CHR calls on authorities to take action against shirts hypersexualizing women

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) called on authorities to take down Facebook pages and probe businesses selling shirts depicting the sexual objectification of women.

The CHR said that the company KNPP which, according to a report by the feminist non-government organization Women’s Legal and Human Rights Bureau, was openly selling hypersexualized t-shirts on Facebook and e-commerce sites.

"The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) as Gender Ombud is deeply alarmed and concerned that t-shirts portraying women in hypersexualized positions are openly marketed in different online platforms in the country. The t-shirts depict women in lewd and hypersexualized positions, normalize the sexual objectification of women, and are clearly sexist and misogynistic," said the CHR.

"Despite provisions of the Magna Carta of Women on non-derogatory portrayal of women and the provisions of the Safe Spaces Act penalizing sexism and misogyny, businesses like KNPP are still able to openly operate and earn from the sexual objectification of women. It is thus with urgency that CHR calls on Facebook, Lazada, and Shopee to immediately take down posts and accounts of KNPP," it added.

The CHR also said that the posts and engagements on Facebook and other shopping outlets also revealed that the target market of the shirts were men and that many reports for obscenity were already made against the Facebook page to no avail.

"The open posting, display, and sale of these shirts and other products of KNPP are a blatant disregard of laws protecting women from discrimination, violence, and all forms of sexual harassment," the CHR said.

"We call on businesses and social media platforms to be our partners in protecting women’s human rights and not allow their platforms to be sites of violence and sexual harassment. We also call on the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center to trace and identify the account holders, and for the Department of Trade and Industry to investigate the registration of these businesses and the possible violations they may have committed," the CHR added.

In closing, the CHR urged the public to be vigilant and be the Commission’s partners in calling out and holding into account sexist, misogynistic remarks, and acts.

"Let us work together to make all spaces safe and empowering," the CHR said.

GMA News sought comment from KNPP, but they have yet to reply as of posting time. — DVM, GMA News