Friday, October 3, 2014

PCW urges entertainment industry to promote positive portrayal of women



DAVAO CITY, Oct. 3 (PIA) – The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) has urged all workers in the entertainment and advertising industry to exercise sensitivity and promote positive portrayal of women as specified in the Magna Carta of Women (MCW).

 PCW released this call as it expressed grave disappointment over the recent fashion show entitled “The Naked Truth” produced by local apparel brand Bench in Manila.

The commission has condemned an act in the said show “wherein a female model portrayed like a pet and was held on a leash by a local endorser while walking down the runway.”

“While staging a fashion show is part of the company’s marketing strategy to promote their brand, said act should never be tolerated especially if it dehumanizes and demeans the dignity of women, treating their bodies as mere sex objects and commodities,” a PCW press release stated.

Section 19 of MCW or Republic Act 9710 upholds that the “portrayal of women in discriminatory, demeaning and/or derogatory manner in advertisements, shows and programs is not allowed.”

 “Women should always be portrayed and represented with dignity. Presentation of women as inferior beings and sexual objects should be limited,” PCW emphasized, as it also condemned commodification of male bodies “which were flaunted exaggeratedly during the show, making their series of acts akin to soft porn.

The commission has asked a public apology to the producers of the show, stating that netizens were “quite disturbed by photos of the said acts.

Other women’s groups and lawmakers have also expressed disappointments and condemned the said fashion show.

The company and some endorsers involved in the show have already conveyed their public apology.

PCW is an oversight government agency that works for the promotion, protection, and fulfillment of women’s human rights through policy advocacy, provision of technical assistance and monitoring and evaluation of the gender responsiveness of government policies, plans, programs and services. (PIA-11/Carina L. Cayon)

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