Koala protection trumps safety of women and girls

Last year, we wrote again to a number of super funds invested in sex shop Honey Birdette's landlord shopping centres. We first raised our concerns with them in 2019, and called on them to divest from companies which hosted Honey Birdette's harmful, objectifying, porn-themed ads in their family-friendly shopping centres - read more here.

Honey Birdette whip + paddle ad ruled "not strongly sexual"

*Content warning

*WIN: 'Miners Get Vaginas' cap pulled!*

We asked Caterpillar - a construction and mining equipment manufacturer - if they were aware their logo was on the cap. They replied:

"These items were not created, manufactured, or authorised for sale by CAT Australia. We strongly disapprove of the offensive themes depicted and are grateful for your notification. We are committed to taking immediate action to halt the distribution of these unauthorised products."

We are pleased to see this sexist cap has been now removed from the website. But it is not a one off. There are a range of other degrading caps available for sale. We call on Country Trucker Caps to remove all their sexist and objectifying products and stop contributing to real harm to women and girls.

"At the same time the Australian Government is investing significant money and resources to address widespread sexual harassment and sexual violence in the mining industry, Country Trucker Caps is encouraging men in the mining industry to see women as vaginas for their use"

Yesterday we took to social media to ask CEO Jane Hastings to exercise corporate social responsibility and remove the p*rny image in the Rydges Gold Coast location mens toilets.

Jane responded shortly after "Hi - thanks for bringing this to my attention. I have the team investigating this immediately. Whilst this is not a managed hotel property, it does carry the Rydges brand. We do respect that art is subjective, however, this is not aligned to the Rydges brand. This art will be taken down when it is identified."

This morning we received a confirmation email from a staff member from the parent company EVT that the image had been removed. 

We are glad that Rydges has acted promptly since we launched our campaign but why was the image put up in the first place? And why wasn't this matter taken seriously when Holly (Collective Shout supporter and hotel customer) lodged her formal complaint in writing to the hotel?

"I’m relieved to hear that Rydges Gold Coast have removed this offensive large scale image from the male bathroom thanks to the collective voice of women (and men) who will push back against this type of content. This is powerful.

These types of situations and wins give me hope and encouragement that together we can take a stand and say no to the sexualisation, objectification and discrimination of wahine. We can work together towards a better future for our kids. Thanks Collective Shout" - Holly

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Hotel creates hostile environment for women and girls

A supporter contacted us recently after spotting a large, pornographic print hanging inside the entrance of the men's toilets at Rydges (hotel), Gold Coast. The print features a faceless, naked woman posed spread-legged and head arched backwards. Her genital region is obscured by an ornament placed in front of it.

*Trigger warning* Child sexual abuse

Recently we launched a campaign to get SHEIN to dump g-strings for toddlers and 'squishy' penis toys. SHEIN quietly removed the products from their website. Now we are asking SHEIN to clean up their site and remove all harmful sexy 'schoolgirl' outfits.

I'm 59. My school friends and I were constantly sexually harassed and groped on public transport whilst dressed in school uniform from around 12 yrs old. It was so frequent we saw it as part of being female. It was deeply humiliating and scary - too scary to make a loud fuss

— Adult Human HAG (@AdultHumanFem57) July 20, 2023

Industry at odds with efforts to end men's violence against women

Campaigns Manager Caitlin Roper was asked to comment on the survival of the "skimpies industry" in a post #METOO era during which women have increasingly testified to and called for an end to sexual objectification and harassment.

The inherently misogynistic skimpies industry is built on the practise of dressing female bar attendants and wait staff in bikinis and lingerie to serve as sexual entertainment for male customers.

Have you seen Honey Birdette's latest ads?

These porn inspired, BDSM themed ads were spotted at family friendly shopping centres across Perth:

Controversy has arisen in Northbridge due to a mural featuring a sexualised, anime-inspired character that is being criticised for the way it presents women. Collective Shout Youth Advocate and Educator Daniel Principe spoke with Oly Peterson on 6PR’s Perth Live.