Is anyone else disturbed by The Sun's adorable baby contest?
I had just finished reading the Huffington Post UK's article, Ed Miliband On Page 3: 'No Place In The Modern World For Pictures Of Topless Women In Newspapers,' that I was quoted in.
Blogging exclusively for The Huffington Post UK, a former topless model also advocated highlighting women's talents and abilities in the Sun, rather than just their flesh.
I was curious to see if The Sun had reported on the statement by Miliband. After browsing The Sun's website, I saw no sign of their reporting on Miliband's comments about Page 3, but I did see this...
A link to The Sun's return of the Sunbeam of the Day.
BRITAIN'S best bonny baby competition is back - and we are loving your adorable entries.
Thousands of parents have entered their baby's photo for a chance for them to be named Sunbeam of the year.
Umm...these parents do know about Page 3, right?
So, let me get this straight, a parent is going to submit a baby photo to appear in a newspaper that also publishes photos of naked women?
Does this make sense? Can you imagine if your baby wins the contest and they publish the photo right next to a Page 3 model?
Talk about an awkward conversation with the grandparents.
One page promoting the contest, "When I grow up I might become..." says, "THEY might be tiny but this year's Sunbeams have huge personalities -- which could give clues to their futures."
How can The Sun seriously show cute photos of babies and wonder what might lie in their futures?
What hopefully lies in their futures is a world where looks are no longer the most important thing about a person. A world where they can buy a copy of a newspaper and not be subjected to seeing women shown only in one light. A world where they see women's sexuality expressed, respected and celebrated in an equal world.
And does anyone see the irony that amidst all the debate over the Page 3 Girls the editors would pick the photo of Amiya Cartman as the "little 'un that has caught our eye."
The photo is of an angelic little girl who is topless and lying on a shaggy rug. Did this little girl catch their eye because of her, or her parents', comfort with appearing topless in The Sun? Are they already recruiting for future topless models for Page 3?
I can just see the headline in eighteen years--Adorable Sunbeam is All Grown Up!
For her sake and all little girls everywhere, I hope this is not their future.