We met at 12.30pm in the Last Post not really knowing how many of us there would be. The subject matter is a difficult one and we have had some negative experiences of late when posting things on facebook walls etc. many posted letters to supermarkets who advertise in the Sun asking them to reconsider supporting the publication with their revenue and our hard earned cash and were met with a mixed response. Tesco’s page was an interesting experience. They try and police it and at times rapidly delete clearly inappropriate “Get your t***!” out type comments but strangely leave in place other offensive things such as the suggestion that the letter writer must have inadequate breasts and are therefore jealous of the page 3 girls. One man even wrote a blatantly misogynistic “This is why I hate women” which was left undeleted for several days. With this in mind you can see why, despite the number of supporters, folks are reluctant to go out there and promote this subject actively. I was therefore over the moon when there 9 of us in the pub and we were later joined by 2-3 more. Our group included a mix of men, women and young girls.
This wasn’t a demo as such; there were no banners, no chanting or singing. We simply and politely asked passers by to consider signing the petition and in the most part people were very supportive. People’s reasons for signing are as diverse as the number of signatures and the petition gives space for them to note what their feelings are. One of my favourites was a middle aged gentleman who was very keen to sign and simply wrote the word “Respect” which said so much! Others mentioned children seeing the images, exploitation, and sexism and girls body image. Many simply wrote “I am a woman”. It was great to see the positive responses and the discussions it provoked. With many saying, “Oh yes! I definitely sign that” and “About time too”. There were of course a few Page 3 fans and the one particular man who made it clear he would be keen to see two of our demonstrators in there as models?! Importantly though we came across a group of local female students who have been independently going into local newsagents and asking them to put The Sun newspaper on the top shelf. They knew nothing of the No More Page 3 Campaign and now they do. And that is the biggest hope from yesterday and from the interview I have done on Radio Nottingham this morning and the discussion it has provoked. That the message will spread, that people will sign, tell their friends and discuss this issue and it’s bigger implications far and wide. That is why we gave up our time and why we will do it again.
The anniversary of Page 3 is on Saturday 17th November and if we have enough interest we would love to do a bigger demonstration that day either in Beeston or possibly in Nottingham. Interested? Get in touch.
Beestonia 
Please remind me what exactly are page 3 girls doing wrong again? It’s their choice is it not?
I don’t think the campaign is against the girls. More against the companies who use this exploitative means of advertising.
Suggest you read this http://nomorepage3.wordpress.com/faqs/. It explains what the campaign is about.
Sexism works both ways, if there was a nude bloke on page 2 there might be less arguments against page 3. I am against both in a public newspaper, if companies need it for advertising we live in a very sad world….
I think the newspapers campaign is aimed at the adults, not the children themselves. Their main audience is aged 18-45, so I still don’t see what the problem is. If there wasn’t page 3 you say, they’d just get them out where you’d expect to find them? Well I expect to see them on page 3. I understand and respect other people’s views, I just don’t see why this is suddenly a problem.
Great campaign – my breasts and figure are lovely but I find that page 3 is helping to erode respect for the female form. Case in point, those terrible t shirts that boys wear with nudie ladies on them. Demeaning, old fashioned and probably unwanted by most men.
Ps. Petition signed and shared
Er…actually, Ellen they’re getting their tits out for a newspaper that aims it’s largest campaigns at children. If there wasn’t Page 3 in The Sun, they just get their baps out where you expect to find them. Just without the Free Lego coupon on the same page.
The campaign’s not about ‘blame’. But they have a role of influence to play too.
“It’s their choice”, but *not* seeing tits on show at every take away, hairdressers or bus ride to work doesn’t appear to be mine.
Just my twopence worth. Ellen offers an opinion and someone connected with this website finds the need to put her down. If you want to voice your opinions then fair enough but please don’t belittle anybody else who exercises their right to do the same.
I am not connected with this website and I was not putting *her* down. I was disagreeing with her *comment*. I find no need to belittle anyone stating their opinion. I love people stating their opinion. Including you.
Also, this:
Looks like a pretty massive kids campaign to me.
Er actually Tamara your comment was belittling. See what I did there? The two words that you began with were not necessary. Remove them and it sounds far less condescending.
Whoops – my post was meant to go as a general post – not a reply to one person
I didn’t feel ‘put down’ or belittled at all don’t worry.
Regards the Facebook link, we could argue that the advertisement shouldn’t be above a story of (alleged) child abuse etc.
However I maintain that the adverts are not aimed at the kids themselves, I sure wouldn’t let mine read ANY newspaper for pictures/offers or adverts (one of my kids is of Lego attrraction age). There may even be some adults who enjoy the page 3 AND want a free Lego toy for themselves 😉
The ‘no more page 3 ‘ campaign is about the society we all want to live in. We are social beings and as such are all influenced by what we see and hear around us including page 3 girls.
As a psychologist I am aware that for us to achieve and maintain good mental health and well being we need to be seen and respected as people not objects, and to have positive, meaningful relationships with others.
Page 3 girls are valued for their looks, their bodies and how much they are prepared to bare to the public. As such it is an activity that ultimately undermines us as human beings.
My my my, feminism certainly has come full circle hasn’t it? Instead of fighting for sexual liberation and an end to gender roles, we’re back to promoting puritannical prudishness.
It’s sad and pathetic, but not illogical. It all comes back to the gender roles the feminists claim to be desperate to destroy: In the “traditional” marriage model, the man provides for his wife(work, food, shelter, protection) and the woman (via societal norms and laws)gives the man exclusive permission to have sex with her. A woman’s sexuality has historically been her most desirable quality(even if she didn’t have complete autonomy over it in patriarchal societies).
Nowadays, men have been ousted from their traditional role of providers, thanks to a plethora of technological advances and changes in governance. Women make up a significant portion of the workforce thanks to much less dangerous and physically challenging labour, daycares, child support, etc. If you want to be a single mother, it is (economically) viable thanks to a host of measures put into place to make women “more equal to men”.
But when it comes to the female gender role, the princess who is wanted for her looks and sex, the feminists seem alarmingly contradictory and confused in their mores. If women choose to bear their breasts in ads and TV, what’s the problem? Well, the “problem” for feminists is that doing these things “degrade women”. What do they mean when they say that? Essentially it’s a tacit admission that they’re clinging to the traditional gender role of women, I.E. providers of sex in exchange for services, and having women frolicking about bearing their breasts to the world makes it more difficult for other ladies to “trade” their sex for goodies.
If feminists want relationships to become equal partners, rather than an exchange of sex for services, maybe they should stop propagating traditionalist views in which a woman’s sexuality is viewed as a precious commodity.
at least I got her name right, Right Off.
I apologise for spelling your name incorrectly. According to Wiki, Tamar is the original spelling of Tamara. There are many other references aswell. Personally I’d only ever heard the name as a river.
[…] the last few years has she really fascinated me. She kicked off the local branch of campaign group No More Page 3, although she had never really done any campaigning before: her work as a nurse, and her home […]