Negative stereotyping of women as sex objects
The Preamble of CEDAW states: Noting that the Charter of the United Nations reaffirms faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women…
Article 1 of CEDAW states that "discrimination against women" includes any distinction… made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition… on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.
Our concerns relate to the negative stereotyping of women as sex objects which is a "distinction… made on the basis of sex" that has the effect of impairing and/or nullifying women's "dignity and worth" and, therefore, their equality in all walks of life.
Sexist images used in advertising
Erotica Expo advertisements have caused offence and been the subject of several complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority. A number of these complaints have been upheld; the Advertising Standards Authority deeming them to be offensive.
In Palmerston North (2007), one of the Erotica Expo billboards (a 6x3m background image of a woman's naked breasts, with nipples clearly visible, and text advertising the upcoming Expo) was located on the Centrepoint Theatre building within a block of Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School.
When we protested against this billboard, we were subject to men driving by yelling "Show us your tits!" on more than one occasion.
The point of our protest was that pornography harms women. The "Show us your tits!" comments serve to illustrate our point.
(We were, eventually, successful in having this particular billboard removed.)
Images of women's bodies and body parts are being used in a manner that negatively stereotypes women as sex objects. These images do not enhance the "dignity and worth" of women as human persons. In some of these images, women, or their body parts, have been portrayed in ways that have caused offence to members of the public. This is a breach of the "spirit" and Article 1 of CEDAW.
Sexist terminology used in advertising
The 'boobs on bikes' parades are used to promote the Erotica Lifestyles Expos run by Mr Crow's company, Erotica Expo Ltd. These parades feature topless sex workers (porn actresses, strippers, and models) as pillion passengers on motorcycles who are paraded through the central business districts of the city hosting the Expo.
Women are not "boobs" and should not be negatively stereotyped as body parts that are unique to women. The phrase 'boobs on bikes' is derogatory, and no more acceptable than "tits in trucks," "vaginas on vehicles," or "cunts in cars".
The 'boobs on bikes' parade is a sexist marketing practice
The ‘boobs on bikes’ parade features porn actresses, strippers, and models, with their breasts and buttocks exposed, as pillion passengers on motorcycles, who are paraded through the central business districts of the city hosting the Expo.
How do these images contribute to the "dignity and worth" of women?
Erotica Expo's "Exhibitors Info Pak," which opens with the heading, "Introducing An Exceptional Marketing Opportunity For 2006," was downloaded from the Erotica Expo website in November 2007:
www.eroticaexpo.co.nz/subpages/pdfs/exhibitor_info_pack_2006.doc.
On page 4 of this document, under the heading "Marketing/Promotion", the "Boobs On Bikes Topless Convoy" is listed among the promotional material which is intended to "inform and entice visitors". The ‘boobs on bikes’ parade is described as follows:
“Boobs On Bikes Topless Convoy” — a great way to preview the ‘Stars’ of the expo; topless pillion motorcycle passengers vamp it up just prior to the show opening.
This clearly establishes that the 'boobs on bikes' parade is a marketing practice of Mr Crow/Erotica Expo Ltd., not women's “freedom of expression” as erroneously suggested by the organiser.
The parade is not a parade of women exercising their rights in the course of their everyday lives, but a sexist parade aimed at encouraging voyeurism amongst men, by portraying women as sex objects, to increase revenue for the promoter's business. Various media reports suggest that the crowds that watch the 'boobs on bikes' parade are approximately 80% male.
Portraying women as sex objects is a breach of the "spirit" and Article 1 of CEDAW, as described above.
New Zealand ratified CEDAW in 1985. The 'boobs on bikes' promotional parade was introduced in 2003, after New Zealand ratified CEDAW, and should have been prohibited long before now.
Porn actresses' choice to be stereotyped
It has been suggested to us that the porn actresses employed by Mr Crow/Erotica Expo Ltd. agree to appear in the 'boobs on bikes' parade and that, therefore, this is not a breach of human rights. However, this idea is also an affront to the "sprit" of CEDAW, which clearly indicates that even women are not entitled to engage in behaviours that negatively stereotype women.
Article 5(a)
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures… to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of… stereotyped roles for men and women.
Exploitation of prostitution of women
Article 6
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to suppress all forms of… exploitation of prostitution of women.
The definition of "prostitution" is the act or practice of engaging in sexual intercourse for money. As a pornographer, Mr Crow films prostitution for revenue.
He is rumoured to have become a millionaire as the result of his pornography business, yet, "New Zealand girls are given food vouchers worth less than a McDonald's combo and are expected to parade [in ‘boobs on bikes’] for free."1
We believe this is "exploitation of prostitution of women" and, therefore, a breach of Article 6 of CEDAW.
Steve Crow is not a champion of women's rights
Mr Crow likes to portray himself as a champion of women's rights, and often defends his/Erotica Expo Ltd's parades as "women's rights to bare their breasts in public."
However, witnessing this parade revealed a very different picture.
At the 2007 Palmerston North 'boobs on bikes' parade, there was an older woman (believed to be Steve Crow's business partner) who seemed to be organising the other women in the parade. At one point, she said something like, "OK, girls. Get your boobs out."
If autonomous women were to "get [their] boobs out", they'd be doing it on their terms — where and when they wanted — not when someone else told them to.
Apart from that, there was a woman in the parade who was giving off some pretty strong body language that said she didn't want to be there. Several of us noticed her. (Did she have something to do with the Mothers motorcycle gang? Did she ‘owe’ them?) She stood with her arms crossed over her breasts both before and after the parade, looking as thought she wished she were invisible.
In any case, the 'boobs on bikes' parade would not draw large crowds if women went topless or wore the garments used in the parade in the course of everyday life. Therefore, Mr Crow's porn actresses would also make headlines if they ventured to go shopping in the attire used in the parades.
The reality is that these women do not bare their breasts or dress in this manner in public places as acts of personal autonomy, in the course of everyday life, but only in the 'boobs on bikes' parades orchestrated by Mr Crow/Erotica Expo Ltd. In other words, these women only "want" to exercise this right when Mr Crow requires them to.
As adult entertainer, Lisa Lewis,2 has noted:
I have been an active crusader for such an event like Boobs on Bikes and Erotica, but this year I pulled the reins...
International stars who come to the Erotica events have limousine rides and penthouse suites, while the New Zealand girls are given food vouchers worth less than a McDonald's combo and are expected to parade for free.
While I was Christchurch, on codeine because of my broken nose, I remember all the “stars” staying at the Copthorne while I was bunked at a budget motel with no room service or mini bar. After a 12 hour day in stilettos that can be quite a day dampener.
A pageant girl gets the chance to win a sash and a crown and title at ‘Miss ...,’ an exam has reward of a potential internship — but what do girls get from the Boobs on Bikes parade? Is it a freedom of speech movement act or has the campaign become a trumpet march of free advertising and promotion for only one establishment?
When porn actor Ron Jeremy came to New Zealand for the 2005 Erotica Expo, the media had a field day with the fact that Mr Jeremy had had sex with over 5000 women. A billboard advertising the Expo displayed an image of Mr Jeremy with the words, "A face only a mother could love… and 5,868 other women. Meet the legend — Ron Jeremy."
Such statistics should be an affront to anyone who values the "dignity and worth" of women as valued human beings. So, too, should the idea that having had sex with over 5000 women makes Mr Jeremy a "legend".
Mr Crow made a controversial fetish/pornographic movie called Ripe which featured a pregnant woman named "Nikki" (not her real name). There was considerable controversy over the filming of this movie. Mr Crow intended to include the birth as part of his film, but a number of authorities stepped in to try to prohibit the filming of the birth. I have not been able to establish if the birth was, or was not, included in Ripe.
However, Mr Crow was reported in the Sunday Star Times, 29 July 2007, as saying "We released an adult video last year called Pirates. It's based on Pirates of the Caribbean. Cost about $6 million to make. It was the biggest-selling adult title in 2006 worldwide by a long, long way. Well, we sold six times as many units here with Ripe. And it's a shit movie."
Why would a champion of women's rights use pregnancy and childbirth — which are unique to women — to make a "shit movie"?
Mr Crow is no champion of women's rights. He is, however, attempting to use women's rights as a justification for business practices that draw revenue from negatively stereotyping women as sex objects and undermine women's authentic rights.
Indiscriminate advertising
The indiscriminate nature of Mr Crow's/Erotica Expo Ltd's outdoor marketing (billboards, posters, parades) means that this negative stereotype is also being marketed to children. This has the potential for long-term negative stereotyping of women.
Obligations of States Parties
Under CEDAW, "States parties" (including New Zealand) have a duty to address discrimination. In relation to Mr Crow's/Erotica Expo Ltd's marketing and business practices, these include:
Article 2
States Parties condemn discrimination against women in all its forms, agree to pursue by all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating discrimination against women and, to this end, undertake:
(d) To refrain from engaging in any act or practice of discrimination against women and to ensure that public authorities and institutions shall act in conformity with this obligation;
(e) To take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women by any person, organization or enterprise
Article 5
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures:
(a) To modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of prejudices and customary and all other practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority or the superiority of either of the sexes or on stereotyped roles for men and women;
Article 6
States Parties shall take all appropriate measures, including legislation, to suppress all forms of… exploitation of prostitution of women.
Article 2(d) would include addressing the roles that local government (ie, cities' councils) has played in allowing these activities within their cities' boundaries.
In the case of the Palmerston North City Council, the Convention Centre — one of the Council's buildings — hosted Erotica Expo on the weekend of 9-11 November 2007.
Conclusion
The whole Erotica Lifestyles Expo marketing package is one of negatively stereotyping women as sex objects. This is a breach of Article 5(a) of CEDAW.
The marketing and business practices of Steve Crow and Erotica Expo Ltd. are in breach of CEDAW. They are inherently sexist, negatively stereotype women as sex objects to "vamp up" predominantly male audiences for increased revenue, undermine the "dignity and worth" of womankind, and exploit prostitution of women for revenue.
As New Zealand ratified CEDAW in 1985, it is bound by this Convention, and has an obligation to address these issues.
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1 Lisa Lewis, "Erotica without Lisa Lewis," Waikato Times, 21 Sep 2009.
2 Lisa Lewis, "Erotica without Lisa Lewis," Waikato Times, 21 Sep 2009.
Last reviewed 24 Mar 2010.
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