When the Co-operative announced it was giving so-called lads’ mags six weeks to cover-up their front pages, Gravesend model and former employee Mellisa Clarke unLoaded on Twitter.
A SUPERMARKET got more than it bargained for when it told titles like Nuts, Zoo and Front they would have to provide "modesty bags" by September 9 or be taken off its shelves.
After the 4,000-outlet Co-operative made the announcement on Monday (July 29), Gravesend’s own Mellisa Clarke took to social media with a strongly worded broadside against the move.
The 21-year-old is a lads’ mag favourite and beat thousands of wannabe models to win The Sun’s Page 3 Idol competition in January.
On Monday she tweeted to her more than 41,000 followers: "The only covers that are going to be visible to girls now is the pathetic gossip mags, attacking other woman about their life choices and covering up lads mags in the shops because it’s 'sexualising kids' only to let kids watch rihanna flick her fanny about on tv....GOOD ONE
"Call it 'feminism' I call it double standards.
"Moan about a tit mag then decide to flick your bean over torso of the week in heat mag.
"Die "I used to work in a co-op. I think we know who really won this round."
Reporter SAM LIGHTLE asked shoppers and shopkeepers in Orpington whether they thought lads' mags should be covered up.
Manager of Sparrows Newsagent in Orpington High Street Bhavik Patel said: "I don’t think it makes a difference – everywhere has them. It’s down to the parents; if they bring them up in the right way and teach them right from wrong then I don’t think there will be a problem. But boys will be boys and eventually they’ll find out another way."
Orpington High Street Hospice of Hope charity shop manager, Carole Osborn, 50, said: "Packaging must be obscured, it should be on the top shelf and not at the eye level of children. I think the packaging just needs to be more obscured and children won’t notice it."
Charlie Ing, 19, of Homestead Road said: "It’s up to the individual, children won’t intentionally look for them and there won’t be issues unless issues are made in the first place."
Liz Litton, 53, from Broomhill Road said: "I’m not sure about the magazines, I wouldn’t be happy if my child saw them."
Shoes Repairs And Key Engraving assistant Mark Fuller: "It depends on what it is, if it’s upfront pornography then I think that should be covered. But ones in bikinis, I don’t see a problem. The trouble is, people are easily offended in this day and age."
Mellisa Clarke gets something off her chest on Twitter.
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