bright light stream in, MISS REPRESENTATION uncovers a glaring reality we live with every day but fail to see. Directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, the film explores how mainstream media contribute to the under-representation of women in influential positions in America and challenges the media’s limiting and often disparaging portrayals of women, which make it difficult for the average girl to see herself as powerful.  For futher information, visit the website.

‘Rough sex’ to blame for women’s PIP breast implant tragedy

The Sun reports that ‘rough sex / tight bras / excessive squeezing by amorous husbands’ were to blame for this tragedy that women and girls are now facing regarding their ruptured implants. If it wasn’t disgusting enough that the vile, profit-hungry, misogynistic Harley Medical Group and Transform aren’t removing, nor replacing, women’s faulty, ruptured implants, The Sun (who played a major role in this tragedy by making women and girls hate their breasts in the first place) goes one further, fetishising this tragedy and turning it into a joke. If you know a woman who buys this newspaper, please urge her to stop.

A (rotating) snapshot of 21st Century Britain.

Is this what one calls a progressive society?

The Sun: women who pose in their underwear & topless are ‘mucky’.

So now we have The Sun calling Heather Mills’ nanny ‘mucky‘ because she has had pictures taken of her in her underwear and topless!

“Sara Trumble, 26 – seen proudly posing in undies but who also had TOPLESS snaps taken for a portfolio”

The hypocrisy of this misogynistic newspaper is absolutely astounding.  Not only do they label this woman ‘mucky’ for being photographed in this way, but they also put the word ‘topless’ in capitals, as if to emphasise this ‘muckiness’ further and to also suggest that it’s something to be ashamed of.

They also manage to sneak in a topless photo of Heather Mills taken from the soft-porn movie she once appeared in for which they labelled her ‘depraved’.  (See previous blog).

Page 3 models:-  The Sun is overtly ridiculing you.  Please turn your backs on your evil oppressors once and for all!

What’s The Point? Sexism is the point.

(Left to right:  Abi, Fiona, Helen, Sarah, Simone & Monique but no Sammy).

I was honoured to be invited to a meeting with a group of vibrant young women of the YMCA in Southend on Sea to discuss the ‘Turn Your Back On Page 3’ campaign as part of their ‘What’s The Point?’ project; – a project to raise political awareness in young people, which includes meeting MPs, campaigning, visiting parliament and eventually creating a booklet outlining the agendas of the main parties which is to be distributed in school and colleges.

The group – although open to boys – comprised of 7 very lively and very opinionated girls;  Sammy, Helen, Fiona, Abi, Sarah, Simone & Monique, all aged between 20 and 23 and from very different backgrounds, however, like a large proportion of the nation the girls felt disillusioned about politics and wasn’t sure which way to turn in the next general election.

My mother always stressed to me the importance of voting because, in her words, “there was a time when women didn’t have that right, so you mustn’t take it for granted”.  But what are you meant to do if none of the parties represent your own values & beliefs?  Out of respect for my sisters of the suffragette movement I most certainly would never waste my vote but that doesn’t mean to say that the party I do end up voting for will be the one I believe in and respect.  However, political impact doesn’t have to begin and end with your lone vote at election time.  You can make your voice heard in other ways and part of my discussion with the girls of the YMCA was to highlight the importance of grassroots activism; that is, action taken by ordinary citizens where-by you raise awareness and build public support in order to influence legislative change.  And of which, if it is something an MP feels strongly about, he or she will add support to it.  Such is the power of this form of political expression, two very important laws (thanks to Fawcett, Eaves & OBJECT) were recently changed because of it, and the great thing is – anyone can do it!

The Turn Your Back On Page 3 campaign was borne out of the blatant sexist attitudes and behaviour that I was subjected to growing up, which I believe is the direct consequence of our pornified society.  Page 3 is at the heart of this degrading, yet accepted culture, and I felt compelled to do something about it.  Since starting the campaign I have made friends with, and joined forces with like-minded activists and regularly converse with MPs and visit parliament to debate the questions and issues raised in it.

The girls from the YMCA personally related to this and all told their own stories of how they had been in the past, and are currently affected by sexism.  This ranged from being physically attacked by a member of the opposite sex, to succumbing to the pressures of beauty regimes (“you’re not looking after yourself” was a comment made by one of the group’s boyfriend’s if she chose not to wear make-up), to body issues such as feeling insecure about one’s own breasts, which this particular group member linked to seeing Page 3 when she was 11 years old.  The same girl also added;  “you never see glamour models photographed having one breast larger than the other”, which – of course – most, if not all women actually do have, and that was something I, myself, had actually never thought about.

These young women may not have questioned any of this before as they might have thought of it as ‘normal’, but by the end of the discussion, because of consciousness-raising, they recognised the sexism underpinning their experiences and wanted to do something about it.  The talk had, to my delight, fired them up and by the end of it proclamations such as “I’m never buying The Sun again” and “let’s grow our armpit hair for when we get our backs photographed!” were being made!  Quite radical statements to be hearing after an hour’s meeting!

Quite simply, this shows the importance of grassroots activism:  spreading the word, influencing, empowering and ultimately, progressing and I thank the girls at the YMCA for inspiring me and welcome them aboard the journey for the fight for gender equality.

“Whether you come from a council estate or country estate, we need strong, smart and competent young women to stand up and take the reins”.  (Michelle Obama)

’1 in 3 teenagers text sexually explicit images to one another’

A survey by the University of Plymouth, in Devon, and the South West Grid for Learning found 40 per cent of teenagers saw nothing wrong with sending topless pics to their partners.

The Sun reports that experts warned that ‘humiliated’ victims are often taunted or bullied, that these images lead to a desensitisation of young people to issues of intimacy and that the snaps could end up in the hands of paedophiles.

So tell me, The Sun:  why is it that you continue to encourage this very same thing every day on Page 3?

‘Underage’ girls are ‘sexy’, according to The Sun …

“The glamour girl, real name Katie Price, dressed up as a sexy school girl for heat magazine”.

What does it say about a newspaper which deems it ok to sexualise school-girls?

If you use the term ‘sexy school-girl’, you clearly view school-girls as ‘sexy’.  But at what age, according to The Sun, does it stop deeming school-girls as ‘sexy’, as children start school around 4-5 years of age?

Come on The Sun, where do we draw the line here?  I’m intrigued.

This is simply pandering to, and sexualising paedophilia.

Government, hear our cry!

‘Bubbly & Boobs are pulling Britain out of the recession’ according to The Sun’s Steve Hawkes as he proclaims that the numbers at topless dance clubs are back at pre-crunch level.

This frivolous attitude to the sex industry has to stop.  This is Britain’s most read newspaper.

This is dangerous.

To be flippant about an industry which systematically oppresses, abuses & degrades women is unacceptable.  Stories such as these are perpetuating the idea that buying sexual services from women is just a bit of ‘harmless fun’ – when it is so evidently not.  Lap dancing clubs are a breeding ground for sexism, exploitation, harassment, trafficking & prostitution both inside and outside of their premises.

To add insult to this assault, the industry has become celebrated and glamorized within popular culture largely due to the proliferation of pornography in our press & media.  Inevitably, so have society’s liberal attitudes towards selling and purchasing women for sex.  But as research consistently shows, it’s women who are paying the price.

How many women have to live in fear of violence or be victims of violence before the government starts taking notice?