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Get ya t*ts out for the lads – Page 3 Ban.

You may or may not have heard of Lucy-Anne Holmes. You may or may not of heard of her current petition. But I guarantee you have heard, or in fact seen Page 3. I don’t even have to explain to what Page 3 is, but I will. Just to be safe. Page 3 is the third page of the Sun newspaper. It’s the first page you see after opening the front page, and will feature a lovely lady. Typically this lady is aged between 18-24. She’ll be pretty. And she will be topless. Problem? Apparently so.

Lucy-Anne Holmes (right) is an actress and a writer currently campaigning for the the end of Page 3. She believes it objectifies women and leaves them as a sexual image for men. To quote her; “All I am asking is that women be treated, and represented, with respect. Like men are.” However, the first page one the first of her novel 50 Ways to find a lover, the title itself a little patronising  (women need help now do we?) reads ‘I’m a spinster. Alone. Unwanted. Unloved’. How sexist of her to assume single girls are lonely! It makes me wonder whether the sales of her books have dropped and this really is a not very subtle publicity stunt . The prices of her novels have been slashed dramatically. She does have a book due out in 2013, and she is being featured on shows such as This Morning. Her views are very old fashioned, women already have rights and equality.  I do respect her, a tiny bit, for standing for what she believes in. Although I am doubtful that is what this is all about.

The Sun newspaper, part of the shamed News International, is  one of the highest selling national papers. It had it’s father paper NOTW ending last July, after time spent on the front page of newspapers following the hacking scandals. It’s readership is the average working class man/woman. It had come back fighting. Editors were fired and arrested and yet the public still choose to purchase it. Dave from the butchers reads it, Uncle Jim and even his bit on the side reads it. Yes, I am I woman, and quite feminine but I live in the modern world. Maybe Holmes should visit me sometime? Women have their own minds. Why are we assuming that glamour modelling is degrading? These women are earning a wage, entertaining our blokes in the morning when we really can’t be bothered and are fulfiling a dream.  I don’t see anything wrong with it. It’s done tastefully, legally and is only tongue-in-cheek. If you’ve got it flaunt it, and if you can make money from it then do so! I admire Lucy-Anne for standing up for what she believes in but I don’t agree with her.

Page 3 has launched the careers of Kelly Brook, who is infact a role model for women with her natural beauty and curves, Lucy Pinder with her continious charity work. Pinder is an ambassador forKick4Life, a charity that uses football to fight poverty and disease in developing countries. She has also produced original works of art for sale in charity auctions for Keech Hospice Care. Along with fellow page 3 model Rhian Sugden she is raising money for a charity giving disabled and young children the chance to participate in sports. Not that degrading if it’s making them a recognised household name. Speaking to male friends on their view of Page 3 it’s a typical glance at her, comment about her tits and then they read on. If they wanted to ogle naked women surely they’d want something with more, dare I say it, filth. Not Charlie, 19 from Liverpool in her La Senza pants and bright smile?

Page 3 is a part of British history. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. It’s not like the Daily Star which flaunts celebrities insides on the front page. We know now what to expect from it, for the almost 50 years it’s been a daily read for us. We’ve grown up with it in our household. I don’t personally find it that much of a great read but it has the stories there, it cuts the long winding style of broadsheets and keeps it’s tabloid articles light and airy. Page 3 is as British as fish and chips. Leave it be.

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