Letters: Hard to make light of sexist 'banter'

MOIRA Gordon's view that, in many ways, the recent comments by Andy Gray and Richard Keys were "no worse than those water cooler or pub chats which take place on a daily basis" may be true enough (Insight, 30 January).

But however jocular and lighthearted sexist banter may seem it serves to prop up the idea of women's inferiority and support a culture of physical and sexual violence towards women.

A link between sexist attitudes and acts of violence may not seem immediately apparent; however one study of young people's attitudes showed that one in two boys and one in three girls thought that there were some circumstances when it was okay to hit a woman or force her to have sex. In Scotland, one in five women experience domestic abuse at some point in their lives, while around 167 women are raped every day in the UK.

More and more men today feel uncomfortable with this type of banter and don't share the misogynistic opinions of some of their friends or colleagues. But it is not often easy to speak out, and more often than not their silence is taken for tacit approval.

The White Ribbon Scotland campaign urges men not to "commit, condone or remain silent" about violence against women or gender inequality; whilst the vast majority do not commit or condone sexist behaviour we urge men to challenge sexist attitudes amongst their peer groups.

Women's organisations have been hugely influential in tackling discrimination and supporting victims of violence but it's not just a women's issue. Men need to challenge these attitudes and make it clear that the banter just isn't on - it's not big and it's not clever.

So well done Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Savage, and Kenny Dalglish for speaking out against sexism in sport. Because only by more men speaking up will we change the attitudes that lie behind gender-based discrimination and violence in our society.

Callum Hendry, White Ribbon Scotland, Edinburgh

THREE cheers to Dani Garavelli (Insight, 30 January) for pointing out the hypocrisy of the tabloids which put "Isn't it terrible, let's all fight sexism together" headlines on their front pages, whilst a photograph of a naked woman dominates page 3.

Unfortunately Ms Garavelli's observations are undermined by Scotland on Sunday, which is prepared to report and rail against the horrors of paedophilia or sexual exploitation on its front page, but often features pages of pictures of 30-year-old models made up, dressed and posed like sexually available teenagers on its magazine "fashion" pages. For years there has been something distasteful about the juxtaposition of Scotland on Sunday's crusading front page and exploitative fashion photographs. Ironically that day's edition of Spectrum also had a photograph of a woman in the skimpiest of underwear on page 3. Stones and glasshouses, and pots and kettles, spring to mind.

David Fiddimore, Edinburgh