Why don’t you include men in your mission statement? It’s not right to objectify men either.
While both men and women can be sexualised, it is primarily women who are being objectified, and women who are far more likely to be negatively impacted by it as demonstrated earlier.
When men are sexualised in media and advertising, they are not typically demeaned, portrayed as decorative objects or posed as vulnerable and submissive in the ways that women are. Men are also rarely dismembered and presented as a collection of sexualised or individual body parts. Instead, men are depicted as hyper-masculine and strong. The sexualising and objectifying treatment of men may serve to enhance their power and status rather than to reduce it.
Having said that, we do not support ‘equal opportunity’ objectification. We encourage individuals to speak out against objectification including when men and boys are subjected to it.
Why men need to de-radicalise from porn - I was one of them
'We're looking at a future of far more widespread abuse against women and girls if we don't de-radicalise men now'
By James*, Collective Shout Supporter, UK
Read moreRadicalisation: the process whereby an individual comes to adopt increasingly radical views in opposition to the accepted norms.
What about the Objectification of Men?
Collective Shout’s primary mission is campaigning against the objectification of women and the sexualisation of girls. While we have spoken out against the objectification of men on occasion, the bulk of our time and efforts are focused on women and girls. Why?
Read moreSexualisation of men in film is on the rise
While Collective Shout primarily focusses on the objectification of women and sexualisation of children there is growing concern that the way that men are portrayed in the media is also having negative effects.
Read moreThe Mask You Live In: Challenging harmful cultural messages about masculinity
One of the most moving experiences I have had as a speaker addressing young people around the country, took place about a year ago when a Year 11 student in a WA secondary school stood to his feet during the discussion time following my talk on how our culture shaped boys views of themselves in negative ways.
Visibly distressed, this young man recounted that his brother had just taken his life with a drug overdose, that he had been bullied every day of his life, and that he had no friends. He began to cry.
From the front of the hall where the boys were gathered, another student stood, walked to the back of the room, and hugged his crying classmate.
I had to leave the room for a while to pull myself together.
Read moreA tale of misogyny, sexism and the different ways men respond
Guest post today from Melbourne-based writer Guy Sigley. Guy began his blog The World Tells Me to oppose the profit-driven sexploitation and misogyny that are so widespread in popular culture.
Guy's latest article demonstrates some of the ways men respond when sexploitation is challenged. You can read more from Guy Sigley by visiting his blog, The World Tells me.