University of Virginia Library

Sexism

MOVE UP. . .

In a letter
appearing elsewhere
on this
page, three
members of the
Sweet Briar
Women's Liberation
build a cogent
argument
against the sort
of sexually exploitive
advertising
which, they
say, "views the
female as the object of male manipulation."
The critique specifically cites an ad designed
and purchased by Ed Michtom's, the clothiers,
which appeared recently in The Cavalier
Daily.

While we agree with the spirit of this and
other letters decrying the Michtom's ad, and
join in denouncing the system (founded in
economic interests) which is oppressive to
females, we feel the mode of attack offered
would tend to curtail freedom of expression.
Our advertising policy is one which aims to
permit the widest possible range of freely
expressed ideas. To refuse outright to publish
such an ad would do more than subject us the
the possibility of a law suit, or even to a
substantial loss in revenue from important
accounts. It would be a direct assault on the
right of anyone, regardless of his or her
particular bias or message, to say it in print.

As for the ad in question, it is an example
of a sexually-oriented advertising campaign
which is destructive of human relations. Talks
with representatives of Ed Michtom's already
have furthered a better understanding of the
basic issue — sexism — and should help put an
end to such gimmickry in the future.

The other interest — freedom of
expression — will be served best by the widest
possible separation of editorial policy and
advertising decisions. That is to say our own
moral judgments should be directed at the
source of the problem, the offending
advertiser, while actual censorship on our part
is neither prudent in the legal sense, nor
morally feasible.