TOAH-NNEST, the national sexual violence network, is disappointed to see the ACT Party Leader David Seymour aligning himself via Twitter to a club t shirt that objectifies women. He Tweets (26 Feb) his support for Auckland Uni Meat Club whilst donning their tee-shirt with what appears to be an image of a naked woman with the head of a long-horned cow, underscored with the question ‘got meat?’.

Blatantly combining the image of an animal’s head on a woman’s body in a sexualised pose, over a barbecue serving meat, depicts a woman as a sexual object and available for consumption. Professionals working with people who have experienced sexual and/or physical violence frequently hear that victims are made to feel like pieces of meat.

It is unfortunate that Seymour has aligned himself with this promotion. We call on Mr Seymour and others in leadership roles to be proactive in challenging any promotions, campaigns or situations that objectify people of any gender or orientation, and the harm that comes from sexualisation and objectification.

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