Another clothing brand jumps on the porn tshirt bandwagon
[UPDATED] AFL footballer a designer and model for Nena and Pasadena.
Recently, a Collective Shout supporter alerted us to ‘Nena and Pasadena’ a clothing brand which produces pornified tshirts. Nena and Pasadena is stocked in stores such as City Beach (are we surprised?) Edge, Live and Globalise. Caitlin wrote on our community page:
Some of you may have come across the clothing brand “Nena and Pasadena”, stocked at City Beach, edge, Globalize and Live clothing stores. It is a major contributor to the pornographic t-shirt trend.
There are images of women from the back, naked from the waist down. There is one with a topless women, with her breast and nipple uncovered and exposed-with a scarf covering her entire head. Another has a topless woman covering her breast with her hand along with the slogan “Angel of silence”. And there are plenty more.
Having pornographic images on t-shirts is both confronting and offensive to women. They are made worse with sexist slogans and depictions designed to silence women, e.g. “angel of silence”, and the topless woman who has a scarf around her head so she cannot talk.
Nena and Pasadena have a billboard on Queen Street in Busselton, WA, featuring a two pictures- on the right, a woman wearing a dress, and on the left, and man wearing a white t-shirt with the words “Angel of the City” underneath and the image of a woman’s naked lower half from the bottom down. This is just another example of images of women reducing them to specific body parts, as she has no face, just a naked back side. This picture is also the profile picture for Nena and Pasadena’s facebook page.
Another supporter has already received a patronising, nonsense response from Nena and Pasadena, mocking her concerns. What can we expect from those who think the objectification of women is acceptable?
Thanks for your comments and views but we feel we know what young people want to wear so we choose to continue our design concepts in full. I have three teenage boys of my own and have discussed your email with them, they were humored by your thoughts and added that the 6 o’clock news contained far more adult contact than a tshirt!! If you feel that we degrade women or promote violence against women please further your emails to the editor of the herald sun.
We have never yet had a complaint regarding women on our Tshirts except for yours.This clearly puts you I’n the minority and reinforces my views that we are not doing anything wrong or inappropriate. As i wrote before- if you are unhappy complain to a newspaper or someone that wants to tolerate your minority views on censorship.
Kylie has posted the full correspondance on our community page here.
We doubt very much that this is the first complaint Nena and Pasadena have ever received. However, lets make sure it’s not the last.
Caitlin provided some useful contact details in her post, inviting others to take action. We have listed them below. Please join us in speaking out against the objectification of women on clothing.
Update
Since posting this article a Collective Shout supporter enlightened us to the fact that the model wearing these shirts is none other than AFL footballer, Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin. Franklin is in fact, one of the designers for Nena and Pasadena, alongside Tim Arandt, (the charming individual who sent the patronising response to Kylie’s complaint) Ryan Griggs and Paul Edwards.
It is interesting to note that the AFL has a policy called the ‘Respect and Responsibility policy.’
The Respect and Responsibility Policy represents the Australian Football League’s commitment to addressing violence against women and to work towards creating safe, supportive and inclusive environments for women and girls across the football industry as well as the broader community.
The Respect and Responsibility Policy is about shifting attitudes – ensuring that people throughout the Australian Football industry are aware, and have structures in place, that recognise that violence against women and behaviour that harms or degrades women, is never acceptable.
(bold ours)
The AFL’s website goes into detail about how the AFL is committed to developing initiatives and programs for players which will promote equal and respectful relationships with women. Anti-sexual harassment and anti-discrimination procedures have been put in place. There is a focus on developing safe, supportive and inclusive environments for women across the football industry, as well as the broader community.
This all sounds great. So where then, do these t-shirts fit within that broader goal of a safe, supportive, inclusive environment for women? Pornographic images, images that objectify and degrade women in the public space, including on t-shirts are a form of sexual harassment and discrimination. Does the AFL approve of their players developing and promoting shirts that degrade, objectify and therefore harm women?
These are very good questions to ask the AFL. Contact details below.
Take Action!
Contact the AFL here:
http://www.afl.com.au/ (Direct links to the contact page don’t work. Go to the home page, scroll down on the right hand side to ‘AFL Links’ where you will see ‘contact us.’)
To complain about Nena and Pasadena’s advertising (for example, the billboard Caitlin spoke of in Western Australia) contact the Advertising Standards Board.
http://www.adstandards.com.au/
To make a complaint to Nena and Pasadena, contact them here.
http://nenaandpasadena.com/contact.html
Contact the stores that stock the Nena and Pasadena brand:
City Beach
http://www.citybeach.com.au/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContactView?s…
Edge
http://www.edgeclothing.com.au/contact.html
Globalize
Live
http://www.liveclothing.com.au/go/live-stores&contactLive
As always, please share any letters you write with us in the comments section below, as well as any responses you receive.
57 Comments
I’ve sent the following to stockists:
Hi,
Just writing to let you know that I’m sick and tired of being confronted with the type of pornified T-shirt for young males favoured by Nena and Pasadena and stocked in your stores.
Your management needs to know there are many people out there who are offended and do not think these images are ok for display to the general public, particularly children. Young people deserve better than to be encouraged to be walking billboards for the promotion of the objectification and degradation of women.
I’m a mother of two boys and having to explain the existence of these T-shirts and to counteract their message is becoming an all too frequent occurrence in my life.
Please rethink your support for these types of images. You’re contributing to the mainstreaming of pornography in our society which only encourages disrespect, disregard and belittling of 50% of our population.
And this to Nena and Pasadena:
Just writing to let you know that I’m sick and tired of being confronted with the type of pornified T-shirt favoured by Nena and Pasadena. It’s extremely offensive to be confronted by images which objectify, degrade and silence womanhood.
Your management needs to know there are many people out there who are offended and do not think these images are ok for display to the general public, particularly children. Young people deserve better than to be encouraged to be walking billboards for the promotion of the objectification and degradation of women.
I’m a mother of two boys and having to explain the existence of these T-shirts and to counteract their message is becoming an all too frequent occurrence in my life.
Please rethink your promotion of these types of images. You’re contributing to the mainstreaming of pornography in our society which only encourages disrespect, disregard and belittling of 50% of our population.
Now looking forward to the responses.
Great work. I came across a billboard picturing one of these T-shirts in a town near mine. I took a photo of it, but hadn’t got around to complaining about it yet. Partly because a friend of mine actually works at the store and said she would mention it to the manager for me, although I don’t know if she ever did. But I think I will now let Nena and Pasadena know what I think! Thanks for the reminder.
Ugh.
The clothing store with the billboard was Echo Busselton. Will be shooting them an email!
echobuss@kalnet.com.au
Yes Kate, I moved to Busselton a few weeks ago, and that is the very billboard.
I wrote this to Nena and Pasedena:
I’m writing to inform you that the images I have seen on many of your t-shirts is quite explicit and consequently, offensive. Many of the images are degrading to women and encourage men to view women merely as sexual objects. It has come to my attention that the pornographic t-shirts you create are designed to be purchased by teenage boys who are impressionable and are beginning to develop their views on sexuality. Your depiction of women encourages individuals to forget that the models in the pictures, indeed all women, are someone’s sister, aunt, daughter, mother. Might I suggest that if you continue to operate your business targeting this demographic, that you utilise images that do not diminish an individual’s personhood.
I am having trouble with the link to the AFL- it seems to have expired. I will keep trying and see what I can figure out.
Hi Caitlin,
I’ve updated the link. Try again, hopefully it should work now.
WOW the AFL does not make it easy to contact them….. I wonder why
Yes Ellen, we thought the same! We’re hoping to find a more direct link or email address.
I also contacted Tim Arandt after reading the reply he gave to Kylie:
My first email:
————
Dear Tim
You said…
“I have three teenage boys of my own and have discussed your email with them, they were humored by your thoughts”
So you take your moral bearings from your three teenage boys (who laugh at the views of others)?
Most teenage boys I know need to grow up some. Maybe not the best place to be getting mature advice.
Just so you know, my teenage daughter takes a very different view of these matters. She won’t be buying any of your stuff, nor shopping in the outlets that sell them.
Sincerely
———–
Tim’s reply:
———–
As far as i know this is not illegal!!
Find another cause ! You have made your point and thank god we live I’n a free market!
Kind Regards
Tim Arandt
————
My follow-up:
————
Dear Tim
We live in a free market, so I will pursue whatever causes I think are worth pursuing, thanks.
Just because something is legal, does not make it a right thing to do.
I’m glad my point has been made. But it clearly has made no impact on you. Since it is a free market, I will continue to try to persuade you that what you are doing is harmful to our society, and just because teenage boys like having images like these on t-shirts it is not right to do it.
By the way, which ‘god’ are you thanking that we live in a free market? Mammon?
Sincerely
This is what i wrote!!
To whom it may concern,
I wish to lodge a formal complaint against the sexist and pornographic clothing of your brand.
The images and the portrayal of women is incorrect and degrading to say the least. You may be surprised to know that women actually do have a brain and are not naked beings that walk around to serve the desires of men.
The naked imagery and violent slogans are beyond comprehension. Naked and topless women on a T Shirt encourages men to view women as sex objects and is encouraging federal crimes such as Rape and Sexual Abuse.
Your brand is contributing to the sexist, condescending and sex obsessed culture we live in.
I am disgusted.
Yours Sincerely,
Jessica
Just sent the following to Tim Arandt:
Mr Tim Arandt,
I wish to make a formal complaint about some of the t-shirts you are stocking at the moment, notably those which include images of semi-naked women.
I am a 22 year old woman, and I find it incredibly offensive that you are diminishing every woman’s worth by displaying these images on your shirts.
You may think it is harmless entertainment, that it is what the young people want to wear on their shirts, but allow me to explain why it is so damaging.
The human mind takes in hundreds of thousands of images each day. We don’t control this – it is what we see as we walk around and go about our day. Without realising it, we are taking in the images around us and developing thoughts based on them.
What this means for the average teenage boy who is taking images such as those on your shirts, is that they are developing an understanding of what women are supposed to look like and what their purpose is. T shirts like yours send the message that women are meant to have big breasts and their purpose is to be gazed upon and admired by men. I think this is dangerous – how will they ever learn to respect a woman for her intellect or abilities if these images are teaching them to evaluate a woman’s worth based on her appearance?
Take a look at your “Angel of the city” shirt – it seems to be from the perspective of a person catching a glimpse up a woman’s skirt as she walks up some stairs. Looking at the image, I get the impression that she doesn’t know her bum and legs are being ogled at, let alone photographed (I know it is just a model – but this is what the image suggests). Perhaps this is why it is so exciting to your designers? But let’s apply this to a real life situation – say, the hundreds of women who wear skirts and walk up stairs each day. In fact, I’ll make it personal. Many times I, myself, have been walking through the city, minding my own business, when a gust of wind swept through and blew up my skirt. All the men around me turned quickly to look, hoping to catch a glimpse of what was underneath my skirt. I felt humiliated. What happened to the days when men would look away to preserve a woman’s modesty should something like that happen? What happened to our bodies being private?
I’ll tell you what happened – the bombardment of images like yours! These images teach men that women are just there to look at and if they are lucky enough to catch the wind blowing up a woman’s skirt, they should try to see as much as they can because, hey, she’s just there to look at anyway!
Please, please consider what I have written to you. I am not a “wowser” and I am not into censorship just for the sake of it. But I am seriously concerned about what these images are doing to our society. Please have the sense to think about the long-term consequences!
Sincerely,
Jessica Harvey.
Here is my letter to the AFL- I had to keep chopping it down to be under 1000 characters, but I think I got the main points in.
Buddy Franklin is the face of Nena and Pasadena clothing. The shirts blatantly objectify women, in overly sexual poses, revealing naked body parts. The women’s heads are often absent, reducing them to a series of “hot” body parts. There are slogans like “Angel of silence” and “I can be whatever you want me to be”. Women are portrayed as playthings men use for their own sexual gratification. In a workplace this would be sexual harassment.
Players are heroes for young boys, sending a disappointing example. It sends a message women’s bodies are for men’s entertainment. This is inconsistent with the Respect and Responsibility policy which sats “behaviour that…degrades women is never acceptable”. Does the AFL condone the making and promoting of degrading shirts? What actions does the AFL plan to take?
I haven’t yet received a response to my email:
Dear Sir/Madam,
My name is Muriel Matters {inserted here in place of real name} and I write to you out of concern over the inappropriateness of some images on your t-shirts.
In particular I would like to draw your attention to the “Angel of the City” image and the accompanying slogan, “I am only what you perceive me to be”, which is of particular concern. The slogan suggests the woman is an object for the viewer to be whatever the viewer wishes her to be, which is a sexualised object for the viewers pleasure – either in fantasy or in reality.
I would like to point out that women are not sexualised objects but are individual persons with autonomy and agency. Your t-shirts suggest otherwise.
It is a known fact that murderers, rapists and violent offenders objectify their victims before committing their crimes. If your company persists in procuring and distributing t-shirts with these images it will be guilty of adding to the burgeoning number of consumer products that seek to objectify women. This action assists in altering the perception that women can (and should) function in society as equals to men. It also promotes the notion that women are always sexually available, and finally, since you have no control over where or when the t-shirts are worn once they leave the retail outlets, the company is complicit in exposing under-aged children to images and concepts that should exist only in the adult domain.
Surely, women, and men for that matter, deserve more than this.
I trust that you will give my concerns the consideration they deserve and readdress your decision to distribute these images.
Just another one of the hopefully numerous objections that Tim Arandt will undoubtedly dismiss as feminist nonesense.
Currently awaiting his condescending reply.
To Whom it May Concern,
I am writing to express my dismay over the sexist nature of your products; namely, three t-shirts in particular that contain offensive pornographic images.
As I understand, the demographic you intend to target is that of young men, which is alarming as the content you are marketing only serves to reinforce a reductionist attitude towards women that is already far too prevalent in our culture. The aforementioned pictures clearly objectify women, reducing their personhood to the sum of body parts most sexually enticing. This demonstrates a view of women that is purely instrumental; that they do not possess an inherent value in and of themselves, but rather, their worth is dependent upon the use they can to others – i.e, to service the sexual desires of men.
This is the very message you are sending to all your male consumers.
If this wasn’t damning enough, the slogans accompanying the images on said t-shirts further fuel the blatant misogyny of your brand. The most horrific example being the tag line “Angel of Silence”, which, if I believed you actually intelligent enough to attempt, seems like a rather ironic twist upon “Angel of the Home” – a term previously used to designate a woman to the sphere of the house and thrust upon her the guardianship of sexual morality. Similarly, you seem to be implying that the ideal woman – the naked, smouldering woman in the photo – should be nothing more than passive and silent. This theme again emerges on another print that illustrates a woman, breast exposed, with a scarf wrapped around her head. Not only is she again reduced to a single body, but she is forcibly unable to express herself as she is gagged by a scarf.
These images are disturbing and becoming a current occurrence in our porn-obsessed culture. The verdict is in – there is a very real connection between pornographic images and attitudes supporting violence against women. I direct you to the findings of the University of California, who were able to conclusively show the direct link pornography has with violent and demeaning attitudes against women. You can further investigate the matter here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19862768
I politely ask you to recall these offensive, degrading items and reconsider the future nature of your content. Not only does it show an underwhelming lack of creativity on your part, but using pornographic materials will place you directly responsible for the abhorrent treat of women in our society. Perhaps you should ponder the gravity of such an implication.
Regards
Simone, awesome letter, whose well-articulated points I fear will go over the seemingly overblown head of Mr Arandt.
This is a copy of the email I sent to Nena and Pasadena…
I am disgusted and extremely concerned at images of your tshirts that I have seen. I cannot fathom how you can imagine these to be suitable for anyone to wear, particularly the target market of teenagers and young men. They are pornographic and promote the view of women as nothing more than sexual objects who are here solely to satisfy the lustful desires of men. These kinds of images do not merely pass the eyes of young men but studies show that they become imprinted on a man’s brain and he is then bombarded with these images for the rest of his life. Maybe you do not respect yourself enough to care about that, but who gives you the right to spread that to others. Men can watch pornography in private if it is their desire… the rest of the populace does not need or want to be faced with such overtly sinister images of women as objects. I make particular reference to the slogans that appear with the images, such as “I am only what you perceive me to be”. You and I both know that the suggestion here is that this particular woman is nothing more than a piece of ass. Seriously? Is that what you think of women? Is that what you think of your mother or wife or sister? Is that what you want other men to think about them?
The naked or near naked images you use are disturbing in the extreme. I understand you have made mention in a previous reply to another person that you have teenage sons who think these complaints are funny… well I have to say that this is probably because they have been raised by you to think such things are okay. I know MANY teenage boys including my own son who would not be caught dead wearing something like this, and nor do they wish to be exposed to this kind of imagery. And what about the fifty percent of the population that are women, and all the young children exposed to these images as they are worn by those foolish and perverted enough to buy them. Anyone who would purchase a shirt like this has no thought of decency or of the greater good. So you have no way of controlling the hundreds or thousands of innocent eyes who will be exposed to this pornographic garbage.
I ask that you reconsider the images and slogans used in your tshirts that promote the concept of women as sexual objects, and that encourage men to treat women with contempt. These kind of images and slogans encourage various forms of abuse, both physical and sexual, towards women and are completely unacceptable.
This is the email I sent to the AFL…
I direct your attention to one of your players, Lance Franklin, who models/designs a brand of clothing called Nena and Pasadena. These items of clothing contain explicit images of women and slogans that encourage the objectification and abuse of women. These shirts are extremely offensive and pornographic in nature. As a public figure, Mr Franklin has a responsibility to uphold a level of decorum. As an AFL player he has a responsibility to uphold the ‘Respect and Responsibilty policy’ put in place by your organisation. I believe he has failed on both counts. He has shown a contempt for women and for the AFL. I ask that you address this issue and take action in accordance with your code of conduct. This kind of behaviour should not be tolerated.
I have emailed Nena & Pasadena, the AFL and also the principal of Scotch College Melbourne, a school who are mentioned in many of the news reports about the launch of the company as being tied to the company through Buddy Franklin. What on earth a school is thinking, being involved with a company who is producing this kind of explicit material, is beyond me!!
Will post my emails and any responses I receive later on.
My email exchange with Scotch College clarifying their relationship with Nena & Pasadena – seems it wasn’t quite as reported in the news articles:
Dear Mr Batty,
I am a member of the organisation Collective Shout, a grassroots campaign movement working against the corporate sexualisation and objectification of women and girls.
This week, a number of members have reported the production of highly exploitative t-shirts by a company called Nena & Pasadena. These t-shirts feature images of naked and near-naked women, accompanied by slogans suggestive of the subjugation of women. More information about these shirts, and the company’s lack of regard for complaints about them, can be found here: http://collectiveshout.org/2011/02/nena-and-pasadena-objectification-on-a-shirt/
I write to you today, because a number of news reports from 2010 closely link your school to the company which produces these t-shirts. These articles report that students from your school have been involved in designing shirts for the company; and that programs for indigenous students at your school may receive some financial benefit from the sale of t-shirts from the range.
If this is correct, I find it extremely disturbing – and I hope that, as an educator, you do too. Images such as those featured on these shirts do not discriminate in the harm they cause to young minds. The boys and young men of Australia, including those at your school need to receive the message that it is not ok to view women as objects, or to participate in their objectification, and that in fact they must stand up against it.
Are you able to clarify if Scotch College has indeed been involved with this company, and if so, what implications the above information and campaign may have on your relationship?
Kind regards,
Nicole
Dear Nicole,
I reply to your email of 14 February on behalf of the Principal. I can assure you there is no close link between Scotch College and Nena & Pasadena. There was some contact last year regarding the production of traditional designs by indigenous students at Scotch College. This did not eventuate nor has the matter been pursued further. As a result, I do not expect any further contact with the company. Please be assured that our school would not wish to align itself with any organisation involved in the sexualisation of women.
Regards,
Ian Savage
Congrats to all on the incredible activism. I’ll be contributing so will post my correspondence.
Mr. Arandt and the rest at Nena and Pasadena,
Mr. Arandt, apparently it is in fact true that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. So your three young sons see nothing offensive about the objectification and sexualization of women in the images borne on Nena and Pasadena t-shirts? I find it very telling that you had to drag your sons’ purported opinions into your response to a criticism about the t-shirts. Do you think their opinions lent validity to your message, when it’s quite obvious to most that children often absorb the attitudes of their parents?
It is a f***ed up world indeed when any company can market t-shirts like this to teenagers and young adults. The t-shirts ARE offensive and harmful, and there really is no excuse for them. Women have often wished that a**hole men had some sort of sign imprinted on their foreheads to warn us in advance… While these t-shirts surely serve that purpose of warning women of the wearer’s um, shall we say shortcomings, I have to say that the damage done by the public display of the t-shirts outweighs the benefits of the advance warning.
Come on, Nena and Pasadena decision-makers, you all have to know deep in your guts that these images are just wrong. Please, realize that the hypersexualization of everything is played out already and that the public would prefer an entirely different set of options. Humor sells. As does going green. As does wittiness. As does social conscientiousness. As does kindness. Just a few ideas for you. Please ditch the t-shirts.
NOTHING BETTER TO DO WITH YOUR TIME LADIES! – I can see that!
Its possibly best to let you all know its 2011 !!
Thanks for stopping by Peter Grant! Still haven’t addressed any of the concerns, we can see that.
Just caught the end of James Valentine talking about this issue on ABC Radio Sydney – the story’s getting picked up! Keep up the good work everyone!
PS also wanted to say that this is not the first time Nena & Pasadena have come under fire over their shirts. Last year they were investigated by the Department of Health and Ageing over allegations that one of their designs breached anti-tobacco laws:
http://www.perthnow.com.au/lifestyle/buddy-franklin-t-shirt-design-shot-down-in-flames/story-e6frg3s3-1225888907442
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/lance-franklin-may-be-forced-to-remove-designer-t-shirt-from-sale/story-e6frf7jo-1225888713968
Starting to look like these guys are just masters of bad taste!
Sent this by e-mail:
It has come to my attention that you are responsible for the design and production of some rather distasteful T-Shirts that are available through City Beach. I’ve also noticed that there are some AFL connections here.
I am amazed at your lack of ingenuity and creativity as T-Shirt designers that you’ve had resort to what is basically soft porn in order to sell your product. It is rather disappointing that you feel the exploitation of women in this way is acceptable, I wonder how you feel about your daughters appearing in this way or worse being treated in the manner your T-Shirt designs promote.
I realize that your target age group probably like you designs but let me help you to understand that age group you are influencing and directing into adulthood (I’m assuming you realize that what you, as adults, are putting on T-Shirts is directly influencing how they will later view the world around them).
Until age 25 the brain is still under development, areas that have not yet reached maturity include impulse-control, judgement and decision-making and as such they are prone to making very bad choices without thought of the potential consequences and future implications, they are also easily influenced in their behaviour towards others.
Put this back into the context of your T-Shirt designs and it’s easy to see that you are encouraging young adolescent men to treat women with contempt, loathing and ridicule at best, and objects for sexual abuse, exploitation and molestation at worst (well I do hope this is the worst).
I do wonder how you feel about your own daughters being treated in this manner that you promote with your designs. Please stop this abhorrent treatment of what is better known as the fairer sex who deserves to be treated with care, support and nurture.
I am certain that you are able to come up with designs that promote something a little more wholesome and favourable.
Also posted the above message to Paul Edwards and Ryan Griggs via their Facebook profiles, received the following reply, please note the part where I am told that he will be removing women over the next few seasons:
Rick, Ill keep it simple! – YOUR Over thinking this !!
I really dont mean to offend or come off rude, as you are totally entitled to your thoughts and opinions, and i respect that.
Ive read all your posts on the Nena Page and Im not going to bother trying to explain myself or our business to you, as I feel that you may be out of touch with modern day society, plus the minds, thoughts and actions of teenagers.. Or maybe just my customer!!
And HEY! its not your job to be intouch with my customer. – SO DONT WORRY!!
All your stats and facts are taken on, but mate! ive tried to remove girls from my designs! Ive tried to change the direction my customer thinks, but you cant do it over night! it takes time. – If you follow our next few seasons you will SEE the women are becoming fewer and far between.. I hate doing it! but its what pays my bills and Its my right to do what I WANT! -
KNOW THIS!! they are t-shirts !!
I did not create the 11th commandment! – I made t-shirts… and the T-shirts which you are so passionate about complaining about are GONE! SOLD! and already possibly used to clean peoples cars..
Did you know there was a revolution in Egypt ? that’s a little more news worthy don’t you think.
I never thought to quote Peter Costello…. ”Footballers are not chosen for their moral principles. They do not go into a national draft for budding philanthropists. They can run and catch and kick a ball.”
And weren’t the Players association and AFL bosses saying how upstanding and upright they all are and that we really had no need to lock up our daughters when they turn up at our schools? Next time someone mentions AFL clinic, I think I’ll let my daughter stay home for the day and read books by Ariel Levy.
And as for the stores that stock them, there is an enormous “butt crack” poster (of the back of a girl with very low rise jeans with her finger pulling them down to show that she is part plumber) outside Globalise in my city, and every time we drive past with the kids I get the inevitable “why is that lady pulling her pants down” question. Which I am SO sick of answering.
I have come across some more contact information for the AFL, including individual committee members as well as Andrew Demetriou, who I’m told is the CEO of the AFL (obviously I’m not a footy follower!) I have sent letters to each one of them. Find their info below.
http://www.aflma.com/contact.htm
In my letters I also included links to some of the recent articles by Madison and MTR.
It was a challenge to reduce the message left on the AFL website to fit within their word limit!
The AFL claims to run programs for players which promote equal & respectful relationships with women, with anti-sexual harassment & anti-discrimination procedures put in place, with a focus on developing safe, supportive & inclusive environments for women across the football industry, as well as the broader community.
While this is all very encouraging, where do the t-shirts designed & modeled by Lance Franklin fit within that broader goal of a safe, supportive, inclusive environment for women? Pornographic images & any images that objectify & degrade women are a form of sexual harassment and discrimination! Does the AFL approve of players developing & promoting shirts that degrade, objectify and therefore harm women?
Is the AFL simply paying lip service? Are you really that serious about improving the image of footballers and promoting equal, healthy & respectful relationships with women? Exactly what image is the AFL promoting?
Hi everyone, just to keep you all informed on a few recent developments…
Kylie went to Echo Busselton last week and spoke with the manager. She made a complaint about one of the N&P shirts, displayed in the front window, and the manager removed it for her. The next day I went to the store and spoke to the manager about the billboard and the shirts. He is a young guy in his early to mid twenties. When I shared my concerns about the billboard, he said “Can’t you just not look at it?” I don’t think he really understood how offensive this material is, which I can understand from a young man in our society. We had a good conversation though. He told me that N&P had paid $1500 to have the billboard up for a certain amount of time,and had paid to have the shirts displayed prominently. He said if he was to remove the billboard early, he would have to refund the money, which he didn’t want to do. Keep writing to the ASB people!
Also, we are still hoping to get a response from the AFL. I put a link for the email address of the AFL CEO on CS’s facebook page. Please send him an email!
Letter to AFL
I am writing today concerned about the release of pornographic t-shirts made & designed by a number of current AFL players under the brand Nena and Pasadena.
As a supporter of the AFL I find this such a sad case of players still not being influenced by the AFL policies on respect etc.
The images on the t-shirts are of naked/near naked women. This is so inappropriate especially as it is targeted at young males therefore cultivating, with the endorsement of the AFL players, to see women as only sexual objects.
With these shirts they do give women respect. Their faces and heads are missing from most of the images thus promoting that there is not really a person connected to the body, and therefore no respect for the woman, only lust for the body.
I with all urgency requested that the AFL leadership address this issue. Given the current negative media attention on the game these kinds of shirts reinforce the behavior, lifestyle, & attitude of objectifying women.
Get over it. It’s fashion.
Actually, Peter Grant, I do have much to do with my time. In addition to the demands of life’s responsibilities, my time is quite full with living — as I’m sure is the case for most of the people who recognize this issue as being important enough to find the time to express their reactions to it.
Perhaps letters to the individual AFL player’s clubs would also help. They have a brand to protect too.
Seriously get a grip you whingers there ts a hell of a lot more problems in the world then oh a billboard that you may think is offensive maybe your offended because you cant look that good maybe your offended because of your religious views i dont care the problem with the world today is way to many bleeding heart cause jumping narrow mind people actually get heard Jesus thank Christ none of you where around i in the ancient roman or Greek days others wise we wouldn’t have the wonderful Art we have today. I hope none of you own a bikini or have been to the beach lately you would be horrified..!! Grow up and worry about what really matters like world hunger,natural disasters and most of all have a good lok in the mirror and say to yourself my life isn’t boring i dont need to spend my time shooting off E’mails trying to be someone. Seriously get a life.
Hi Boxy,
Next time some punctuation and an actual argument would make it much easier to engage with you.
If you want to find out more about the issues and why they are important (which, judging by abusive tone of your comment, we suspect you aren’t at all interested) then click on ‘Resources’ in the top horizontal menu and read some of the research papers associated with the sexualisation of children and objectification of women. The American Psychological Association, The Australia Institute and the UK Home Office have a lot to say on these issues.
Oh and im sure none of you are trying to contact the Models from said billboards and shirts and expressing how the have undermined the womens movement and Outraged you bunch of prudes im sure they got paid WLL for their part.
just because you see it ya dont have to agree with it i personally dont like Tampon adds on TV but im man enough to be able to buy them for my better half but dont see a reason to bitch about it get a life people find something constructive to do not destructive..
Response from AFL:
Approach the company who produces the t-shirts, they have no association with the Australian Football League.
Regards
AFL Feedback Line
Glenda Megson
Receptionist
AFL HOUSE | 140 Harbour Esplanade | Docklands VIC 3008GPO Box 1449 | Melbourne VIC 3001Ph: (03) 9643 | Fax: (03) 9654 1153 |
I am a 50 year old grandmother and I take no offence to this. Lighten up, what sad bored people you must be to focus all of your time and energy on something like this. Get a life, if you dont like it then dont look and dont buy the shirts.
It would be nice to receive a comment from an opponent with an actual argument. ‘Get a life’ has been done to death Jo. Not sure what you are hoping to achieve with insults.
Regarding your suggestion not to look, there really is no other option when others choose to wear pornography on their clothing. It is not about being ‘offended’ or your personal feelings on the matter but about the demonstrable harm to women and girls as a result of constant objectification and unsolicited exposure to pornography in the popular culture. If you would like more information about why this is an important issue click on ‘resources’ in the top horizontal menu and do some reading. We don’t believe the health and well being of women and girls is a waste of time.
Oh Look! Jo’s just fine with the shirts, therefore we should be ok with pornography too! Stop the campaign! *sarcasm*
Seriously Jo, you take no offense? Very self centred and ignorant comment, typical of the Nena and Pasadena response so far.
Maybe if you like images of faceless naked women, you can put them up on your own wall and not expect the rest of us to view this crap.
Wrote to the Hawthorn FC today
Dear Mr Kennett
I am writing today concerned about the release of pornographic t-shirts made & designed by a number of current Hawthron player/s under the brand Nena and Pasadena.
As a supporter of the AFL I find this such a sad case of players still not being influenced by the AFL & Hawhtorn policies on respect, etc.
The images on the t-shirts are of naked/near naked women. This is so inappropriate, especially as it is targeted at young males therefore cultivating, with the endorsement of the AFL players, to see women as only sexual objects.
With these shirts they don’t give women respect. Their faces and/or heads are missing from most of the images thus promoting that there is not really a person connected to the body, and therefore no respect for the woman, only lust for the body.
I with all urgency requested that the Hawthorn leadership address this issue. Given the current negative media attention on the game these kinds of shirts reinforce the behavior, lifestyle, & attitude of objectifying women.
Many women like these tshirts including my done to death ignorent self centered self ! I am a well educated bussiness women with children and grand children and think that a mere t shirt will not be the end all and be all to women , my goodness there are far many things happening in our land for us to focus on besides a dam shirt. Do you people spend all your time burning your bras or is it just a hobby. Tshirts do not make a disrespectfull male .
Jo, once again, you’ve missed the point. Insults aren’t helping your argument.
You are very sad low life people to be getting so up set about a picture these girls choose to pose for the pictures so it is there right. Just the same as people who by the tshirts it’s there right. If the girls find it offensive they would not of posed for the pictures. I’m with Jo get over it get a life and worry about the other things in life that are worse then a stupid picture.
Dear Jo, I am a well educated women too, and I have a son. I would not buy one of these t shirts for my son. I try to teach my son respect for women, through what I say and what I do and how I am (and respect for men, of course). I do not think these t shirts inspire respect, and in fact, I think they also degrade the men who wear them. But the point at issue here is not what each of us does individually, but what kind of environment this creates in which our children grow to be adults, and how that environment shapes their choices and their lives.
I think these t shirts are important, but actually I agree with you that there are other things worth worrying about, and indeed some of them are more important than t shirts. But as educated women Jo, we can think about and care about more than one thing at a time. So I find myself able to care about these t shirts as well as other things of concern, some of less importance (doing the dishes), some of more importance (the war in Afghanistan).
I have never burnt a bra, but I dont know what that has to do with anything in regard to these t shirts?
(By the way, bra burning seems to be an urban myth, see eg http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94240375, but there are lots of other sources on this too.)
Good luck with your business Jo!
I can’t believe how some people are reacting. First of all what happened
To freedom of expression. So many people going on about about pornography
Ect but I bet 90% of them watch video hits where girls show alot more
Skin than any of these shirts.
Also look at ads on free to air tv. Movies on tv. Pictures at bus stops.
What if the manufacture turned around and said they would donate a
Percentage of sales to breast caned. Would that change your minds.
How many parents on here critising these shirts buy their kids bad bod clothing
Or tu PAC which promotes drugs rape violence Ect
These brands are owned by snoop dog who allegedly is a drug dealer
Drug user murderer Ect but to kids it is fashion.
Look at what females in the public wear . I am sure by the time you buy
One of these tops for your kid they could probally teach you a thing or two
With access to YouTube google Ect.
Josi I support you 100% and agree with you.
I work in a industry where I see rape victims Ect and not once have I ever
Heard a person say it was because of a shirt they had
I think people need to grow up and realize the world has changed from things
Being kept secret and people not talking about things to a world where people are
More open about their sexuality and choices.
If people put this much attention to the world problems it would be a
World I would be proud to live in.
Wow, Jo, Boxy, Chris and others- I think you are really missing the point.
If you want to choose to see images like this, you absolutely have that choice. As has already been pointed out, you won’t have to look very far.
If others choose not to look at these images, they no longer have a choice. I don’t have a choice. My husband doesn’t have a choice. My young children don’t have a choice. Victims of sexual assault, for whom these types of images can act as triggers, don’t have a choice.
Video Hits has been mentioned various times. I can choose to turn off my TV if I don’t want to see that. Others can choose to leave it on. I can’t ‘turn off’ billboards and t-shirts and outdoor advertising.
Research has clearly shown that increased exposure to highly sexualized pictures of women leads to increased feelings of depression, anxiety, disordered eating and low self esteem among adolescent women.
Research has also shown that children exposed to adult sexual material do not have the emotional maturity to process that material and make accurate judgments as an adult might. It can lead to false ideas about what makes a man, or a woman, and the attributes that are considered valuable- e.g. being hot, thin, sexy.
There have also been increased incidents of inappropriate sexual behavior in children e.g. children as young as six sexually abusing other children.
Children should be free to naturally develop their own healthy sexuality. It should not have to be tainted or dictated to them while they are too young to understand.
So call me a prude, I don’t want to have this material shoved in the faces of my children and myself.
I would just like to contribute a thought to Jo, Boxy and Chris. I have in the past been frustrated and have had to argue with people I feel simply want to say ‘no’ to issues for reasons that don’t seem strong enough to equate to their passion they display. So while I know how you might be feeling, and that you might think this is ‘just about t-shirts’ and that there are more important things going on to worry about… I for one will completely disagree with you. The thing that you are forgetting is that society is shaped by the small things not just the big things. What we tolerate in small doses we will end up tolerating in large doses. The over sexualisation of our society as a whole didn’t happen overnight, it happened gradually (just like all dangerous things do… so you almost don’t notice it happening). We have to fight for our children’s innocence and their values everyday. Not just so they are not harmed, but so that we are teaching them not to harm others. While we live in a society that tells us to tolerate everything. I will respectfully disagree, and say while I am not very involved with ‘collective shout’, I for one am happy for their existence. You never know, teaching our children/teenagers to respect others (while retaining our freedom) might be the way we can impact bigger world issues, that you seem so keen on us concentrating our energy on? Just some food for thought…
Chris said, “I work in a industry where I see rape victims Ect and not once have I ever
Heard a person say it was because of a shirt they had”
Then you are unaware of the bigger picture. You also remain unaware of cumulative factors and your eyes are unopened to the insidiously increasing sexualised contemporary culture, (mostly driven by the unending search for new markets).
Those who remain unaware of how the messages that confront society everyday and how societies are inculcated by the culture that surrounds them, are those that are mostly influenced by it. In other words, if you don’t think you are influenced and don’t consider others to be influenced, then you cannot stop yourself being influenced. You can only stop what you are made aware of.
Overall, it’s quite scary persons with your lack of awareness work in an “industry” that “sees” rape victims.
When is the AFL going to sort it’s image out? And when will retailers (in this case fashion) stop stooping below the belt to flog their products to the impressionable?
The AFL has had players acting without social responsibility for years. The Saints have sure proven that. But when will the AFL finally realise that a community BBQ in the park (where Fevola is accused of flashing himself to a mother) doesn’t make up for the consistant sexualised bad-behaviour! It doesn’t. And Lance “Buddy” Franklin has taken the AFL’s bad-boy antics to a whole new level. This freak of nature AFL superstar has used his social status to announce that women are a piece of meat, a commodity for his sex-object-selling tshirt range.
Buddy has effectivly told all those aspiring Auskick kids who look up to him, that when they grow up they too should look at the women in their life like a sex object. Grow up Bud, and be a real man! A man who protects the feminitity of women and respects them as a person, not an objectified sex slave to you (whether physically, on a tshirt or otherwise).
AFL – shame that you should allow the Ausie Rules Code to be tarnished by players who disrespect women; whether it be those who can’t keep their pants on, or those who promote controversial images of naked women. Pull up your socks AFL.
Seems all the photos have been ripped off without photographers or models permission…
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=619768351
How can you be publishing some of this nonsense as ‘fact’.
Lance Franklin is NOT and has never been a designer for Nena and Pasadena.
He is a shareholder and has been a model for the label some years ago.
I understand you are offended, but get the facts straight before you kick up a stink.
I guess you heard Buddy Franklin’s statement on The Footy Show. Maybe you can explain why he is both modelling and promoting N&P in a video from 5 months ago?
http://vimeo.com/32480007
Or why he is referred to as ‘co-director’ on Neverland store website, or as ‘owner’ on his twitter?
He probably should have edited those key details before spinning his lies to avoid responsibility.
That’s funny, he was happy to claim creative credit at the label launch in 2010 http://www.news.com.au/buddy-franklin-gets-shirty-with-new-mens-label-nena-pasadena/story-e6frf96x-1225883418384?from=public_rss
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Melinda and Collective Shout, Collective Shout. Collective Shout said: Nena and Pasadena: objectification on a shirt, take action! new blog post http://bit.ly/hoBMU2 #objectification #antiporn #sexist [...]
[...] Last week we wrote about a tshirt brand, Nena and Pasadena. Nena and Pasadena objectify and degrade women on tshirts and market these items to teenage boys. Collective Shout supporters have been contacting Nena and Pasadena and the retailers that stock the brand. You can read the article and comments including Nena and Pasadena’s dismissive responses here. [...]