Sunday 3 August 2008

Michael Gove is so wrong about "Lads Mags"

What's this? Steve Green disagreeing with a Tory MP? Bit of a shocker eh?

This is about a subject that could be seen as niff naff and trivia, but it could have massive ramifications for the Conservative party. If he is not VERY careful Michael Gove could be positioning himself to alienate several million male voters. In a keynote speech Michael will say:
"Our strategies for dealing with teenage pregnancy need to be focused more on young men and their responsibilities." That's why I believe we need to ask tough questions about the instant-hit hedonism celebrated by the modern men's magazines targeted at younger males. "Titles such as Nuts and Zoo paint a picture of women as permanently, lasciviously, uncomplicatedly available."
I'm sorry but Michael is plain wrong. The women in these mags are seen by the people who read them as what they are - very beautiful women who are way out of the league of most of the men looking at them. It's a natural instinct to want to look at these women, but we realise that it's just a dream enhanced by great makeup and a liberal use of the airbrush. These women are not being exploited, they are business women making a very good living from their looks. Michael needs to avoid portraying the Conservative party as the party of the Victorian Dad. There are many reasons that may cause families to break up and I imagine that Lads Mags come way, way down the list.

6 comments:

quiteliterallytalkingbollocks said...

I can sort of see your point about 'these girls' not being exploited. I don't agree with it, but (some of them) are making (some) money, so I can see your line of argument.

But I don't think that's the point. Where I agree with Grove (if I'm not mis-quoting him) is the effect this stuff has on men's view of ALL women, and specifically the one they have relationships with, and that this stuff has a detrimental effect on men's view of women.

But going after the lads mag is a cowardly shot. If this is a point worth making, then surely the home of page 3 is the real target?

Lads mags sell 500k a week. The Sun 2m+ evry day.

'Murdoch to blame for family breakdown' not likley to get traction at Tory HQ though, eh?

William Gruff said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
William Gruff said...

It's easy to blame 'lads' as men, especially very young men, really can't 'be arsed' to reply and have no 'industry' geared up to whine on their behalf. Surely the problem, apropos of teenage pregnancies, is that young women, having been brought up by mothers who were themselves brought up on a diet of magazines that proclaimed a woman's absolute right to do absolutely what she wants whenever she wants, without regard for the consequences, simply cannot keep their legs shut, especially when their thighs are lubricated with copious amounts of alcohol (for which, often, they have not paid), and now behave like sluts?

Daily Referendum said...

Mr Gruff,

I very dare you! Don't you know that we live in a blameless, shameless society and anyone can do anything they like.

I don't know what we can now do - our morals have been eroded beyond repair.

I still think that sex ed' has done real damage to this country.

William Gruff said...

I don't think it's sex education so much as a general lack of any education other than the 'blameless, shameless', 'do as you will, as long as you get your rocks off' ethos you've alluded to.

As an anarchically inclined leftie of a distinctly atheist hue I'm very wary of pontificating on 'morals'. and thus risk accusations of 'moral relativism', but I do think that a harsh dose of consequences might be successful in stopping the rot, whatever one's morals.

Bill Haydon said...

If I remember rightly, Victorian Dad was fond of "What the Butler Saw" and photographic prints sent from his brother, which he perused in the bathroom because the light was better...