“[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 […]
Using sexualised images of women “a cheap shot and didn’t really show a lot of talent” Mark Farrelly As someone who has worked on the inside of the industry as a Senior Copywriter and Creative Director over some 25 years, I think I can bring a few insights into why we are seeing an increasing […]
“I’m sure I will be welcomed with open arms,” she says. On this Wednesday I address the Mumbrella 360 conference – the peak event of the advertising industry in Australia. My appearance is described below: I’m not sure I’ll be welcomed with loving arms. If you have a spare German Shepherd or bodyguard you’re not […]
THE ACTIVIST MELINDA TANKARD REIST When Lady Gaga toured here last year with Monster Ball, young girls were treated to a video clip of the star being vomited on and greedily eating something akin to a human heart. Her face and body were covered in blood. The same girls saw highly sexualised and porn-themed dance […]
Invest in a resource to help stop the global trade in body dissatisfaction Filmmaker Elena Rossini has written asking my support for a fundraising effort for a new film about the marketing of unrealistic and unattainable beauty ideals to women. She asked me to let you know about the plans for the film and seek donations to […]
Using slut as the flagship word for this new movement puts women in danger through giving men even more license to think about women in a way that suits them, and not as targets of violence and terrible social discrimination. The global phenomenon that is SlutWalk makes its Australian debut on Saturday in Melbourne, with […]
Nina Funnell, who I’m happy to say is become a regular contributor here on the MTR blog, has written a thoughtful analysis of the dead-women-are-sexy Monster video clip soon to be officially released by rapper Kanye West. It has been encouraging to see the issue attracting global coverage. Here’s Nina’s piece. Sex, death and Kanye […]
“These pictures make me feel worthless” Late last night (12:07am to be precise) I received this comment from 18-year-old Bellatrix in response to Clive Hamilton’s piece Dymock’s Bookstore: Porn Merchants? which I published yesterday. I thought what she wrote such a powerful commentary on the impact of porn magazines on women, I was compelled to […]
“I won’t be buying Lovable underwear again” Melissa is another to write to Lovable to complain about its current Jennifer Hawkins ad campaign. What she has written is so important that I’m reprinting it from the Collective Shout website, where she posted her letter yesterday. How much more evidence does Lovable need that its current […]
More double standards and mixed messages for Body Image Awareness Week According to its website, Australian underwear brand Lovable says it is “dedicated to changing the culture surrounding eating disorders and body image”. It does this “by using happy, healthy models in our campaigns and promotional activities and by continuing to design intimates that are […]
The latest in eroticised violence in advertising There’s no shortage of material documenting the mind numbing levels of violence against women and girls in the world. This blog is in many ways a testament to that, documenting the treatment of women and girls in the 21st century, lest we forget the scale of human rights […]
