I got together today with some very dear friends of mine. We took our kids to the park to play, while we caught up. Towards the end of the ‘play date’, it was just Katy and me, and we were having a chat about a lot of things relating to our lives as women and mums. Of course, I always end up talking about the stuff I want to write about and I told her how I can’t keep up with the things that pop up in the world that incense me or inspire me.

I feel like the things that incense me, though, are the ones I need to tell everyone about. I guess I feel like if I don’t, people won’t realise the extent of our global problems and if they don’t know, they can’t do anything about it. And we need to, don’t we?

Today I’m feeling a bit bummed and low about it all, actually. I’m feeling overwhelmed.

In the last couple of days I have heard about:

  • A comic in America making rape jokes at The Laugh Factory. Shit.
  • Domino’s Pizza in the U.S. thought it would be a riot to have a new campaign titled, “No is the new Yes.” Another rape joke. Full article here
  • I read an article about hardcore porn which says:

“…that hardcore porn (called “gonzo” by the industry and fans) is now mainstream on the Internet, that choking with a penis, slapping, hair pulling, and verbal abuse is the norm. The producer is horrified to hear that women in porn suffer repeatedly from rectal prolapse (because of pounding anal sex), and get diseases such as clamidia of the eye, gonorrhea of the throat, and fecal throat infections (because of the ATM act in which the penis goes from the anus to the mouth without washing).” Full article here.

Choking with a penis. For fuck’s sake.

  • A woman was executed – shot in the head repeatedly, in Afganistan accused of committing adultery, while a hundred or so men watched and cheered. One comment on the YouTube Reuter’s report was, “These bitches deserved it. They were sluts!!!” …so there are obviously more than this one woman (of course). So where are the consequences for all the male ‘sluts’ in Afganistan?

I actually wept when I saw this report.

The above was just in the last few days (and there were more – but you get the gist). Then there’s the following:

  • Women – and more catastrophically, girls – are being sold and trafficked as sex slaves. It’s abhorrent:

What can be done for these women and girls who live a life of actual, pure hell? I can’t imagine how, when the world seems so disinterested.

  • And here at home? In the ‘developed’ world, women and girls are sold a cookie-cutter image to aim for. That simple.

Why? Because money makes the world go around and we need our women, who carry the weight of consumerism, to BUY!

How can it be done? Create an unattainable image for most and therefore create self-hatred and loathing – splash it EVERYWHERE – make it fashionable – provide make-up, clothes, hairstyles (that all cost more than the male equivilants) – and then sit back (count your billions) and just watch women kill themselves over it.

Body and soul destroying.

  • Women have, without exaggerating, microscopic representation in the running of things on the entire PLANET, yet we make up half the population.

On top of that, it’s an insult to ANY man, after all, to have female traits – “You run like a girl; You’re not crying like a girl, are you?” And ten million other such insults.

Question #71: So how can we ever be seen as equals, when everything we are about and how we perseve, is considered sub-standard?

So here I am – feeling like the ache in my heart can’t quite take it. It practically seems hopeless.

The worst part is that there are people who continually test my claim that I’m not anti-male. I’m quite tired of it. My stance is simple:

Women victims of violence, rape, assault, prostitution, sexual trafficking – due to men. Period. And it’s horrific.

Women victims of inequality in the ‘developed world’ – due to decisions made by men…BUT to an extent, with our consent. Both playing a part.

We need to band together – women AND men dammit! – to start saying, “No, that’s not right!” – REGARDLESS of how long it’s been going on for or when the statement, “It’s how it’s always been,” enters your head.

Question #72: What’s the point of history and evolving, if we’re not prepared to make changes for the better??

Enough of the ‘women against men’ stance and visa versa. That’s not what I’m about (for the millionth time).

What’s the point of fighting me? How am I affecting the world for the worse by pointing out the countless ways women are being exploited worldwide? My journey is about us taking action together to get rid of the patriarchal world, run by a select few.

Deep melancholy breath.

x

Beauty.

This is certainly a contentious issue – I mean, there’s that age-old, cliched question – what is beauty?

What I find interesting and incredibly frustrating is that in the current paradigm, we live in a society that rewards and reveres FAKE.

…and there’s NO way around it – in every single way, fake beauty is what we strive for.

WHAAAAT??

Studies show that we are a clever gender – I’m always pushing this point, actually – but in this massive DOOSEY of an issue, that dictates our gender’s life, we are simply stupid.

STUPID.

We do as we’re told by feeding into what media and popular culture dictate is beautiful and we exercise the self-hatred of our looks and bodies, like good little girls – something that industries perpetuate and thrive off .

How lovely that there are a few people out there who are living a disgustingly, greedy life – by sucking on the jugular vein of women’s insecurities like vampires.

But at the risk of sounding repetitive ladies, the vampire can’t suck as easily as he does without us running up and presenting our neck for feeding!

Am I victim of this? YES!! Of course I am. I feel MUCH better about myself (and subsequently started looking better) than I did than when I was younger, but in essence, I have been conditioned to feel this way, as generations of women have – but now it’s getting ugly…no pun intended! I simply wasn’t exposed to what girls are being besieged with today. But I bet I felt what they do now.

As I’ve also said before, I use makeup, I most certainly use a bra and I shave my legs and armpits. I like to wear nice clothes (when I can get out of the house! Haha!) and appear attractive.

But this is where things get complicated…what is attractive? What is beautiful?

Most importantly – to both men and women – what is the MEDIA telling you is beautiful?

Answer? ONE look – with all its fickle, attached connotations that go with that look. That is all.

There is NOTHING real out there, girls! ALL the images of women in magazines (as we all know) are airbrushed / altered / tweeked etc. etc. etc.

ALL.

Let’s take a look at the most ineffectual woman (and one of the richest) on the planet: Kim Kardashian – well she’s effectual for me to make this point, I suppose.

Although on one hand we’re told that ‘curves are great!’ etc. etc. Snore. Snore. – the images we’re presented with, are quite a different story.

Now, if we look at these images of Kim, we can see that she has been ‘shaved’ of her total ‘booty’/thigh area by quite a bit. All unsightly (cellulite) bumps quickly taken care of. TICK ! Yes, embrace your curves!!…just not that much…

Her ample bosom has also been ‘shaved’ on the side because we don’t want any of that ‘side-boob-hangin’-out-under-the-armpit’ crap – just bountiful, lifted, straight-out-the-front breasts. TICK!

Her skin has even been made lighter. TICK!

Now, this is the part that gets my goat:

Firstly – IF, by today’s definition, Kim encompasses everything that is beautiful – why does she need tweeking?

Secondly – Why is someone so fake even considered beautiful to start with?

The enigma to me is that we know she probably has some cellulite issues and we know that there are probably some rolls in there and…

what’s wrong with that?

It’s Kim the gimmick I have a problem with because if she were just any other girl with a normal amount of make-up on and regular clothes – we would probably ostracise her look. You know it’s true…and yet, to add insult to injury – the faker she is, the more we throw money at her.

So many women in the spotlight have succumbed to the pressure of having one look – plastic and fake – and why shouldn’t they? when a) they won’t get ‘hired’ – especially after they hit the “You don’t look so young anymore” ceiling AS WELL and b) the minions (us) keep shouting, “You are SO BEAUTIFUL” to them.

This is where I have to tell young girls (especially) to put their thinking caps on.

1. Media (in conjunction with big business – a marriage made in money) create female insecurity, by saying, “Look this way!” Period.

2. It’s then us women who fill in the blanks with…”or be ugly/die alone/ be a failure/be unlovable…” etc. etc.

Well it can end today ladies, with a simple shift of thought. Eleanor Roosevelt said:

 “Noone can make you feel inferior – without your consent.”

Without your consent.

Predominantly, you feel the way you do because it’s what’s been entrenched in your psyche – yes – but ultimately it’s your CHOICE.

We are in a Catch-22 situation that is VERY hard to get out of, in this day and age, because of the easiness of creating false images.

We then buy, buy and BUY into this mono-image that’s popular and in turn, feed the monster.

The men at the top say, “Hey! It’s what the ladies want.”

Question #66: Is it?

Yes, at this stage I think it is. We’re creating and driving it along.

We can either want and strive for the unattainable and EXPENSIVE-to-uphold, image or feel shit about ourselves. Well, we certainly don’t want to feel shit, so let’s see if we can buy ourselves out of feeling this way. And we certainly do try.

STUPID.

What you’ll pay on the Carbon Tax will pale in comparison to what you (may) already pay on attaining society’s perception of ‘beauty’.

Don’t hear much complaint to our government about how society is moulding our daughters to be hyper-sexualised, insecure consumers with an INSATIABLE appetite…

Deep Breath.

x

A few months back I wrote a post about the balance (or lack thereof) in our lives called – The strong, but stretched, women around me.

Recently I went through – and to some degree, am still going through – a very rough patch with myself, especially in regards to my daughters.

A lot of tiredness from work – both in my place of employment and at home – coupled with less patience and a shorter fuse, meant that things weren’t good.

And the GUILT.

Every time I faltered, I saw any efforts made to change things around (because it had to start with me), go down the toilet.

But my mind is just SO. FULL. It is a rare moment where there isn’t something to organise…coordinate…remind…do

…and from talking to friends of mine, of both sexes, there are a lot who are struggling for some meaning to it all because of how hard it seems to be at times.

In these more desperate moments, I have found myself stepping back and looking at how our society is structured and wondering how (or if) it’s contributing to all this.

Our society is pretty archaic. It hasn’t evolved much.

We have, in essence, been living the same sort of life for decades and besides some changes here and there – like there being more women in the workforce now – we are inherently still chasing the same sort of dream or blueprint to ‘happiness’ as past generations – go to school, get a job, buy a car, buy some type of housing, get married, have kids…and start all over again.

Which lends itself to make us question why we keep repeating the same ‘type’ of life, time and time again.

Even our school system, based on the 50s, hasn’t changed. In a YouTube video called Did You Know?, it states that:

“The Top 10 in-demand jobs in 2010…did not exist in 2004. We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t exist yet…using technologies that haven’t been invented…in order to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet.”

It’s gobsmacking, when you think about how technology, jobs and skills are growing at the speed of light – while we obsess about whether our child will ever be a success if they struggle with English, Maths and Science. Watch this following clip about our education system – it will blow you away:

So we’re in a circular, Groundhog Day, style of life that we pretty much pass on to our kids, with a few tweeks here and there.

Question #64: Is it possible to gain the right balance for both women and men in the important areas of our lives?

The following article: A Million Women Are Reading This, is absolutely fantastic!

I think it challenges us to think about the issues that affect all men and women, and whether it’s possible to change for the better – a change that matches the world we currently live in, not one from decades ago, when the decisions of ‘how life should be’ were made.

I’ve touched on a lot of the issues in this article, throughout my posts.

What do you think?

Deep Breath.

x

June 10, 2012

This is Freedom from Porn Culture‘s post about what happened at the LFL Sydney game last night.

All logic points to this ‘sport’ being shite – simply because of its uniform. That is all.

Lily Munroe's avatarRadical Change - A Feminist Blog

For those of you who didn’t get an insiders look at the LFL Promo match at Sydney last night, you missed the cause of equality for female athletes being set back, here are the updates…

Grey team player loses her pants, the mostly male crowd goes wild, they replay it ‘close up’ on the big screen and the crowd cheers. Pink team makes a touchdown, player celebrates by slapping her thighs and making hand gesture of a vagina. An athlete in the crowd says “I’m a sports person and I find this so offensive.” LFL players dance for the men, the men go wild, not unlike a strip club (sounds like strip club sport, looks like strip club sport, equals strip club sport). Three male spectators are invited on the field to chase and tackle one of the LFL players (Melinda Tankard Reist – “in no other sport would crowd be…

View original post 410 more words

Well guys, in true faith of the fact that I’m fighting for a balanced world and perspective, I’m keen to also strike up a conversation with you.

I know that there are MANY men who agree with the fact that things are skewing out of balance in what is being portrayed about both girls and boys; women and men. But, of course, there’s always a perspective that men have, that is quite different to women’s.

Adam wrote a response to my post, Just sayin’ – #4. It reads:

I think – as a bloke – I’m not interested in mens tennis but id rather watch womens tennis (not just for the grunting either) It is also a better style of match to watch.

I wouldn’t watch women’s rugby but i would watch the lingerie ball if it was on telly – I wouldn’t go to it or go out of my way mind you

What I’m saying is that if women market themselves as aesthetically pleasing they actually have an ADVANTAGE over men in sports –

Why is this so bad when women like Lauren eagle use their good looks (unfortunately not speaking ability though) to get sponsorship and money – I dont see the same opportunities coming to a young guy with  the same skill-set.

Athletes play to their strengths and good luck to them – what would these girls in the Lingerie ball be doing otherwise? checkout, home mums, glamour work or worse? Maybe some have other jobs – that would be great – but this is where i reckon they make their money – and good luck to them.

I know women like watching mens contact sports because of the guys looking “fit” 

Thats what i think – Ads

My reponse to this is simple. I understand and agree that women have always been ‘the fairer sex’ and have used that to their advantage, to an extent.

However, it’s becoming the ‘poster’ for our young girls – except it’s not the ‘seductive’ or ‘sexually mysterious’ look that we used to have – in this internet and inter-connected current culture – it’s just ‘slutty.’

Can you see the difference?

Tonight on The Project (again) they had a story on the LFL because the first demonstration game was on last night, in Brisbane.

Wow! I tell you what – the footage I saw of the US girls playing, was full on. They were smashing each other. It was really impressive actually. They looked like amazing athletes. I did cringe, though, when they were being rammed into the ground – with nothing but bare skin.

So…why can’t they wear proper protective gear?

The audience was a sea of men, drinking beer. Collective Shout posted the following:

“Heaps of kids there, great family entertainment” reported Mike Goldman from last night’s Lingerie Football League event in Brisbane. He also tweeted this picture. 

Would all of these men have gone to watch if the women were dressed like their male counterparts? If the answer is no, which I suspect it is (tell me if I’m wrong) – then there’s the problem and why it’s going too far. What does it say about us as a society?

One of the panelists on The Project (I can’t remember his name) said something about this being “the women’s choice to play.”

Yes, it’s their choice. But I wonder why there are so many eager candidates. Are we teaching a generation of girls that it’s OK to dress this way – even in sport? Do you think it’s OK?

If you are a parent, relative or friends with people with young girls and boys:

Question #51: Do you think the casual acceptance of  the LFL is an indicator that things are heading down a dangerous road?

I see young boys, like the one in the picture above, learning about women and how this saturated look is fine tuning his tastes for ONE sexually desirable look.

I see young girls learning that men only want ONE sexual look.

Why? Because it’s everywhere – right into their smartphones, in their hands.

Question #52: Is this what we really want for our young ones? One look – no variety – just to make money?

If you’re new to my blog, I have always stated that I think men and women have had the same desires throughout time, and that’s cool – but I didn’t have this in my face when I was growing up (I’m 42).

How do we navigate and guide our youth through this? Surely saying the LFL is OK, is not the way.

Can’t wait to hear your thoughts.

Deep Breath.

x

PS If you’d like to vote against this sport coming to Australia – because these women (and in turn our daughters) are being objectified – go to Change.org and cast your vote.

http://www.change.org/petitions/triple-m-stop-the-promotion-and-support-of-a-lingerie-football-league-in-australia#

http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-the-lingerie-football-league-in-australia

Just sayin’ – #4

May 30, 2012

Picture this – you have a yearning to do something – something that gives you a real fire in your belly. You’ve been told that being a woman means that there are no boundaries and that you can do anything! GO FOR IT!

Well, some of the women who are involved in the LFL feel that fire and want to feel that sporting challenge.

This week I have heard arguments in favour of the LFL – of genuinely interested women who want to play but have no other avenue to do so…unless they wear ‘the uniform.’

Question #49: What does this say about our unequal world, if the only way these women can play this sport is by looking sexually provocative? 

As I’ve heard said, “Why else would anyone go watch women’s sport?” Sad.

I asked why these women don’t just start up a league and play on their own terms… and the answer is – it doesn’t make money.

When the LFL was about to launch in the US, the Chicago Tribune quoted: “For those who have long mulled what would happen if you wedded Victoria’s Secret with professional football, the Lingerie Football League debuts…” it also says, “…the league, billing itself as true fantasy football…”

It is, what it is.

Whatever positive messages this sport has, it’s lost in its packaging – or lack there-of.

Sad.

If my wonderful grandmother were still alive, I wonder what she would think of women being portrayed and SOLD in this manner?

…Just sayin’

Deep Breath.

x

It’s less than a week before the LFL plays in Brisbane and Sydney and I’m going to continue using my voice to oppose it. Go to Change.org and vote!

The creator of the LFL, Mitchell Mortaza, has issued an official statement in direct response to Australia’s Federal Minister for Sport, Kate Lundy.

I am utterly perplexed because what we’re saying is simple. Either the men involved don’t get it or they just want to have things their way. I think they get it.

In the statement, the only issue Mortaza discusses about the LFL, in its defence, is the actual sport itself. I don’t think there’s a single woman out there who wouldn’t applaud any female athlete, who challenges and extends her physical boundaries.

But what about the white elephant in the room? The fact that the women are playing a tough, injury ridden game in. their. frilly. underwear! …with garter belts, bow ties and accidental nudity to boot!

Question #47: If it truly is all about the sport, why do the women have to play in unprotective, sexually provocative underwear?

THAT’s the problem. It’s sexism…and it’s exploitation. As a response to a comment left after my last post, I wrote:

This is what was written about one of the US players of the LFL:

Tampa Breeze Florida player Liz Gorman told CBC Radio earlier this year what it is like to wear uniforms designed for maximum flesh exposure: “Oh. Well … well, honestly … I don’t like it. I’d rather wear full clothing. Because when you fall, it literally rips your skin. I’d love more clothing, but at the same time like any sport, the players don’t get to choose the uniform.”

Well, she doesn’t sound like she loves it but if she says no, she’ll probably lose her job. Do you know what it reminds me of? When I worked in Uruguay and the people there had terrible workers’ rights – and if you didn’t like your situation? Well, there’s a queue of people willing and waiting to take your spot. It’s exploitation.

On the Collective Shout FB page, they wrote:

“Have just been listening to some interviews with ex LFL players. All the same story, they say they paid health insurance with the LFL, endured a serious injury and the LFL refused to pay. One woman is thousands in debt because of medical expenses.”

Wow, sounds like a dream job! The fact that all these revelations are coming out means that these women are (or will eventually) be exploited. Bottom line.

Therefore, it’s wrong and we should fight against it coming here.

According to Mortaza, the Australian fan base brought them out. Surely there’s more of us who are against it…surely…

Does anyone else like Mortaza’s suit? Nicely covered, isn’t he? One woman wrote the following on Collective Shout’s FB page:

“People with power are clothed. People without power, unclothed. Simple”

I’ll leave you ladies with something to mull over. On the issue of gender clothing coverage, have you noticed how guys’ boardshorts are getting longer? I’ve seen lengths that are mid-calf. MID-CALF! That’s a lot of coverage. What are they trying to hide? They used to wear actual shorts 25 years ago…actually guys and girls had similar lengths.

So, why don’t they wear Speedos?

What? They don’t want to show the world their ‘penis bump?’ Feel a little too exposed?

Women, on the other hand…

Deep Breath…and don’t forget to vote against this on Change.org!

x

It feels like we’re entering (if not already entered) a paradigm where power is highly sought after – but the ‘responsibility’ that comes with that power, is being neglected.

This issue of the Lingerie Football League (LFL) is getting me quite fired up. I’ve been having a small ‘discussion’ with a man on my Questions for Women Facebook page. My last comment to him is at the end of this post.

His perception, like maaaany, is that we need to take a ‘chill pill’ about the whole thing.
I must admit that my first response to him had some bite because, like many comments I’ve read before, men compare something like the LFL to the uniforms worn by Beach Volleyball players (for example).

They see the difference and that alarms me deeply.
That one is a uniform adequate for the sport and the other is lingerie with garter belts?…and ‘accidental nudity?’ According to an article written by Melinda Tankard Reist:

“Players have to sign contracts agreeing to “accidental nudity”. There’s nothing accidental about it: flesh exposure is virtually guaranteed. The contract states: ” … Performances hereunder may involve accidental nudity. Player knowingly and voluntarily agrees to provide player’s service … and has no objection to providing services involving player’s accidental nudity.”

If they wear any additional items of clothing under the lingerie they will be fined $500. Apart from All Star matches, they are not paid. And they are at serious risk of injury. In fact, the league brags about all the injuries suffered by female players.

It is a mix of voyeurism and violence.”

Now – the most important point or argument put forward:

“But they’re doing it of their own free will.”

Are they? Really?

Well, yes, literally they are – but is the decision an educated one? If you think of the quote, “You can’t be what you can’s see” (Miss Representation), these women are products of what they’ve seen around them, as they’ve grown and developed, and now they’re simply making the image grow, as it tragically becomes ‘fashion’ or worse, the norm. It’s a growing emergency because the more girls and young women are ‘fed’ this image, the more they feel the necessity to join up…

…and don’t the guys just love that they do.

After all, human beings have that uncanny knack for doing things that may not be the best for them – especially it feels good. Right?

And this is where I need to state – quite emphatically – that I don’t begrudge people of their desires. But I need to ask:

Question #46: Where do we draw the line? Where’s the responsibility to our youth?

I believe these young women DO need our help – make it our responsibility, seeing as the men in power are only looking out for themselves – because these women haven’t had much else to model themselves on. They’re insecure of their worth and need validation. They’re told by men that they’re ‘hot’ – paid nothing (in most cases) – and are ultimately exploited.

I continue to be completely (and sadly) gobsmacked that this LFL was permitted to come to Australia. The presentation game is in Sydney in two and a half weeks, so please make sure you vote against this on Change.org:

http://www.change.org/petitions/triple-m-stop-the-promotion-and-support-of-a-lingerie-football-league-in-australia

I think there may even be two different petitions going. Sign them all!

Deep Breath everyone!

x

US_SOCIE(32)[1]

Facebook comment:

I feel sad that you don’t see that this sport is sexism at its worst and that images of women looking like this, are wallpapering our world.
I actually played a spot of women’s rugby at uni in Armidale and I agree with you, we were pretty entertaining…but we weren’t in our underwear.
You see the difference, don’t you?
If you still don’t, then yes we’ll have to agree to disagree.
This ‘sport’ only exists to exploit women to service men’s desires.
Otherwise they’d be in the best protective gear.

May 20, 2012

This is a great post about The Lingerie Football League coming to Australia. Not only is this as sexist as it gets – they are enticing families to take the kiddies along. We must all stand up and say “NO” to this.
Deep Breath
x

Lily Munroe's avatarRadical Change - A Feminist Blog

Today’s Herald Sun featured an article by Australian women’s activist and www.collectiveshout.org co-founder Melinda Tankard Reist, reiterating all the reasons we should not let Lingerie Football League (LFL) come to Australia.

WHEN a man plays gridiron – or American football – he is dressed for maximum protection to ensure safety in a game known for its raw physicality. His body is covered, with little exposed flesh, to minimise injury.

It’s not the kind of game a man would consider playing in his underwear. That would just be dumb, right? But it seems rules are different if you are a woman playing for the Lingerie Football League (LFL). The less clothing the better. In fact, it’s a requirement of the game.

LFL is blatant sexualisation and sexism, while promoting violence towards near naked, physically unprotected women, with outrageous clauses for maximum boob and bum exposure with little or no pay and the whole…

View original post 312 more words

At the start of the week, I (and hopefully you) signed the petition against the Lingerie Football League.

Very late last night I signed the following petition:

https://www.change.org/petitions/afl-tell-buddy-franklin-that-porn-tees-are-not-respect-and-responsibility

Basically one of our high-profile AFL (Australian Football League) players, Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin (a ‘role model’), is part owner of the ‘fashion’ brand Nena & Pasadena – that includes the porn t-shirts I’ve featured in previous posts.

Collective Shout has started this petition, calling the AFL to action on this football player. This is some of the explanation on the petition:

The Australian Football League’s Respect and Responsibility Policy represents the AFL’s commitment to addressing violence against women and to work towards creating safe, supportive and inclusive environments for women and girls across the football industry as well as the broader community. The Respect and Responsibility Policy is about shifting attitudes – ensuring that people throughout the Australian Football industry are aware, and have structures in place, that recognise that violence against women and behaviour that harms or degrades women, is never acceptable.

AFL player Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin is an owner and model for the Nena and Pasadena fashion brand, which designs porn-themed t-shirts, fosters misogyny and encourages rape jokes.

Franklin’s management has been quick to distance their client from the brand maintaining he is “a shareholder only”. However, Franklin deliberately uses his AFL profile to promote the company on countless websites and in the media and has self-identified as ‘owner’.

We want to tell the AFL that Franklin’s continued ownership and promotion of Nena and Pasadena is not consistent with the AFL’s Respect and Responsibility policy “creating safe, supportive and inclusive environments for women and girls across the football industry as well as the broader community.”

I recently had a look at  Nena and Pasadena’s Facebook Page and it asked of its followers: “How do you seal the deal? Best answer wins a t-shirt.”

I read the responses like – “I hope she can’t run faster than me down the alley way,” as well as some with references to rape and women being refered to as ‘bitches’ – and it made my stomach sink. These regular guys are out there and that’s how they feel about women. Thankfully it was reported and that comment feed has now been taken down.

Please sign! Every vote counts!

https://www.change.org/petitions/afl-tell-buddy-franklin-that-porn-tees-are-not-respect-and-responsibility

Deep Breath.

x

The following picture is of Franklin in one of his T-shirts: