Comments on: Film of demo against WHSmith Leicester http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/ The feminist activism of charliegrrl and co Fri, 27 Jun 2008 06:31:42 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Arantxa http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-17631 Arantxa Tue, 22 Jan 2008 23:38:34 +0000 http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-17631 WHSmith is the biggest distributor of pornography magazines in the UK (they distribute to 'newsagents') and WHSmith do sell pornography in their own stores. WHSmith is the biggest distributor of pornography magazines in the UK (they distribute to ‘newsagents’) and WHSmith do sell pornography in their own stores.

]]> By: Karl http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-16780 Karl Fri, 28 Dec 2007 23:38:22 +0000 http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-16780 WH Smiths does not sell porn mags. It sells mens magazines such as Nuts and Zoo, in my store the magazines are on the top two shelves anyway, Porn magazines are such titles such as 'XXX' and 'Barely Legal' etc.. that newsagents sell. As for the argument about newspapers WH Smiths does not decide what content goes inside them, The Sun and the Star have an occasional topless picture in them, but only those papers. We don't even stock the Daily Sport. We as individual employees cannot take products off sale or move them up or down shelves. The stock we sell is decided by head office, and the planogramms must be kept to, as we have daily checks by inspectors. WH Smiths does not sell porn mags. It sells mens magazines such as Nuts and Zoo, in my store the magazines are on the top two shelves anyway, Porn magazines are such titles such as ‘XXX’ and ‘Barely Legal’ etc.. that newsagents sell. As for the argument about newspapers WH Smiths does not decide what content goes inside them, The Sun and the Star have an occasional topless picture in them, but only those papers. We don’t even stock the Daily Sport. We as individual employees cannot take products off sale or move them up or down shelves. The stock we sell is decided by head office, and the planogramms must be kept to, as we have daily checks by inspectors.

]]> By: MaryTracy9 http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-9401 MaryTracy9 Sat, 23 Jun 2007 21:02:26 +0000 http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-9401 Why wasn't I there protesting as well? WHY? WHYYYYY??? I miss all the feminist protests! Congratulations on the ones who did this. From the bottom of my heart, you really make me keep faith in humanity. Why wasn’t I there protesting as well? WHY? WHYYYYY???

I miss all the feminist protests!

Congratulations on the ones who did this. From the bottom of my heart, you really make me keep faith in humanity.

]]> By: charliegrrl http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-6239 charliegrrl Sun, 06 May 2007 11:13:20 +0000 http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-6239 I agree the body, more specifically the sexualised female body, shouldn't be used as a commodity in itself and to sell products. But I don't think we should outlaw naked bodies in public viewing. Yes I agree, women should refuse to pose for lads mags, but we could say women should refuse to diet, starve, exercise excessively, spend vast amounts of money on anti-cellulite and anti-wrinkle cream...but such pressures about how our bodies are perceived are so ingrained, it's not that easy for women to reject all this woman-hating commercialisation. But yes, mobilising around the issue of the normalisation of porn is what we need! :) I agree the body, more specifically the sexualised female body, shouldn’t be used as a commodity in itself and to sell products. But I don’t think we should outlaw naked bodies in public viewing.

Yes I agree, women should refuse to pose for lads mags, but we could say women should refuse to diet, starve, exercise excessively, spend vast amounts of money on anti-cellulite and anti-wrinkle cream…but such pressures about how our bodies are perceived are so ingrained, it’s not that easy for women to reject all this woman-hating commercialisation.

But yes, mobilising around the issue of the normalisation of porn is what we need! :)

]]> By: Globen http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-6206 Globen Sat, 05 May 2007 18:19:03 +0000 http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-6206 This argument needs more structure and proves nothing for what you are trying to achieve, that all women must submit themselves to top shelf glamour, women must realise the first step is to refuse. love to see all the men at WHS to get their clothes off and not feel degraded. Showing the flesh is not a commodity and should be outlawed. Off topic a bit we need to mobilise and rally together for this worth while cause. Naked bodies regardless of gender need to be out of public viewing. This argument needs more structure and
proves nothing for what you are trying to achieve,
that all women must submit themselves to top shelf glamour,
women must realise the first step is to refuse.
love to see all the men at WHS to get their clothes off and not feel degraded.
Showing the flesh is not a commodity and should be outlawed.
Off topic a bit we need to mobilise and rally together for this worth while cause.
Naked bodies regardless of gender need to be out of public viewing.

]]> By: Dave http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-6152 Dave Fri, 04 May 2007 14:27:23 +0000 http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-6152 Liz, Your comment at nos 14 is spot on. Most men know porn is wrong,offensive and degrading to women. Thats why they become so defensive,when confronted or challenged about it. Men will hide their porn from their wives or girlfriends and 'consume' it when they are alone. Why? If a woman walks into a newsagents and a man is looking through pornographic magazines,nine times out of ten,he will walk out the shop empty handed.Why? Some men do question the porn theyve been thoughtlessly consuming for years and decide enough is enough. Granted,they are the minority. I never used to consider Lads mags porn,but now i do and i agree with charliegrrls campaigns against porn in general!! Some men can change! But only if their prepared to listen and maybe learn something! Liz,
Your comment at nos 14 is spot on.
Most men know porn is wrong,offensive and degrading to women.
Thats why they become so defensive,when confronted or challenged about it.
Men will hide their porn from their wives or girlfriends and ‘consume’ it when they are alone.
Why?
If a woman walks into a newsagents and a man is looking through pornographic magazines,nine times out of ten,he will walk out the shop empty handed.Why?
Some men do question the porn theyve been thoughtlessly consuming for years and decide enough is enough.
Granted,they are the minority.
I never used to consider Lads mags porn,but now i do and i agree with charliegrrls campaigns against porn in general!!
Some men can change!
But only if their prepared to listen and maybe learn something!

]]> By: Kate the Great http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-6125 Kate the Great Thu, 03 May 2007 18:06:53 +0000 http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-6125 You did an excellent job, I nearly peed myself when I saw this. Don't mind the idiots on youtube. The personal attacks are irrelevant - people of all shapes/looks and sizes feel this way, but the fact they keep drawing back to appearance to discount a political argument says something to prove our point. If I'm stereotypically attractive and still feel uncomfortable being ogled is it because I'm just not "liberated"/worried I'll get a bad rating, or is it because I find it demeaning? I'm sick of their crap. But I love all of you at the protest. :D Cheers! You did an excellent job, I nearly peed myself when I saw this. Don’t mind the idiots on youtube.

The personal attacks are irrelevant – people of all shapes/looks and sizes feel this way, but the fact they keep drawing back to appearance to discount a political argument says something to prove our point.

If I’m stereotypically attractive and still feel uncomfortable being ogled is it because I’m just not “liberated”/worried I’ll get a bad rating, or is it because I find it demeaning?

I’m sick of their crap.
But I love all of you at the protest. :D Cheers!

]]> By: charliegrrl http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-6117 charliegrrl Thu, 03 May 2007 15:28:57 +0000 http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-6117 Sorry about that Liz I think the WHSmith guy was coerced into coming out to speak to us to try and reason with us- he was very nervous, I could barely understand what he was saying cos he was mumbling so much. Sorry about that Liz
I think the WHSmith guy was coerced into coming out to speak to us to try and reason with us- he was very nervous, I could barely understand what he was saying cos he was mumbling so much.

]]> By: Liz http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-6115 Liz Thu, 03 May 2007 15:23:10 +0000 http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-6115 Wow fantastic! And very inspirational. Unfortunately I didn't hear/lipread the people on the video - but the body language on the employee was VERY defensive, and he was obviously getting his back up about his right (or WHSmut's right) to stock porn. It seems so obvious that men don't like us challenging their porn consumption - they are so selfish that they don't seem to realise or want to know that their consumption of women's bodies is harmful. Wow fantastic! And very inspirational.

Unfortunately I didn’t hear/lipread the people on the video – but the body language on the employee was VERY defensive, and he was obviously getting his back up about his right (or WHSmut’s right) to stock porn.

It seems so obvious that men don’t like us challenging their porn consumption – they are so selfish that they don’t seem to realise or want to know that their consumption of women’s bodies is harmful.

]]> By: charliegrrl http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-6114 charliegrrl Thu, 03 May 2007 14:55:50 +0000 http://charliegrrl.wordpress.com/2007/04/30/film-of-demo-against-whsmith-leicester/#comment-6114 Emmeline I haven't contacted the Executives yet, but I will do! Good idea sending them lads mags Kate Swan Group Chief Executive WHSmith PLC 180 Wardour Street London W1F 8FY or Alan Walker, Chairman at the same address :) Emmeline
I haven’t contacted the Executives yet, but I will do! Good idea sending them lads mags

Kate Swan
Group Chief Executive
WHSmith PLC
180 Wardour Street
London
W1F 8FY

or Alan Walker, Chairman at the same address

:)

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