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.

Our fifth victory for 2024!

NSW supporter Pat sent our Movement Director MTR this image late Sunday afternoon, posted to the Insta account of Boveda, which describes itself as a ‘Modern Mexican Tequila Bar’ in Thirroul, NSW.

Canberra Thai restaurant CocoNine has removed a sign depicting a man looking through a peephole of a woman’s restroom after being called out.

Earlier this week a supporter sent us a screenshot of a sponsored post on Facebook where giant e-commerce platform SHEIN was pushing thigh-high fishnet stockings for infants. "This is a massive red flag for me" she said. 

We discussed it as a team and our Movement Director, Melinda Tankard Reist said "This major online e-commerce platform thinks it’s ok to sexualise even babies by flogging thigh-high black fishnet stockings. Shein has linked babies with an item of clothing commonly associated with the sex trade. We have documented other examples of Shien’s exploitation and adultification of children including padded bras and see-through costumes. The company must be called out for pedo whistling."

So we decided to share the image on Facebook, Instagram, X(Twitter) and LinkedIn calling on all our supporters to contact SHEIN and demand they remove the item from their site. 

Clearly this campaign struck a chord with many as we had hundreds of comments on our social media platforms. 

"I have grave concerns about the mind of the person who thought these a good idea - I think they need help of some sort."

"What the actual! That’s disgusting"

"Appalling"

"Yuck!! 🤮 This is all kinds of wrong. Actually makes me feel physically sick."

"Words fail at this sickness"

"SHEIN this is not a good look….."

"Shame on you SHEIN"

"SHEIN this is disgusting. I will be spreading this info to everyone I know so that your company is boycotted."

"I wrote a book about pornification of reality and this is the worst thing I've ever seen."

"This is not the first time. SHEIN have a history of sexualising girls. We must call this out!"

*Update: The ads have been removed thanks to your rapid action. Scroll to bottom for details*

This week a teacher forwarded us a sponsored post by H&M where pre-teen girls were styled and posed in school fashion outfits and the headline ‘Make those heads turn in H&M’s Back to School fashion.'

After decades of working against the sexualisation of girls we were immediately concerned and took to social media to call them out.

Our Movement Director, Melinda Tankard Reist, first posted on X (formally twitter) and the response was overwhelming. 

"The little girls parents generally prefer heads don’t ‘turn’ when others see their daughters walking to school, on a bus or in class. Why would you want to fuel the idea that little girls should draw attention to their looks, bodies and ‘style’? Perhaps have a word to your marketing team and come up with something that doesn’t draw attention to pre pubescent girls already struggling to thrive in a culture that values ‘lookism’ as an aspirational goal?" Tankard Reist said on Twitter.

People all around the world began to call H&M out for their harmful and irresponsible ad. 

*Update* 

Today we launched a campaign to force The Base Warehouse to remove a penis dummy from its stores.

Many supporters have taken action and called out this product which links babies and oral sex and contributes to a paedophilic aesthetic.

In part of its dismissive response, The Base Warehouse says “Sorry it is offends you” with a hand and heart emoticon.

This is not an issue of personal offence or taste. Our opposition is based on harm to children.

Researcher Rebecca Whisnant distinguishes between offence and harm. Offence is “something that happens in one’s head”, whereas harm is “an objective condition, not a way of feeling; to be harmed is to have one’s interests set back, to be made worse off, to have one’s circumstances made worse than they were....”

We have documented this creeping increase in associating children with sex for 15 years (for example https://www.smh.com.au/opinion/the-dark-world-of-paedophilia-exposed-20140413-zqu8v.html).

Attempts to paint those who object to products like this as easily offended, prudish or hung up is a deliberate tactic to silence those who might threaten company profits. It is also a way of avoiding engaging in meaningful discussions about how companies like this contribute to the sexualisation of babies and children.

We will not let The Base Warehouse reduce our advocacy for children as personal offence. We will continue to remind them of their social responsibility and not turn child sex offending into a gag.

"Advertising and promotion of liquor that promotes or tolerates a culture leading to the objectification of women, or an idea that a liquor can (or is necessary to) promote sexual success, cannot be condoned."