As I sit here typing, the 'Modesty Wrap' campaign is going well. So far, we've created an e-petition which will be sent off to the UK Government, and we have received 224 signatures in just over a week. Yes, we've got some way to go, but we're moving forward...and thats a good thing! I'd like 1000 names by Christmas, so let's get signing!!

The link to the e-petition is here: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/25536

We've also created a Facebook Page dedicated to the campaign, and have 54 members so far. I would really like to see 100+ members before Christmas, so if you feel like getting behind a cause then this is a really good one to get behind. I'm trying to document everything that is going on with the campaign as and when it happens...the Facebook page will be a good place to check out information.

The link to the Facebook Page is here: http://www.facebook.com/groups/138050672971439/

I've emailed the CEO of The Co-Operative, in order to make him aware of the campaign. If you would like to email him also, then please note that his email address is:

peter.marks@co-operative.coop

Email him and let him know that you're concerned with how they display these magazines. With enough emails hitting his inbox, something is bound to happen!

I've also emailed my local MP, Bob Walter to make him aware of the issue, as well as posting on HIS Facebook page.

I've got all manner of people supporting the campaign, from activists to Feminist groups, Charities to ordinary people in the street, like you and me. Slowly, but surely we are making our voice heard, and I'm excited about it!

Recently, I've been in conversations with a number of people who either show a negative reaction to the campaign, or who cant understand why we would tackle an issue that is both the mainstream norm, and something so big it seems impossible to change. Let me take this opportunity to explain how I see the problem...

These are CHILDREN we're talking about here...your children and my children. These are kids that cannot defend themselves because they're too young to do so. They have no voice at this age and need parents and grown-ups to stand up for them in issues they dont understand but will be influenced by. Yes, I understand that there is a wider and more concerning issue of sex slavery, traffiking and the like...but this is something local that we can make ourselves heard about.

I hate the fact that my kids cannot avoid this material if they want to go buy a comic. I hate the fact that children's perception of what is the sexual norm is being dictated to by magazines like Lads Mags and the internet. Yes, parents need to take a more hands-on approach to these topics, but we're being forced to deal with the issues at younger and younger ages. A lot of this material is being peddled in front of childrens eyes for the sake of the bottom line. This is simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH. It's irresponsible and immoral.

Newsagents, local shops and supermarkets have an ethical and moral responsibility toward the community they choose to place themselves within, and have focussed too much on profit to be concerned with the ramifications of the message these magazines push out to our children.

So, I'm standing up for my kids and I'll stand up for yours. If I stand alone, then I stand alone and that's the way it will have to be. But I WILL stand up and shout for my children because I dont think it's right. Just because it seems to be the norm does not make it ok!

Will you stand with me? If so, then get behind the campaign. You can sign the petition, you can join the facebook page and you can start pushing these links to pretty much anyone you know. Numbers are important, and will show those in charge that people (customers) DO care, and they want change.

Thank you for supporting it....let's get more people involved.

I write this blog post after a morning of conversations between 4 quite different people. We sat in Costa Coffee and talked about this and that. Many topics were on the table, one of these topics was the force for change that Social Media can invoke.

This, in particular, struck a chord with me as I have been involved in an on-going effort to force a change in our local store. This is my story:

In October of 2008 my local Co-Operative store underwent a refurbishment as part of their update rollout across the country. The end result of the refurbishment, was that the magazine display stand was the first thing you would see as you entered the store. I am assuming that it was a 'strategic' move to place the soft-porn 'lads mags' (Nuts, Zoo, Loaded, etc) directly in line with the entrance, and the console 'gaming' magazines placed next to them. Despite the explicit nature of both the magazines and their front covers no attempt had been made to hide the covers from the visitors to the store walking in. All of the magazine covers in question can be very explicit in nature, leaving nothing to the imagination.

I first approached one of the store workers to ask whether the covers could be hidden or 'wrapped' to hide their explicit nature. I was informed that he would speak to the manager and see what could be done. Nothing was done and, after a month or so of waiting, I then decided to contact The Co-Operative head office.

I first spoke to a gentleman who informed me that he would speak to the buying and trade departments to see what could be done. After a number of months and various unresponded emails it was clear that The Co-Operative were not interested in the complaint.

Since 2008, there have been peaks and troughs with my attempts to force a change in The Co-Operative's best practice. It's now 2011 and nothing has changed whatsoever. Almost every email has been ignored completely and to this day I await a response from an email I sent in April of Last year. 

This company has made its name from trading as an 'ethical' company, and yet it is happy to push soft pornography to small children, and seems not to care about the people within the community they have chosen to place themselves within.

So, I am now reaching out to YOU! This is a situation that simply cannot continue. It's inappropriate and morally wrong for an 'ethical company' to trade like this and not take responsibility for the products they choose to sell, in the fashion that they do. I am not asking them to stop selling the magazines (although it would be good if they did!)...I am merely asking them to wrap the covers in such as way so that minors can only see the title of the magazine.

Please, please, PLEASE get this story out into the arena of Social Media. Let's say to The Co-Operative that it's NOT ok to display sexually provocative material in a way that allows young children to see it. Get this blog post out and get people talking about it. Let's try and make a difference for our children.

I need you, and I thank you.

Make the difference!