Stand up to sexism!

Performing at this fem-tastic (geddit?) comedy event in aid of the No More Page 3 campaign at the Harold Pinter Theatre, the old Comedy Theatre on Panton Street, Piccadilly, on Sun 18 Nov. Click here for tickets.

I’m sometimes wary of “wimmins activism” in comedy, especially since the time I had to go on after a domestic violence video at the Funny Women Finals. (“And now on with the comedy…!”)

But this is a good cause. I do get some of the pro Page 3 arguments. “You don’t have to buy the paper.” “It’s a private commercial enterprise so it’s their business what they publish.” Or as a man called Geoffrey tweeted me: “You are a killjoy. It is harmless fun.”

But it’s a newspaper. A massive-selling newspaper. Which sits on the front table at the curry house where I pick up takeaways with my children. “Mummy, why is that lady showing her boobies?” “She got a bit warm with her cardigan on. More Bombay mix?”  (Quality parenting.) We wouldn’t put up with it on the news on TV. So why put up with it in a newspaper?

I tweeted back to Geoffrey: “Can’t you use back copies? Or do you need fresh ones?” He replied: “My wife uses the back copies for the vegetable peelings.” It’s all they’re good for, Geoffrey, it’s all they’re good for. We all deserve better. Stand up to sexism!