Growing Up in Pornland: Girls Have Had It with Porn Conditioned Boys

“[I want] better education regarding sex for both boys and girls [and] information about pornography, and the way it influences harmful sexual practices.” These are the words of Lucy, aged 15, one of 600 young Australian women and girls who took part in a just-released survey commissioned by Plan Australia and Our Watch. The survey, conducted […]

Ad Standards Board rules UltraTune ad vilifies women

As published at Collective Shout Earlier this year UltraTune launched its new series of television commercials which attracted substantial criticism from the broader community. UltraTune opted to screen their ads during the Australian Open while families were watching the tennis. You can read about them in our earlier blog post here. We encouraged people to lodge a complaint with the […]

Banishing the Beasts: The Slick Misogyny of U.S. Pick-up Artists Not Welcome Here

Melinda Tankard Reist  Yesterday, American “pick-up” artist and “executive dating coach” Jeff (Jeffy) Allen had his Australian visa revoked by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton. Allen’s tour – part of a Real Social Dynamics (RSD) global roadshow – was billed as “Meet Jeffy.” Those concerned about rising rates of violence against women and the callous mistreatment […]

Feeling Special: Zoo’s last issue and Tyler’s new song dedicated to us

Tyler’s ‘F—k It: a tantrum set to music It’s not every day you get a magazine and a song dedicated to you. But this week, my friends and I received both. Now defunct Lad’s Mag Zoo Weekly devoted its final issue to us with this cover. Apparently, protesting the objectification of women and messages promoting […]

The shame of sexual abuse is not mine: a young woman empowered to fight back

An amazing trip  I recently returned from a lengthy speaking tour which took me to Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and New Zealand. I addressed schools, women’s conferences, youth groups, health and wellbeing events and The Mask You Live In. In New Zealand I was a guest of TEARFund, speaking on what I call ‘Everyday Trafficking’ –the […]

Zoo shuts down: one less vehicle for sexism and promotion of male entitlement

Collective Shout takes credit for hastening Zoo’s demise: Coles dumping title was ‘catastrophic for sales’ Four months ago, young Melbourne activist and designer Laura Pintur, 23, launched a campaign through Collective Shout calling on Coles and Woolworths supermarket to act consistent with their corporate social responsibility, ethical framework, care for communities and commitment to safety […]