Why men should join the campaign against Page 3

Many decades ago, I could have interesting classroom discussions on this theme. But, although they were bright 16-17 year olds, I don’t think there was any occasion when a student - male or female - immediately exclaimed the hoped-for response: "What are you talking about? Men and women have exactly the same number of ribs!"

Of course, young people tend to go along with anything a teacher says but over the years I’ve been amazed at the number of adults who believe that a man does indeed have one rib less than a woman. The point of my classroom discussion was to underline how we can be socialised into accepting unwarranted differences between the sexes. It was also a good lead-in to a consideration of feminist points of view.  I often used items from the Spare Rib magazine to illustrate these.

I regularly read Spare Rib in the 1970s. I enjoyed it and could do nothing but agree wholeheartedly with its content. It was an exciting time for women. They achieved considerable steps towards equality with men. For example, there was the Equal Pay Act in 1970 and the Sex Discrimination Act in 1975.

It’s therefore incredible, and hugely disappointing, that a couple of generations later we still have Page 3 girls. In 1975 I’d have confidently predicted their total demise by the end of the decade at the latest. Now the No More Page 3 campaign has renewed the fight and its focus is on the chief culprit, The Sun.

All women should support it. Some, though, don’t help their cause. I’ve worked in various places where a committed effort was made to ensure a supportive environment for women by banning sexist images and comments. It was therefore disappointing to find a few female colleagues who thought it was acceptable to have pin-ups of scantily-clad males around their work stations.

I’d hesitate to offer advice to the other half of humanity. But it’s men who have been responsible for almost all the wars, violence, rape, crime and oppression in history. I doubt if trying to emulate them is a good way forward. Men should also join the campaign against Page 3 girls. After all, would any man want his mother, sister, daughter or partner to be one? 

I suppose feminists don’t really care a jot what a man wants for the women in his life, so let me stick to what men should want for themselves. I believe most males pass the stage of drooling fascination with "bums and tits" by the age of 14 or so.  Thereafter, however, there is enormous social pressure to conform to the expectations of the red-bloodied male. 

Critiques by peers of his politics, football club or fashion can be batted away with ease by the average male. But most dread any aspersion cast on their sexual orientation or sexual potency. And most anticipate plenty of ridicule will come their way if they object to the likes of Page 3. The best we males often do is just keep quiet.

I think I’m (marginally) right about men. A poll last autumn indicated that 52% of men objected to Page 3, compared to 83% of women. Still, that makes for a massive majority of the whole population against it. (Unless, of course, you think a woman’s vote counts for less than a man’s.)

Women still face discrimination in the workplace and elsewhere. Many are subjected to sexual abuse, exploitation and violence. We shouldn’t tolerate anything which contributes in any way at all to this situation. Like Page 3. It floods homes and public places with images of young women valued for nothing except their physical ability to gratify the appetites of some men for sexual titillation. 

Spare Rib is making a comeback this summer after a 20-year gap. There’s still plenty of work for it and similar organisations to do. The success of the No More Page 3 campaign would be a good start.