Thanks to YOU, we have gone past 42,000 in 4.5 days! The last few days have been like a whirlwind, but I'll try to update you as best I can.
"The major online news outlets news.com.au, SMH, fairfax and The Age ran the story together with countless other blogs like kidspot, mamamia, allure creating a media storm, which then threw us into the realm of talk back radio. I had the opportunity to chat to Tom Elliott of 3AW in Melbourne and he immediately saw problems with the "Office Party" and how women were objectified and portrayed subservient. Please excuse the lack of media experience, but you can hear the interview recorded Friday 10th Nov at the link below.
THANK YOU for all the great comments in the many varied platforms in support of this petition. The more I read, the more convinced I am that we need real change for the sake of our kids, especially ones like this from a medical mum in NSW:
"The other day my little 4 year old daughter was playing at home, and then called out to me, "Mummy -watch me". She then proceeded to pout her lips, thrust one hip forward, and slide an arm down the leg in a pose. It looked disturbingly sexual, and I asked her, "where have you seen someone do that?". Her response was "oh you know Mummy, remember when we went to the Carindale shops and the pictures of those ladies in the window with their red lipstick??" [referring to the Honey Birdette Office Party advertising]
Another father and petition supporter, sums it up succinctly, “Stop sexualising our kids!”
Quite a few have expressed that they are tired of feeling uncomfortable and having to shield their kids as they walk past, like Michael and his family in Knox, Victoria, who are “avoiding shopping in the stores around Honey Birdette so that our children and ourselves (parents) are not subjected to inappropriate pornographic-styled advertisement in a public shopping centre.”
And Travers in Tuggerah, NSW says, "I approached the store attendants [of Honey Birdette] asking if they thought their front pictures were appropriate especially as the store is right next door to Smiggle which I was taking my children to. Our young boys don't need to be exposed to what was basically porn in a shop window in a family shopping Centre".
So both Travers and Michael simply AVOID going past or to any of the stores surrounding Honey Birdette, which can be a sad blow to the foot traffic for the innocent merchants in the vicinity.
Others are demanding change of their local shopping center in quite creative ways, like this mum in a letter to Lendlease's Erina Fair, NSW:
“It is sickening to walk past there with my kids. Portraying men dancing at an office Christmas party with young women in extremely intimate underwear is a revolting image to be supporting in our community. Erina Fair management, is this what you believe in? If so, I am appalled and saddened :( The pressure is on Westfield to do something about it, wouldn't it be great if Erina Fair made the news for making a stand and saying that this is not OK?!”
Let's be clear, we are not in support of any rude or violent protest. However, we do want to let the course of natural justice take place when we (42,000+ of us and our families) vote with our feet, and put some distance between us and the sexualised imagery of Honey Birdette. So, especially these next few weeks leading up to Christmas, let your Christmas money go to places that show that they consider the health and amenity of their youngest patrons with more regard.
What do you think? Please leave your thought in the comments section. They are much valued and I do read them. Thank you once again for speaking up. Stay tuned for more exciting episodes to this campaign in the next few days!
P.S There is a great interview of Melinda Tankard Reist on The Ben Fordham show Radio 2GB on Friday as well exposing Westfield for aiding and abetting sexism via sex shop Honey Birdette (starts 12:50) http://tinyurl.com/y7g84df8
P.P.S. There is a chat I had with ABC Drive Richard Glover where he covers the issues with the current problems with self-regulation of advertisers by the ASB here, (starts at 1:30:00): http://www.abc.net.au/radio/sydney/programs/drive/drive/9118098"
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