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“Challenging the offensive items & not just reporting on the incident, introduces a new role to the journalist’s repertoire”

Journalists go on swatch watch

In challenging the sale of t-shirts with misogynistic and potentially harmful messages by The Foschini Group, a number of journalists have put their best foot forward by going beyond HIV reporting to advocacy.

In a letter to the Managing Director of Markham’s head office a number of journalists, women’s rights activists and feminists condemn the tees, which they say could promote risky behaviours linked to the spread of HIV such as violence against women, excessive alcohol consumption, and multiple concurrent partnerships (MCP).

The well written and concise statement builds its argument on the point that this unique form of media (like the news media) not only reflects dominant norms, beliefs and behaviours but may also perpetuate them.

The decision to challenge the offensive items and not just report on the incident, introduces a new role to the journalist’s repertoire; charting new horizons in terms of media’s social responsibility by creating awareness around gender inequality and how it can be harmful for a country’s health.

Among the slogan tees in question is one which reads, “I put the STD in STUD All I need is U”. Another t-shirt blatantly encourages excessive drinking and sex, spelling out the word ‘Single’: “Stay Intoxicated Nightly Get Laid Everyday”.

Articles on Foschini group’s offensive slogan t-shirts have appeared on various news websites, in newspapers and have been the subject of numerous blogs since April when a Christian group first complained.