I am a disorganized stay-at-home mom, which means that I am the grocery store two to three times per week. Nearly 100% of the time, my five year old daughter and my eighteen month old son are with me. Which is why I was appalled to see this image in the checkout aisle on a quick run to Publix today
What the HELLL???????????????
I am so furious, it is difficult for me to express myself without cursing. It just so happens that Jade spent the night with her grandmother last night and The Hubs went into the office late, so I was solo on this trip. But just two days ago, I was in Publix with both of my kids!!!!!
Let me be clear, if I had been with my children today and they had seen this smut, I would have probably done something radical, like….I don’t know snatched down all the magazines and asked the check-out clerk to remove them or something like that.
As it is, I spoke with the manager and strongly suggested that those magazines be removed from the checkout line, placed in the magazine section and covered up with one of the boards they use in gas stations to cover up Playboy.
This is soft pornography. Not only is she topless but his hand is creeping into her pants!!! I won’t even get into my issues with VIBE magazine for publishing this garbage. Publix has a duty to it’s customers to protect us from offensive images unless we seek them and having this degrading, detestable imagery in the checkout aisle is deplorable.
While I was typing this post, I called that store to see if they had removed the magazines. The store manager got on the phone, apologized profusely to me and explained that the magazines are stacked by a vendor and they hadn’t any idea about the offensive nature of the cover until I pointed it out to them. He thanked me for bringing it to their attention and assured me that it was now off the shelves.
I guess I feel a little better.
Ugh.
But if you agree with me and you see this in your local store PLEASE say something. Ask them to remove it, tell them it disgusts you and you shouldn’t be forced to see it when you check out.
I had this same discussion on another blog earlier this year. It’s a shame that publishers market this kind of stuff. What’s worse is that it appeals to people. I’m glad to see that you took a stand.
Comment by Mocha Dad — August 14, 2009 @ 8:05 pm
You’ve inspired me! I know what I need to do now. I’m protesting!
Good for you.
Comment by Mami2Mommy — August 14, 2009 @ 8:30 pm
Totally tacky as semi-nude photos go. This is right there on the bottom. This is what that tacky men’s magazine (porn) would have on the cover.
It should be in a plain wrapper and not in the checkout stand. Better yet, the amateur photographer should be smacked. There are some nude covers I have liked–Demi Moore pregnant on Rolling Stone.
This is part of what is wrong with the culture for young girls and guys right now. There is no sublety or aesthetics, just raunchy, tacky, tacky, tacky.
Comment by dina — August 15, 2009 @ 2:12 am
Thank you for taking a stand. I will go out of my way to look for this magazine… and ask that it be removed/covered.
RIDICULOUS that we even have to ask.
Comment by KathyB! — August 20, 2009 @ 3:55 am
I totally agree that it was garbage and needed to be covered up! Good for you for talking to the manager!
Comment by Funkidivagirl — August 21, 2009 @ 8:12 pm
Wow, I have not seen this one on the stands here yet. That is awful! Seriously! It’s bad enough I would have to be exposed to that while at the supermarket but my kids? NO WAY!! Way to go for going after the store for having it out there in the first place. But what can we do to affect any possible change in the broader issue of this skanky imagery and behaviour being out there for public consumption? It feels like an impossible battle.
I’m still happy to hear you had them taken off the shelves. I will absolutely do the same if I ever see that issue here in Canada.
Comment by CynthiaK — August 27, 2009 @ 1:51 pm