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ESSAY: WE SHOULDN’T BE SURPRISED BY MEN LIKE DONALD TRUMP AND BILL CLINTON

WENDY FRANCIS, spokesperson for women and children at the Australian Christian Lobby, says it’s time society insists on political candidates who “refuse to buy into the sexualisation of young women through any means”…

Innocence

The outcry against behavior such as Donald Trump’s well publicised remarks and attitude towards women is long overdue.

For too long our culture has tolerated sexist and misogynist attitudes towards women. For too long women have endured the demeaning resultant attitudes and conduct that has followed in workplaces and in society at large. Sadly, Trump’s degrading language continues to be mirrored routinely in football locker rooms and other contexts. But lest we lay blame at any particular side of politics, let’s not forget the leave pass that Bill Clinton has been given by the media and society for decades for his appalling treatment of young women. It is a good thing if we are finally drawing a line.

Innocence

THE RIGHT TO INNOCENCE?: Wendy Francis argues that our children should be protected from “a hyper-sexualised environment that normalises treating women as commodities”. PICTURE: Valerie Robinson/www.freeimages.com

“It is time that we look for, and insist upon, candidates for political office who refuse to buy into the sexualisation of young women through any means, be it advertising, music videos or other forms of inappropriate entertainment.”

The behavior of these world leaders is sadly reflected in society’s toleration of the sexualisation of young women. And there is little doubt in any serious person’s mind that these ideas are fueled by the hyper-sexualised environment we have tolerated with outdoor advertising that objectifies women and a pornography industry that constantly pushes boundaries with immunity.

It is time that we look for, and insist upon, candidates for political office who refuse to buy into the sexualisation of young women through any means, be it advertising, music videos or other forms of inappropriate entertainment. The current outrage against Mr Trump means nothing if regulators continue to turn a blind eye to what drives the attitudes. How can we possibly expect to stop the next generation of Donald Trumps and Bill Clintons when boys are socialised into pornography on-line from an early age?

In our country, our ‘sex industry’ has its own political wing, the Australian Sex Party, actively campaigning for no restrictions on the availability of porn, and no guidelines for appropriate advertising. This being the case, how can we ever hope to change inappropriate attitudes by men and boys towards women?

I am a wife, a mother, and a grandmother of 10. What I want for my grandchildren, I want for every Australian child. And that is a right to innocence. A right to childhood. Our children should be protected from a hyper-sexualised environment that normalises treating women as commodities.

What I want for myself, I want for every Australian woman and girl. And that is the right to be free from objectification and the pressure to be anything other than what God intended for my life. 

The voices of the people, the mums and dads who care about their children’s innocence, must grow louder to be heard calling for deep cultural change. It is encumbant upon politicians, academics and every day Australians to fight against all sexual exploitation, and to advocate for our children’s right to their innocence.

Wendy Francis is the Australian Christian Lobby’s spokesperson for women and children.

~ www.acl.org.au

Wendy FrancisWENDY FRANCIS, spokesperson for women and children at the Australian Christian Lobby, says it’s time society insists on political candidates who “refuse to buy into the sexualisation of young women through any means”…

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