In a recent mirror.co.uk article, it was stated (and I'll quote their entire lengthy "in-depth" article here):

Huge numbers of women are forced to put up with porn and degrading behaviour at work, a report said yesterday.

Lads' mags are displayed in more than 50,000 shops in a breach of laws on sex discrimination, equality campaigners claim.

Many firms take clients to lap-dancing clubs and a fifth of men admit looking at porn at work, Fawcett Society research found.

The group's Kat Banyard said: "Research shows the sex industry is a threat to women's equality at work."
Firstly - lets consider the source. The Fawcett Society is an organization dedicated to "closing the inequality gap" between men and women. Their own web-page says:

The Fawcett Society is the UK's leading campaign for equality between women and men. Where there's an inequality gap between women and men we're working to close it.
Well I hope they're working on the ability for men to be able to get pregnant because women have been hoarding THAT joy [and they do call it that - look it up!] for FAR too long now!

Sorry? I'm being ridiculous? NO?! REALLY? But...but...but...THEY SAID...!!

Seriously folks - Accept the fact that equality in ALL things is simply not possible and celebrate the differences. There are physical limitations that simply have to be acknowledged, and doing otherwise is blind stupidity.

Now before I go on though, I would like to state - for the record - I am not against equality for women in the workplace. If a woman can do a job, she has a right to equal pay and equal treatment. Likewise, a man should not get the job over a woman just because he's a man, unless he can actually out perform her. Clear enough? Good - moving on...

Let's return to our "in-depth" article from the UK Mirror.

Huge numbers of women are forced to put up with porn and degrading behavior at work, a report said yesterday.
Huge numbers? So...more than 5 right? Honestly people, if you're going to quote a report, LIST the numbers from the report, or at the very least, provide a link to the damn thing so other people can check your figures!! This, to me, smacks of a media beat-up just based on the generalized reporting and sensationalized writing...

As for putting up with porn and degrading behavior, given our 'huge' numbers and unknown social pool of people surveyed - these women could all be working IN the porn industry!!

I'm not saying there aren't women working in other industries who don't have to put up with stupid males dumb enough to look at porn at work or act like sexist jerks, I'm just saying this whole article is bullshit because it generalizes.

It's like it's saying "That man looks at porn and denigrates women, ergo ALL men look at porn and denigrate women!" How would women like it if I said "That woman is a prostitute, ergo ALL women are prostitutes..." Not so happy with generalizations now are you?


Lads' mags are displayed in more than 50,000 shops in a breach of laws on sex discrimination, equality campaigners claim.
Oh PLEASE - There's nothing stopping WOMEN from having Girl's Mag's on display in those same stores. Is it OUR fault they don't ask for EQUAL SHELF SPACE? Just because they don't want it, doesn't mean they have the right to stop others from doing it. That's what EQUALITY means in a free society. You can do what THEY do. Not "We can't do it so they can't do it either".

Besides, men have to put up with women's mags all the time anyway! What do you call Cosmo, Dolly, Women's Day (SEXIST TITLE!!), or Women's Weekly (again - maybe the Fawcett Society should be looking at THESE!), Elle, etc...etc... Cosmo has even been known to have naked guys in their issues on occasion!


Many firms take clients to lap-dancing clubs and a fifth of men admit looking at porn at work, Fawcett Society research found.
Ok - so there are some stupid men out there who look at pron at work. Personally, if you're going to look at porn, there's a time and a place guys, c'mon - work is NOT that place and certainly NOT that time!

As for taking clients to lap-dancing clubs... well - if everyone in the group is male, then why shouldn't they. IF there are women present in the group, then it's not quite right, unless the women don't object. However their feelings should be taken into consideration when arranging venues. Likewise, you wouldn't take a vegetarian to a steakhouse now would you...


Finally:

The group's Kat Banyard said: "Research shows the sex industry is a threat to women's equality at work."
This is possibly the STUPIDEST line in the whole article. Once again it's blatant generalization and a baseless commentary. THE SEX INDUSTRY. The whole thing....

Right - no more battery operated boyfriends for YOU. They're undermining your equality at work!! Those Manpower Calenders?? BAN THEM. Hen's night strippers - GONE. Ladies Lingerie Parties - BA-BOW - Survey says NO MORE!! And what about the women who get mail escorts for a bit of giggy-giggy? Sorry ladies, it looks like you're going to be stuck with your battery oper...no wait, we got rid of them too didn't we.

Well, there's a lot to be said for abstinence. Not much of it is good, but apparently there's been volumes written on the subject!

WAIT?! What's that you say "How can those things effect my equality at work? I don't DO them at work!!"
DAMNIT WOMAN!!! THE ARTICLE SAID SO!!! REEEAAAADDD IT!!

All those things are a part of the SEX INDUSTRY. the sex industry is responsible for keeping you DOWN.

Well - ok, maybe not. The truth is -unless you are working IN the sex industry, they should play no part of your work life - male or female. But that's NOT what the article says now is it...


See where generalizations get you?


In parting, a quick message to the UK Mirror. Quote your sources on these articles and you MIGHT not look so stupid that a hack like me can rip the article apart like old tofu going through a high speed boat propeller.