12 ways Honey Birdette disempowers women and girls
Despite broadcasting objectifying and pornified representations of women, reinforcing sexist and harmful stereotypes about women and sexuality, and accusations of bullying and harassing young female staff, sex store Honey Birdette’s go-to refrain is that they are “empowering women”.
This claim is at odds with reality. Read on as we unpack the various ways that Honey Birdette disempowers women and girls.
Read moreAd Standards endorses ‘JobSeeker boob job’ ad on Perth bus - weeks after Peter from the Public Transport Authority ordered its removal
Another Ad Standards fail
One man, five days and actually caring about the community has achieved what Ad Standards, a comprehensive advertising Code of Ethics (and accompanying Practice Note), a 22-member panel and a weeks-long review process could not: takedown of a sexist, objectifying advertisement from Perth’s public buses.
Read moreThe cultural sanctioning of violence against women
“Violence against women isn’t an anomaly; it is the natural manifestation of a culture in which women are regarded as inferior to men, as objects of sexual recreation and entertainment.”
Read moreAd Standards still enabling Honey Birdette sexual objectification while Male Champions remain silent
'Disrupting the system': New Male Champions report challenges workplace sexual harassment while Honey Birdette Male Champ landlords perpetuate it
Double standards of Property Male Champs
For years we've pointed out the double standards of Property Male Champions - corporate leaders of the shopping centre companies which lease to sex shop Honey Birdette. Male Champions of Change (MCC) are lauded as "decent, powerful men" who are stamping out everyday sexism in the workplace and community.
But how can that be said about men whose companies host Honey Birdette's floor-to-ceiling pornified window displays in their malls? These malls are workplaces, and display of Honey Birdette's porn-style ads is - as defined by the Australian Human Rights Commission - sexual harassment.
L-R (Top): Property Male Champions Peter Allen (CEO Scentre Group - Westfield AU), Steve McCann (CEO Lendlease Group), Grant Kelley (CEO Vicinity Centres), Bob Johnston (CEO The GPT Group), Darren Steinberg (CEO Dexus); (Bottom) Steve Conry (CEO JLL Australia), Michael O'Brien (Managing Director Global Real Estate, QIC), John Mulcahy (Chair Mirvac), Daryl Browning (CEO ISPT), Mark Steinert (Managing Director Stockland)
Read moreBecause of your complaints - all QLD sex industry ads under investigation!
A number of weeks ago we campaigned against a three panelled advertising trailer advertising Dollhouse Showgirls strip club. The trailer, featuring a completely naked woman, was regularly parked in a suburban street just 500m from a local primary school.
Read moreMedia Release: New advertising code of ethics unlikely to rein in repeat corporate offenders
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) this week released its updated Code of Ethics following a review. While we welcome some new elements in the Code, we have reservations about its overall effectiveness.
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