The sex store can throw out words like “strength”, “confidence” and “autonomy” all they want (sounds like someone has been using a thesaurus!) but it doesn’t make them true

After two more porn-themed ads upheld by Ad Standards, sex store defends its objectification of women for profit

Ad Standards has upheld complaints against two more porn-themed ads by Playboy-owned sex store Honey Birdette, with complaints now upheld against more than 80 separate ads.

A local community member made a complaint to Ad Standards over two different ads at Lakeside Joondalup, one featuring a woman in sheer lingerie pulling down her bra strap, and the other featuring a woman in sheer lingerie reclining while pushing her breasts together. Read the case report here. 

Porn themed ads which present women as objects to an audience that includes children. We are battling a scourge of violence against women and sexual grooming of children. I object to this company contributing to a culture which normalises these harms in my community.

Ad Standards upholds complaints against sexist ads

If you thought that by the year 2024 we would have moved past using women’s objectified bodies to sell unrelated products, you would be mistaken!

We were recently alerted to a Victorian hot sauce brand, Pickle My Chili, doing just that.

We recently discovered that Pinterest was hosting content that exploited and sexualised teen girls. A user had created a board called 'Teen cameltoes' and was uploading content focusing on young girls genital regions. When a Collective Shout supporter reported it, Pinterest reviewed and decided the content could stay. The supporter then sent us screen shots and Pinterests determination.

The power of one complaint: Speaking out leads to change

Collective Shout supporter, Isla, alerted us to a Wheels & Dollbaby ad promoting their 'St. Trinians collection - inspired by private schoolgirls who make their own rules'.

Wheels and Dollbaby is an Australian ‘rock n’ roll luxury clothing brand with an international market and status attracting big name clients. Clearly the label is popular. But why employ sexy private school girl tropes to push out its products?

School girls everywhere are routinely sexually harassed on a daily basis (and not just the private ones). On their way to school, on their way home.

We recently shared to Facebook the latest Bondage, Discipline, Dominance, Submission, Sadism, and Masochism (BDSM) style posters hanging in Honey Birdette's shop windows for school holidays. We intentionally added blurred sections across the chest and genital region before posting. As a campaigning movement it is important to our strategy that we alert supporters when there is an ad that needs calling out. 

The post read: 

Westfield partners with p*rn giant for back to school child grooming - take action!

Content warning - *we have censored the ad

Our Engagement Coordinator Coralie Alison spotted this graphic p*rn themed Honey Birdette ad at a Westfield shopping centre while back-to-school shopping with young children.

The Playboy-owned s*x shop window ad - labelled ‘Stephanie Black’ - features near naked women in cut-out bondage wear that exposes their genital region. One is topless, wearing nipple pasties.

The shopping centre is currently running kids’ school holiday activities and other promos enticing parents to come purchase children’s school supplies.

Last year Ad Standards upheld community complaints against a similar shop window ad for the ‘Stephanie’ bondage range.

*Take action: Tell Westfield to pull Honey Birdette’s BDSM-p*rn themed ad

Contact Westfield ANZ

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WestfieldANZ?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westfieldanz

X: https://x.com/scentregroup?s=21&t=RcbohD8QJxBvbAh0SLE1VA

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/scentre-group/

Let us know if you get a response.

We then got alerted by Facebook that our post had violated their Community Standards on adult sexual solicitation. We were even warned that our account may be restricted or disabled. 

Yet Honey Birdette's post (without blurring) was still able to be up on Facebook for anyone 13 and older to see. 

We disagreed with Facebook's decision and asked for an appeal. 

Our appeal was reviewed and our original post was found to not be in violation of Facebook's Community Standards and was reinstated. 

We (a small charity challenging sexual exploitation) were targeted by Meta (a trillion dollar company) whilst Playboy owned sex shop Honey Birdette wasn't.   

We have also lodged a complaint with Ad Standards and will update our supporters as soon as the Panel makes a determination. We encourage all community members concerned about the pornification of shop front window displays to write to their Shopping Centre management and to lodge their own complaint with Ad Standards. You can lodge a complaint here.

*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

If you'd like to stay informed about how you can be a part of future campaigns like this sign up for free here. 

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.

Update: 71 accounts now gone from Twitter.

*Content warning*

We are celebrating a big win with more child sex abuse doll promoters being removed from the platform. Collective Shout have been instrumental in bringing these accounts to the attention of Twitter heads who then have fast tracked the process of suspending the accounts. 

Please DM me with a few of the user handles.

— Ella Irwin (@ellagirwin) April 7, 2023