Yesterday The Sun announced that it would be giving away more than 20 million free copies of its paper to celebrate the start of the World Cup. And most notably, the 24-page mini issue won’t feature the paper’s usual Page 3 girl. So as support for No More Page 3– a two-year-old campaign calling for an end to topless pictures in the paper continues to grow – is this the begining of the end for Page 3?
News International would argue not. A spokesperson for the publisher maintains that the amended format of the special edition of the paper has ‘absolutely no bearing on The *Sun’*s commitment to Page 3.’ And so far, the paper has remained robust in its defence of the page.
Last November, editor David Dinsmore told Radio 5 Live: he was ‘standing [his] ground’. He added: ‘I think that it is a lively issue for people who don’t buy the paper and we’ve done the research, done the focus groups and in many ways listened to the campaigners to ask: “What does it mean to our readers?” The result comes back a resounding “Keep it there, don’t take it away.”’
However, Lucy Anne Holmes, founder of No More Page 3, feels that we shouldn’t underestimate the significance of this move. ‘It’s really interesting that The Sun are sending out 10s of millions of free copies to entice new readers to the paper, but they are omitting the Page 3 topless images. Such a bold move by* The Sun* saying “this is our paper” must surely mean the end of the road for Page 3. Wow, could The Sun finally have realised that it’s 2014 not 1970?! Let’s hope so.’
Wow, could *The Sun* finally have realised that it’s 2014 not 1970?! Let’s hope so.
To be fair, the paper is also dropping regular Agony Aunt column Dear Deidre for the World Cup edition, but it isn’t the first time that Page 3 has made the news for all the wrong reasons recently. Last month it was announced that Breast Cancer UK have publicly endorsed the No More Page 3 campaign, following* The Sun’s* controversial ‘Check ’Em Tuesdays’ campaign, a collaboration with cancer awareness organisation CoppaFeel.
While CoppaFeel, founded by 28-year-old breast cancer survivor Kris Hallenga, is unquestionably a valid cause, The Sun’s involvement has caused ructions among feminists and breast cancer awareness activists, with many seeing it as a cynical effort to disguise the continued objectification of women as a health campaign.
‘Page 3 perpetuates the idea that a woman’s worth is determined by the extent to which her body conforms to an idealised image,’ said a spokesperson for Breast Cancer UK. ‘This image is unattainable to the vast majority of women, let alone those who have had to go through surgery and other treatment for breast cancer.’
Lucy can understand where the disquiet has come from. ‘It’s always going to be a bit of a weird affiliation, when you mix breast cancer awareness for women with softcore porn for men. Of course, I understand that charities need to make use of platforms in order to reach a wider audience, but I know people who feel really upset and angry about the CoppaFeel campaign.
‘When newspapers are telling women, on a daily basis, that your worth as a woman, your sexiness, your femininity all pivots on your breasts, then the thought of losing your breasts in a masectomy will make you feel that you’re losing a key part of being a woman.’
It’s always going to be a bit of a weird affiliation, when you mix breast cancer awareness for women with softcore porn for men
Lucy launched the No More Page 3 movement in the summer of 2012, and now 190,000 supporters have signed the petition asking the editor of The Sun to kill the page – but she’s never had a response. ‘The Sun is famous for its sports coverage, and during the Olympics I bought the paper most days,’ says Lucy.
‘But then it struck me that even at this incredible, exciting time for women in sport, the single largest image of a woman in the paper was a young woman in her knickers on page three. Not Jessica Ennis. Not Team GB. It was a lightbulb moment; I realised then how archaic this convention really is, and what a negative message it sends out to young women – that looking good in your knickers is more newsworthy and important than representing your country at the Olympics.’
The supporters of the No More Page 3 campaign come from all sectors of the community: from Girlguiding UK and their 500,000 young members to Mumsnet to the Royal College of Nursing, to Rape Crisis and Woman’s Aid.
‘All our campaigners are volunteers, but they feel strongly enough about this to create positive change in their sphere of influence,’ says Lucy. Her campaigning has seen 28 universities across the UK and six Oxford University Colleges vote to stop selling The Sun until it drops the page 3 topless images.
‘Last year The Irish Sun dropped page 3, but they never mentioned if this had anything to do with our campaign,’ says Lucy. ‘But we won’t stop asking The* Sun* and The Scottish Sun to do the same. We don’t have huge resources, we aren’t a huge charity operation – but we do have huge, growing support.’
And with that support growing every day, is this latest move from The Sun a sign that News International is finally starting to listen? Perhaps so.
You can add your name to the No More Page 3 campaign here.
Follow Anna on Twitter @annadothart
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.