I give money to charities and I enjoy fundraising, but leading a group of people into a campaign is never something I've been good at.
This week, it's emerged that my Union have banned the sale of The Sun newspaper on campus, because of the Page 3 content and it's suggestions of it being a 'family friendly' publication. Which, don't get me wrong, is great. It's stopping the exploitation of women, it's promoting gender equality, etc.
But, the thing that gets me, is that the newspapers are always on the bottom shelf, tucked away, so you can't even see them and everyone knows that the page is going to have a half naked woman on it, and if you don't want to look at it, buy a different newspaper. However, when you stand in line for your sandwich at lunch time, you look at the magazines and the rack is full of women displaying their racks (If you'll pardon the pun) Magazines, like FHM, are displayed quite prominently in the shop in full view of customers, and the women aren't exactly very well covered up.
(I used a PG friendly version, just to prove a point.)
I'm glad that the Sun is being banned, it's a great step on the route to the end of the sexualisation of women, but PLEASE can FHM be next? Because, I don't know about you, but I don't really like the idea of a half naked lady pointing in my direction when I'm on about to eat. It feels wrong somehow.
It's unlikely, but say a child is to walk into the Union Shop they're more likely to see the magazines with the women on than look at the newspapers, which are lined across each other, often out of view.
At the very least, following the trend and covering them with 'modesty bags' just so we don't have to see them.
So, this marks the start of my 'campaign' (It's probably not going to be that big a deal) to follow in the work of the Union, and stop publications like this from being so openly available and visible in the shops. First stop - The Better Staffs Forum in a few weeks. Nothing might come of this, but I'm going to fight for it. Because it's something I believe in. And I also hate, when I have my fatty meal deal, a skinny woman mocking me as I go to pay for it.
It's probably not the best time for a joke, but I have to end on something funny.
