Last Thursday, SEXPO advertised its latest event in Queensland by flying a plane over the playground of a Christian school during school break time. This event, which was held in Brisbane last weekend, is the world’s largest adult show, boasting performers in all aspects of adult entertainment. Its website invites all to come and enjoy all things adult. It appears that now, even at school, our children and young adults are not free from the overt attempts of the adult industry to groom them for future revenue.



Sex still sells. Huge commercial interests lie in products, clothes and magazines, all of which are becoming increasingly directed towards the way women view themselves.



Whilst it seems our society has become immune to the situation, we fail to realise that our children too are growing up normalised to it; they are bombarded daily by images of sexual poses and messages that objectify women, removing from them the innocence of childhood they deserve. These negative images are known to have adverse effects on a person’s self-esteem and even affect the greater perception of what the world has to offer.



It’s time we shifted society on this by ensuring the voices speaking out against the sexualisation of society are no longer speaking in isolation. We need to make a stand together to ensure our children don’t have a distorted view of what true beauty is; the objectification of women is wrong, and the photo-shopped and sexual-posing model is not normal.



Our society is hugely sexualised –



· “Make it bigger and make it last longer” billboards on the way to school.



· Condom and Australia’s Next Top Model advertisements in bus stops as children wait to catch the bus home.



· Honey Birdette shop windows outside Kmart saying 'flash me' in the shopping centre after school.



ACL's Queensland Director Wendy Francis was interviewed by Sunrise about this issue. You can watch the interview by following this link.







The ACL has long advocated for stricter legislation against sexually explicit content in our public spaces. Last year, ACL launched a national campaign to make ‘outdoor advertising G-rated.’



In April this year, Queensland’s Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie announced a parliamentary committee inquiry into establishing legislation that will regulate outdoor advertising in the same way that children’s television is regulated.



The ACL wrote a submission to the inquiry where it argued that sexualisation is harmful to children, and devalues and objectifies women.

In the last week the ACL has been quoted in the media on marriage, on sexual education plans in Tasmania and federal funding for Queensland Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service. See below for links to mentions in the media.



ACL’s Managing Director Jim Wallace had an opinion piece published in Eternity Newspaper, where he comments on the issue of defending marriage and what that means for the church:

• Eternity Newspaper (Jim Wallace) – Church must decide on whether it can remain silent

On the issue of marriage:

• The International News Magazine – Three year campaign to redefine marriage fails to persuade parliamentarians



• The Mercury – MPs vow new gay unions bid

Regarding new relationships and sexuality education strategy put forth by the Tasmanian State Education Department:

• The Mercury – Sex ed plans under attack



• The Examiner - Education on sex abuse wanted

On federal funding for Queensland TAAS:

• Christian Today Australia – ACL welcomes federal funding for Queensland Tenant Advice and Advocacy Service

MEDIA RELEASE



Wednesday, 3 October 2012



The Australian Christian Lobby has expressed concern about the rights of parents after the release of a new relationships and sexuality education strategy by the Tasmanian state Education Department includes teaching homosexuality to children.



Although the curriculum will not be mandatory for schools to take, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex issues would be covered in the teaching plans.



ACL’s Tasmanian Director Mark Brown said parents should have the right to determine how their children were taught about issues of sexuality, including homosexuality.



“It is important that parents have forewarning about the material that will be taught and a choice in what their children are being taught. Parents should have the right to know about and opt their children out of these classes should their school adopt this new program," Mr Brown said.



Studies show that many adolescents go through a period of confusion about their sexuality but this does not mean they are homosexual and many go on to lead a heterosexual lifestyle.



Data from the National Health and Social Life Survey shows that three quarters of boys who think they are gay turn away naturally from a same-sex identity between the ages of around 16 to 25.



Mr Brown also said that teaching homosexuality to children as normative is not the way to combat the issue of bullying in schools.



“Bullying is a phenomenon that needs to be eliminated in all of its various manifestations.”



Mr Brown said ACL was concerned that this was being used as part of the gay lobby’s political push for same-sex marriage.



“This parental right to choice about what their children are taught is clearly something that is at risk if gay marriage created the legal and cultural cement under which it cannot be challenged.



“This has been clearly indicated by cases in the US,” Mr Brown said.