Irish Feminist Network
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission Statement
    • Our Work
    • The Coordinators
  • Publications
  • News & Events
  • Articles
  • Take Action
  • Contact Us
    • Irish Organisations

Objectifying ads a sign of a regressive Ireland

15/5/2012

10 Comments

 
Picture
It is absolutely incongruous to champion TV3's late-night 'chatline' ads as signs of a new, sexually liberated era. By Clara Fischer.

Last week, Fine Gael TD Derek Keating called for the banning of late night adverts, shown on TV3, for what he described as “sexual entertainment services”. There appears to be some dispute about the exact nature of these advertisements, with ComReg purportedly calling the ads “chatline” or “partyline” services, rather than “sexual entertainment services”. Judging by the scantily clad women starring in these particular spots, though, that seems rather odd. Do women always chat and hold parties in their underwear? As a woman, this is news to me.



Keating went on to assert that they serve as a front for organised prostitution. This is a strong claim, and one Keating professes “given the information” he has. The question remains: what is that information, and is his claim true? The Government has dealt with the issue by referring the matter on to ComReg, the regulatory body for electronic communications; and Vincent Browne, whose show has become rather unfortunately embroiled in this debacle, has referred the matter on to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.

It is indeed regrettable that ads objectifying women are broadcast during and after a political programme that regularly tackles issues of inequality, including gender inequality, and that includes more women contributors than most. As a keen fan of the show, I’ve felt aggrieved at these ads myself, and have responded to the problem by switching channels. If TV3 believe that the practice of broadcasting objectifying images of women is financially lucrative, I wish to deny this, as it simply encourages politically conscious viewers to not tune in. For other advertisers keen to show off their products during and after a very popular programme, this is also a loss-making strategy, as their adverts will not be viewed once the offending ad has been aired.
Many readers, at this stage, will, like the company in question, assert that TV3’s ads are “entirely legal and popular”, or that criticism is “of another era”; after all, they’re just a bit of fun – but fun at whose expense? Research clearly shows us that women’s and girls’ exposure to sexually objectifying images entails harsh detrimental consequences in terms of physical and mental wellbeing. Depression, low self-esteem, eating disorders, and impaired cognitive ability result from the constant sexualisation women and girls now experience as a matter of course.

One study in a wider research report on girls’ sexualisation by the American Psychological Association vividly illustrated this point. Young women were asked to complete a mathematical test wearing either a swimsuit or a jumper. When asked to wear the swimsuit, women’s ability to complete the test was significantly impaired, while for the male test subjects no differences were found. The APA concluded that “thinking about the body and comparing it to sexualized cultural ideals disrupted mental capacity”, while “sexualization and objectification undermine confidence in and comfort with one’s own body”. Notably, such discomfort and its resultant outgrowths in terms of negative body image, feelings of inadequacy, and so forth, manifest themselves in girls “as well as in adult women”.

Given the evidence for the harmful effects of objectifying images, why should we still be subjected to them? Surely the State, the broadcaster, and the regulator have a responsibility to protect, or at least not to damage, the wellbeing of consumers of media. And yet, the ads were still being shown only last Tuesday evening shortly after 12 o’clock when this writer happened to turn on TV3.Would we be as tolerant of racist advertising being broadcast, and if not, then why are we so tolerant of sexist and objectifying advertising? The answer might lie in the common conflation of such ads with a kind of progressive, open-minded liberalism, which hides the financial drive to commodify women’s bodies behind high-handed claims to sexual freedom. As the lawyers for the company in question assert, criticisms of their adverts are from a bygone era, a relic of Ireland’s history of sexual repression.

While I am certain that few people want to return to an age where sexual mores were dictated by the Catholic Church, it is absolutely incongruous to champion such objectifying ads as signs of a new, sexually liberated era. Besides the fact that they are aired to make certain people a lot of money, they are expressive of a reductive interpretation of sexuality.

Rather than being progressive, such ads are regressive, as they limit more complex, joyful, desirous, pleasurable expressions of sexuality, while entrenching all of the negative effects women and girls experience as a result of objectification. Monolithic, reductive models of sexuality that are peddled for profit, and that are ultimately harmful to women and girls, are hardly the type of models the new, post-Catholic Consensus Ireland should aspire to and foster.

If the State truly has its citizens’ best interests at heart, then it must now take further steps with regard to these particular ads, and also with regard to any future advertising. We need a robust framework of regulation that views gender equality not as a side issue, to be addressed only when people complain, but as a central and desirable feature of our society.

Dr. Clara Fischer
Co-ordinator, Irish Feminist Network

Image top: From That swimsuit becomes you: Sex differences in self-objectification, restrained eating, and math performance (Fredrickson et. al, 1998).

Cross-posted from politico.ie, TUESDAY, 15 MAY 2012
http://politico.ie/social-issues/8557-objectifying-ads-a-sign-of-a-regressive-ireland-.html
10 Comments
http://www.consciousbusinesspromotions.com link
28/8/2014 03:57:09 pm

Quality content is the crucial to invite the visitors to visit the site, that's what this website is providing.

Reply
http://www.homefixcorporation.org link
10/9/2014 04:11:14 pm

I agree with you. This post is truly inspiring. I like your post and everything you share with us is current and very informative, I want to bookmark the page so I can return here from you that you have done a fantastic job.

Reply
http://www.technews404.com link
23/9/2014 02:52:26 pm

I am very happy to find this site. I wanted to thank you for this immense read!! I absolutely enjoying every petite bit of it and I have you bookmarked to test out new substance you post. -

Reply
http://www.celebreepreschool.com link
10/10/2014 03:03:08 pm

Hello, i am glad to read the whole content of this blog and am very excited and happy to say that the webmaster has done a very good job here to put all the information content and information at one place.

Reply
http://www.iranadventuretours.com link
19/10/2014 05:11:38 pm

These are things that you could not survive without. They include, of course, food, water and shelter. Even here, these should be at a minimum. Thanks.

Reply
http://www.thetoptiermontana.com link
7/11/2014 03:24:16 pm

I'm impressed, I must say. Very rarely do I come across a blog that's both informative and entertaining, and let me tell you, you've hit the nail on the head. Your blog is important; the issue is something that not enough people are talking intelligently about.

Reply
boisefoodstorage link
18/3/2015 04:16:25 pm

From your blog it seems that you are en expert of writing article. Your contents are amazing and facts are true. I agree to all of your points that you have mentioned.

Reply
chewfoodtour link
2/4/2015 08:25:03 pm

Perfect transaction from a 5 star seller all the way, love the shoe, thanks!

Reply
wafiya link
8/9/2020 05:59:16 am

http://lucknow.wafiya.in
http://chandigarh.wafiya.in
http://jaipur.wafiya.in
http://vadodara.wafiya.in
http://ahmedabad.wafiya.in

Reply
aa
5/10/2020 10:57:00 pm

http://want2relax.biz
http://www.lipkiss.in/agra-escorts-uttar-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/ahmedabad-escorts.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/airhostess-escorts-mumbai.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/ambedkar-nagar-escorts-uttar-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/amritsar-escorts-punjab.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/andheri-escorts-mumbai.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/bandra-escorts-mumbai.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/bangalore-escorts-karnataka.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/bareilly-escorts-uttar-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/bhuj-escorts-gujarat.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/call-girls-in-mumbai.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/belapur-escorts-maharashtra.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/bhavnagar-escorts-gujarat.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/bhopal-escorts-madhya-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/chandigarh-escorts-punjab.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/chennai-escorts-tamilnadu.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/colaba-escorts-mumbai.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/escorts-in-india.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/escorts-servic-in-mumbai.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/faizabad-escorts-uttar-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/foreigner-escorts-in-mumbai.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/gandhi-nagar-escorts-gujarat.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/gautam-buddha-nagar-escorts-uttar-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/gaya-escorts-bihar.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/ghaziabad-escorts-uttar-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/goa-escorts-goa.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/gorakhpur-escorts-uttar-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/gwalior-escorts-madhya-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/haridwar-escorts-uttarakhand.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/hyderabad-escorts-andhra-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/indian-escorts.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/indore-escorts-madhya-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/jaipur-escorts-rajsthan.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/jalandhar-escorts-punjab.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/juhu-escorts-mumbai.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/kanpur-escorts-uttar-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/karjat-escorts-maharashtra.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/kerala-escorts-kerala.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/khajuraho-escorts-madhya-pradesh1.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/khar-escorts-mumbai.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/kolkata-escorts-west-bengal.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/lucknow-escorts-uttar-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/ludhiana-escorts-punjab.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/manali-escorts-himachal-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/mathura-escorts-uttar-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/meerut-escorts-uttar-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/mohali-escorts-punjab.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/moradabad-escorts-uttar-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/mumbai call girls.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/mumbai escorts service.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/mumbai-aiport-escorts.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/mussoorie-escorts-uttarakhand.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/muzaffarnagar-escorts-uttar-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/nainital-escorts-uttarakhand.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/noida-escorts-uttar-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/panvel-escorts-maharashtra.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/pathankot-escorts-punjab.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/patna-escorts-bihar.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/pune-escorts-maharashtra.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/rajkot-escorts-gujarat.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/ranikhet-escorts-uttarakhand.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/rishikesh-escorts-uttarakhand.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/russian-escorts-in-mumbai.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/saharanpur-escorts-uttar-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/sakinaka-escorts-mumbai.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/shimla-escorts-himachal-pradesh.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/surat-escorts-gujarat.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/thane-escorts-mumbai.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/thiruvananthapuram-escorts-kerala html
http://www.lipkiss.in/vadodara-escorts-gujarat.html
http://www.lipkiss.in/vashi-escorts-mumbai.html


http://zanu.in/about.html
http://zanu.in/contact.html
http://zanu.in/gallery.html
http://zanu.in/ahmedabad-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/altamount-road-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/andheri-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/antop-hill-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/ballard-estate-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/bandra-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/belapur-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/bkc-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/borivali-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/breach-candy-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/chembur-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/churchgate-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/colaba-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/cuffe-parade-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/cumbala-hill-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/currey-road-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/dadar-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/fort-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/four-bunglows-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/ghansoli-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/goregaon-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/jogeshwari-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/juhu-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/kalamboli-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/kamothe-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/kandivali-west-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/kanjurmarg-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/khar-escorts.html
http://zanu.in/kharghar-escorts.html
http

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    We welcome submissions to the blog, subject to editorial review, please contact us if you're interested. The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IFN. 

    Categories

    All
    2in2u
    50:50
    Abc
    Abortion
    Abuse
    Action On X
    Advertising
    Austerity
    Backlash
    Bechdel Test
    Body Image
    Bookclub
    Book Club
    Book Review
    Broadcasting Authority Of Ireland
    Budget 2012
    Burlesque
    Caitlin Moran
    Clara Fischer
    Colette Fahy
    Comreg
    Conference
    Cosmetic Surgery
    Cuts
    Dating Violence
    Decision-making
    Democracy
    Diane Kelly
    Domestic Abuse
    Domestic Violence
    Dunnes Stores
    Edinburgh Fringe Festival
    Education
    Emma Regan
    Empowerment
    Equality Audit
    Eu Commission
    Events
    Female Sexual Experience
    Female Sexuality
    Feminism
    Feminism And Gendered Economic Inequality
    Feminism And The University
    Feminism And Young People
    Feminist Activism
    Feminist Books
    F Word
    F-word
    Gaa
    Gender Budgeting
    Gender Equality
    Gender Quotas
    Gender Stereotyping
    Gender-stereotyping
    Ger Walsh
    Government
    GRL
    Guest Blog Post
    Guest Post
    How To Be A Woman
    Hunky Dorys
    Ici
    Ifn
    #IFN2012
    Ifn Conference
    Ifn Events
    Immigrant Council Of Ireland
    Independentwoman.ie
    Ireland
    Irish Examinar
    Irish Feminist Movements
    Irish Feminist Network
    Irish Independent
    Irish Society
    Irish Times
    Iwd
    Jeanette Winterson
    Letters To The Editor
    Lgbt
    Liberation
    Literature
    Marketing
    Maternity Leave
    Media
    Media Images
    Menstruation
    Michelle Mulherin
    Mick Wallace
    Missrepresentation
    Miss Representation
    Music
    Naomi Elster
    News Media
    Nwci
    Objectification
    Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit
    Over Sexualisation
    Padded Bras
    Parental Leave
    Paternity Leave
    Poetry
    Politics
    Posters
    Pre-teens
    Priests For Life
    Privilege Checking
    Pro Choice
    Pro-choice
    Prostitution
    Queer
    Quotas
    Recession
    Reform
    Reproductive Rights
    Ruth Farnan
    Rydyard Kipling
    Science
    Sex
    Sex Education
    Sexism
    Sexism In The Media
    Sexuality
    Sexual Violence
    Silent Majority
    Sisters
    Spunout.ie
    Stripping
    Submissions
    Syria
    Transgender
    Trump
    Turn Off The Red Light
    Tv3
    Twilight
    Under Representation
    United Nations
    Vincent Browne
    Violence
    Weight
    Wexford
    Whai
    Women
    Women Hurt
    Women In Science
    Women In Sport
    Women In Syria
    Women's Aid
    Women’s History Association Of Ireland
    Workshop
    X Case

    Archives

    July 2017
    November 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    May 2011

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission Statement
    • Our Work
    • The Coordinators
  • Publications
  • News & Events
  • Articles
  • Take Action
  • Contact Us
    • Irish Organisations