While radical feminists would disagree, many young men are also capable of consuming nude or semi-nude images of women in ways that are not inherently degrading to women.
But in lads mags these images are often contextualised against an odious backdrop of racist and homophobic jokes. And this is the ultimate problem; instead of teaching young men that it is permissible and possible to explore sexual fantasy in a way that is pleasurable and respectful to women, these magazines often mix such fantasy with deliberately bigoted content.
It makes it harder for young men to separate those things and, worse, the few individuals who do hold genuinely misogynistic and sexist attitudes can use these magazines to reinforce and justify their views.
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Feminism still has a long way to go, and feminists can only do so much. But if attitudes towards women are really to improve then young men need to be part of the solution. And sports editors need to grow up.
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About the Author
Nina Funnell is a freelance opinion writer and a researcher in the Journalism and Media Research Centre at the University of New South Wales. In the past she has had work published in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The Age, The Brisbane Times and in the Sydney Star Observer. Nina often writes on gender and sexuality related issues and also sits on the management committee of the NSW Rape Crisis Centre.
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