Art or filth? It all depends on your sex

Society split on images of women

Many people regard revealing pictures of the female form used to sell products as disgusting. Others, mainly men, see them as acceptable or even beautiful, a study by the anti-discrimination watchdog has found.

The study, based on a household survey and group discussions with more than 1,000 people, was conducted by the Equal Opportunities Commission to assess public perceptions of the portrayal of women and sexual stereotyping of them in local media.

The respondents were shown pictures used in adverts for slimming companies and for products targeting women; magazine covers featuring women in bikinis or short skirts; and news items about sex or violence involving women.

The results, released yesterday, included 360 negative comments from respondents who 'disliked' the advertising pictures and magazine covers and considered them 'disgusting', and 322 positive comments. The latter included statements that the images were 'beautiful in an artistic sense', acceptable or OK. Most of these were from men.

The survey also found that while a large number of respondents said they felt uncomfortable with the pictures featuring semi-naked female models, many still rated them 'morally acceptable to the community'.

'The public today are anaesthetised by the flood of sexual female images seen almost everywhere, which have been recognised as part of mainstream media culture in Hong Kong,' said John Bacon-Shone of the University of Hong Kong, which conducted the study from June last year to January.