I am baffled. What concerns me the most is the amount of girls, women and friends that have said they feel sad page 3 has gone. ARE.YOU.SERIOUS. As a woman of the world and someone very passionate about women's rights, I for one am horrified that my fellow females are disgruntled by this huge breakthrough in equal rights for women. Nudity and nipples are not the issue here. The issue is the damaging effects this desensitisation will have on children and the way women are viewed by men. It isn't the pictures themselves that are they issue, but the negative connotation associated with having your cheerios with a side of ''Leanne From Bolton has E cups''.
The Sun first started running topless images of women in the 1960's, and since then women have worked harder than ever for equal rights in the workplace. Despite this, there is still a huge gap in what men and women are paid for the same role and I feel 'Page 3 society' is partially to blame. If we as a society are ever going to make changes for both ourselves and our daughters we need to stop accepting the objectification of women in the media and day to day life and start wanting more for ourselves than just being admired for having a nice pair of tits.
Boobs. Not a big deal. I'm not a prude nor do I find boobs remotely offensive. I understand they are nice to look at and are often a sexual stimulant for men, I get that. My issue in regards to The Sun is the casual way they are portrayed in the paper as if it's the norm. IT ISN'T. Women being objectified and being viewed as nothing more than sexual objects designed to sexually gratify men is the single most damaging message to send to both impressionable young girls and boys alike. Girls assuming getting their boobs out is a lucrative way to make their way in life and don't study as hard as a result. It's very much the ''I wanna be a WAG'' mindset that needs to stop. Girls should be aspiring to be CEO's, doctors, scientists and generally wanting more for themselves than making a living being half naked. You can be attractive and have a brain you know, it doesn't have to be one or the other.
On the flip side, if a fully grown female makes an informed decision to enter the adult entertainment industry, good for her. She's made that decision for herself, not because it seems like an easy option because she was exposed to it as a child by her father flipping through The Sun at the breakfast table. I'm not against pornography or top shelf magazines, each to their own. I believe these to be the appropriate outlet for these types of images not a family newspaper! Nudity is not a dirty word and I definitely don't believe women should have to hide their sexuality or dress modestly all the time, but raising the bar in terms of how highly we value ourselves and our bodies needs to be addressed. If a 12 year old girl is conditioned to believe she is worth nothing more than her physical appearance and soul purpose in life is to provide sexual gratification for men through her body and her appearance, how hard is she likely to try at school? What will she likely aspire for in life besides a flat stomach and double d's? What message will she then pass on to her children in regards to equal rights for women? And thus continues the viscous cycle.
Come on girls, wake up. Raise the bar, if not for yourself but for your children.
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