Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Apparently the Accrington Observer has received some flack from a Manchester based website, who say that the Observer's competition, for local girls to appear in the paper in their swimsuits, is a 'gross diservice to the women of Accrington'.

The editor responds by saying they've received no complaints from the paper's readers.

What do we think?

Is it just a harmless bit of fun? With today's women, in post women's lib Britain, confident enough to pose in a bikini, and not caring a damn what people say. I suppose Madonna must have a similar attitude. A feisty, strong woman, who to celebrate her forthcoming half century, has just had some more raunchy photographs taken for Vanity Fair.

Or is the paper stuck in the dark ages, where women are there to be judged like a pretty prize heifer? In the same sort of competitions that so infuriated those women in the sixties and seventies, who fought for sexual equality.

How-Do - Accrington Observer launches search for Hyndburn Honey, prompts online backlash - North West Media News

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

IMO its their choice. nobody is forcing them to get their kit off. I wouldnt, but thats cos i am fat, if they are happy with their bodys then go for it.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Is it not upto them who would put themselves in the paper in a swimsuit?
Just like a bonny baby comp

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I think in the days of equality that the local girls/women will make up there own minds, and the more that people try to undermine this, the stronger will be the response, also, given that there are girls walking the street in not much more than a bikini these days, what harm does it do? If a girl/woman is confident to pose in a bikini (or less for that matter), then good look to her, I have no problem with it, then again, I am a man.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

As Derek says you see them out in not much more, it doesn't bother me as long as they realise it takes more than looks to get on in this world.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

By the way, I have no problem with the competition.

I think the feminist backlash against beauty pageants, and indeed pornography, that occurred in the seventies, has resulted in a generation of women who are more than able to make their own minds up about whatever they choose to do.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Im happy with it but would be happier if there was a hyndburn hunk section too.....why is it just women?

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

would you put corker in for that?

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Notice option 4 is gaining at the moment ... hope they are all women that are voting on this ... :D

I would never have done it either when I was younger .. lays you open to lots of bitchiness and people pulling yer body parts apart. If you advertise yourself as being a beauty though, must expect to get pulled down a peg or two. The one this week should have worn a better uplift by the way .... :D:D

Had to laugh at one comment by an entrant .. said that all her 'body parts were her own' .. wondered if she meant that some of the others weren't .. got me looking at them to see if they had that 'grapefruit' look if you know what I mean .. ;)

Carry on gals ... no harm.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

A harmless bit of fun in my opinion, if the ladies want hyndburn hunks as well then give `em some (i won`t be putting my name forward though) my only gripe with the the thing is why are all these so called honeys rough as rats?

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I dont really care one way or another. Its their choice to enter so why not. I wonder if they were running one for the fellas - theyd be complaining then?

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I'm just glad it's voluntary and they don't just take random photos of girls roaming around Broadway during shopping hours. :D

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

If they did that they would be Hyndburn Funnies.....not Hyndburn Honeys.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

*Em puts bikini away*

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

See gals, the men are just as bitchy ... :rolleyes::D

Was behind two young lads in a shop queue this week,they had got the Observer and they weren't half giving the entrants some stick .. :eek:

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Are there many men in Hyndburn worth more than a second glance?

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I know he wouldn't do it :(

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Not Bitchy just an observation.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Words Pipinfort ... proved my point though .. if you set yourself up publically to be a goddess of beauty gotta take the slagging off that comes with it. ;)

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Don`t get the first bit but completely agree with the second.:cool:

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Just wondered, as a fella' like, if they did set up a Hyndburn Hunks, would you comment ? Probably no men would vote. Think may be most men would be afraid to admit they had been looking at their own sex in a physical way. ('cept Garinda of course .. sos hun x) Just curious.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I can't really say that I like it, for a few reasons -

1. i don't think it gives younger children/girls a good body image if they see too many images of young slender women in the papers.
2. it dehumanises women and can encourage men to get the wrong impression - particularly locally, can you imagine what the reaction these women get when they go down town on a saturday night?
3. it wastes space in the paper that could be filled with news or really features!

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

TBH I am quite liberal in my opinions in a lot of ways, but dont think the Accy observer is the right place for this sort of thing.

The observer is classed as a local family paper. No the pics dont offend but I think in a soceity where we are weight obsessed and trying to teach kids that their shape isnt a problem, the Observer should not be asking lasses to 'get their kit off'.

When posing in a bikini is a pre-requisite to be considered, its going to put off girls that are conscious of their figures, and just re-inforces the idea that young girls have that they need to be slim to be pretty

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

same here gayle.....waste of space:rolleyes:

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Gayle, think you posted as I typed lol. Exactly what I think lol

(tried giving Karma but need to spread meself about a bit- story of my life pmsl)

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

It just demonstrates that the Observer is a crud newspaper
I voted 'not interested'

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I was thinking more Hyndburn Honey Monsters ;)

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

The closest answer I could choose is that it degrades women, though that isn't quite the issue I have with it. I don't think it is necessary for a local paper to do such a thing, and it just makes the town look like it's lacking good writers to fill in the pages. There are already too many pages of photographs in the Observer, and there is a huge lack of quality writing.

I don't really think it's degrading to women, though it's hardly celebrating women for the correct things. Why not celebrate women through more articles written by women or focusing on women who have achieved great things? It's hardly a talent to have your photograph taken in a bikini, and if the accyweb members did it in general chat I have a feeling they'd move them to 18+...

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Because Blazey, not every woman has achieved great things. Good that achievment of a good body can be celebrated .. as you so strongly have opinions on this. :D

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I think you're a bit out of touch hun.

Go to any newsagents and you'll see that there is a glut of men's magazines, from the lads mags like Loaded and FHM, to the health and fitness mags, such as Men's Fitness and Men's Health, that are aimed primarily at straight men, and which are filled with the toned and chiselled bodies their readers apparently aspire to, and I suppose obviously like looking at, if only to wish they had the same six pack, instead of their beer induced paunch.

Incidentally, with the massive rise of these magazines over the last ten years, there has also been a worrying increase in young men who suffer from eating disorders, as well as other clinical disorders such as Body Morphic Disorder. It's reported that there was a 90% increase in male eating disorders between 2003/4 and 2005/6 in the U.K.

There is no definite evidence the two things linked, just as there is no evidence size zero fashion models leads to girls developing eating disorders, but in a media that is obsessed with the body beautiful, there is mounting concern that the two things are intrinsically connected.

Although I don't have a problem with the Hyndburn Honeys, I agree with Gayle about it being an easy way to fill newspaper space, but I suppose the same criticism could be levelled at every competition, and there are many, they hold throughout the year in the Observer.

As for myself, being a nosey git, I'll look at anyone, regardless of gender, but always return to my first love...the mirror.:D

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Well obviously but not everybody has a good body either so that's a bit of a ridiculous argument against what I just said. At least if young girls so intelligent women in the paper they would have something to aspire to, but instead they're just seeing the local girls in bikinis.

I personally don't read the Observer any more, photographs were taking over the newspaper and there wasn't anything interesting to read any more. I don't quite understand why they don't have people writing articles for them about things not related specifically to Accrington and such, because it would be much more refreshing to read a newspaper with a bit of depth than seeing girls in their bikinis. Even the carnival queen poses in her bikini now, and when I was younger it was big posh dresses and wanting change in accrington, not about getting your kit off!

I just think the local newspaper in general has gone downhill, and this is not objecting to the girls in the newspaper, I think it's fine for a girl to do that if that is what she wants to do, but I just don't think its local newspaper material.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Very true, the only men I know that read Mens fitness and the likes are straight men, very much in love with their girlfriends and theirselves :D I also don't know any girls that buy nuts/zoo etc to look at women!

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Probably hit the nail on the head.

The Hyndburn Honeys competition was started after a local girl had appeared in a Playboy competition, and contacted the paper asking for people to vote for her.

Currently lots of the 'lads mags' have similar competitions, where people send in photographs, and people text in their choice of winner.

The editor probably thought it was a good way to use up space, when the bonny baby/specs wearer of the year/fluffy pet competitions weren't running.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I must admit the specs wearer thing appealed to me because it did lead to something professional, at least it did if it's what I am thinking of :p and I apparently quite suit my glasses. At the end of the day though, it isn't really supported our local paper and I decided not to bother. I have stopped buying it completely, and maybe one day I will buy it again if they stop filling it with pictures and competitions. Even if you win, it's hardly something to brag about or put on the CV is it :D in fact I think I would be embarrassed lol.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

The only input a newspaper should have from its readers is the letters page. Simple as that.

Say NO to polls/competitions/photo's of drunken nights out/parties etc etc

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I understand what people are saying about it isn't really Family paper type material.

In general though, I don't see a problem if these girls are happy with it. Some of them are very bonny girls, and until they are unfortunate enough to lose their figures to babies..... I say good on them :D

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I love the sponsored links on my page for this topic ;)

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Must admit Garinda, my own son does buy these magazines and goes to the gym a few times in the week, as well as riding his bike to work, so willing to do a sort of U-turn on this opinion.

As for models and size zero .. nowt to do with eating disorders .. as you know full well, have a life time of experience with this .. 'tis a mental disorder .. blah, blah, blah.

As for filling up space in the Observer .. thought this week, there was plenty to read apart from the Baby/Honey comps .. are they just not treated as supplements .. ?

"Mirror, mirror on the wall". Suppose nothing wrong with loving yourself at the end of the day.... :D

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

To be honest, I think it makes a refreshing change that these women feel comfortable enough to show their bodies in their local newspaper.

We hear of so many people " Oh I'm on a diet, I hate the way I look, I'm too fat " etc .... I think it's nice that they are at ease with their bodies!! even if it is only a handful of women.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

[quote=katex;557989]
"Mirror, mirror on the wall". Suppose nothing wrong with loving yourself at the end of the day....quote]

I picked up on this one as well.............Blazey has got her teeth well into this one....Nothing wrong in my book with a good looking woman. :confused:

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I am surprised you think that there is no link whatsoever between size zero/super models and eating disorders, especially when many models themselves admit to having eating disorders and there have even been deaths in the world of modeling due to pressure to be a certain weight/shape.

Whilst there can never be a direct link between modeling and eating disorders, it is WELL documented that many people with eating disorders these days are often relating themselves to people they see in the magasines, and Rhodes Farm has shown this in the number of TV programmes it has produced on children with eating disorders.

Whilst perception of ones self is obviously the key factor of an eating disorder, it cannot be said that the media has no influence on the way people feel they should look, the world of beauty and fashion is a huge industry, and that includes dieting and exercise. We're constantly reading that fat is bad!

As an example of this imagery, an advert was just on my telly for contacting 'fit girls' and showed lots of pretty girls in the GYM! Of course they weren't sweating and red in the face though :rolleyes:

My main ideology is based on anti-feminism, yet I feel that many modern day feminists would agree that the girls should be free to do this... so I don't think there is really a divide here in regards to that.

I also don't think it's an eating disorder issue either, as I imagine there are few size zero girls who would enter such a competition, as bikinis usually involve curves in this context. Men don't tend to like the stick thin girls.

My main problem is still the fact that it isn't reading material in any sense, and therefore it shouldn't be in the newspaper. I just wanted to express my views on the topic of eating disorders and the media whilst it was brought up.


And my posts are looking more and more like graham jones' so I will shut up now :D

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

[quote=Royboy39;557995]A good looking woman wouldn't need to assure herself with a competition in the local paper.

And the most beautiful women wouldn't even shine through in a competition like this, because there is a bit more to beauty than prancing around in a bikini ;)

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Not sure that was a case for the prosecution or defence but came across as a "Dont know vote"

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Sorry, Blazey .. but this it not correct .. not enlightening you any further .. too painful... :(

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I decided to take a look at the girls in the competition through the website, and I have to say that some of the girls are very brave to stand in a bikini in the freezing cold that plagues accrington.

Maybe the place for this kind of thing is SOLELY through the website rather than taking up limited space in the newspaper. The whole point of MY argument isn't the models or the competition itself, it's just that the newspaper is disappointing me. I'm sure many others are disappointed in the standard of reading material in the newspaper, and maybe it needs a separate thread :p and maybe we need an accyweb hunk/honeys thread too and then we can celebrate are lumps and bumps :D

This thread isn't about eating disorders, which differ from person to person, so I wont continue that topic as I don't think this topic is anything to o with eating disorders anyway, all the girls in the comp are healthy looking and most certainly not underweight.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Blazey , where did you find the link to the photos ?
thanks

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Just go on observer website and type in hyndburn honey in the search box. I have closed the window now and I cant be bothered finding it again. They'll think I am a regular reader lol.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

ok Blazey , found it , thanks , karma due when it lets me ;)

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I don't expect Karma for that, but thank you for the appreciation, that is fine for me.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Just had a look at the site
I know #1 in the comp and I say good on her:D

Image Gallery - Hyndburn Honey - the search is on - News - Accrington Observer

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I get the feeling I know #7 but I'm not quite sure where from.

Got to say that they all look ok, but I can understand why lads will be slagging them off. In reality, lads have no respect for these girls regardless of how beautiful they may be. Most men prefer their ladies to take their clothes off for them only :p not put themselves in the newspaper, and this is from personal experience!

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Yea it's all very true, lads like em to look at but they aint "girlfriend material" so to speak

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Blazey...if some would be Casanova or nerd gives you some bullshine that you are only girl in the world.............does that work...does it make you take your clothes of....I should hope not.
If any of these girls can make a living by the uptake of this competition from outside the region (Which could happen) then good luck to them.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I have no problem with them taking their clothes off, or the competition. I am just bothered that it downgrades my local newspaper and takes up space that could be filled with talent.

Please do not tell me there is talent in posing in a bikini.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

The girls could also make a living with their clothes on.

In no way am I slating the girls. At the end of the day, I dont believe they initiated the bikini thing, and they look great. However these kind of photos belong in Nuts, or other blokey mags, not in a family paper.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Of course there is a talent. You ever tried posing for holiday snaps avoiding the double chin, tummy bagging over pants, double boobs, batwing arms etc etc etc

Where does it end or are we going to be opening the pages of the paper in the coming weeks with Greg Pope and various local councillers stripped to thongs, touting for our vote?

Graham, no!

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I haven't voted......there isn't a category that accurately describes how I feel about it.
I don't care....and I'm not bothered about the men. I would prefer to have local news and views in this paper. I'm not keen on the competitions at all to me it is just a waste of space......in fact I am seriously considering whether to continue taking this newspaper.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

lets get things into perspective here ,its just flashing a bit of flesh in the paper.theres muggers ,rapists ,paedophiles and murderers walking the streets of accy and all people can do is complain about women in bikinis the local paper......nobodies forcing them theyve chosen to do it,,,

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Very few people have actually complained about the girls appearing per se, but if there is as much crime in Hyndburn as you suggest, perhaps more newspaper column inches could be used to report that, rather than the pages and pages of photographs there currently are.

I think most people would prefer to read news in a newspaper. There are plenty of other publications available if people want to see scantily clad flesh.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

To be fair Garinda, this week's Observer consisted of 76 pages ... 8 for the Baby pictures and 1 for the Hyndburn Honeys. That is obviously 9 pages .. now last week's edition was 64 pages including a Hyndburn Honeys. (so 63 pages of other items).

If we take away the 9 from the 76 still leaves it with 67 pages as against 63 last week, so don't think have been short changed in anyway ... :)

There was still 7 pages of sport by the way on both weeks... :D

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Perhaps if the crime is so bad in Accrington then these girls should have more sense to cover up. One of them gets attacked by a rapist god forbid and they will blame the girls for taking their clothes off in the paper. Their attackers lawyer would have a field day using that against them in court. Much better that they just leave their clothes on.

I also seen no talent in standing up straight for pictures to avoid all these issues with flab, though even the sexiest of female celebrities have been snapped looking such way and nobody thinks any less of them. Perhaps I am not plagued enough yet with being a 19yr old with no children.

Like Margaret has said, it is just space that could be used for quality reading material, and instead it is filled with rubbish competitions. It isn't just THIS competition, it's pet idol, the glasses wearing one, bonny babies... and they don't just take up a page each either, they take up several.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

well there is 2 bail hostels in accy where do you think these criminals go when they are let out of prison ie lydia street and st james street..your right there should be more news but thats what happens when a newspaper group ties to incorporate accy into manchester.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

How long as there been a bail hostel on St. James Street? I didn't know about that one:confused:

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

pics pls

then i can vote if it was a good thing or not

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

See #47 > 49

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

mani ya clown, look back to previous posts lol there is a link ya tool ;)

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

ah just seen the pics

voted bad idea

i cant even boast that there's fine girls living in my borough :(

saying that there's alot more better lookin girls than that on a nite out in accy

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

see its not harmless fun as my eyes are now gorged out

its not offensive to women as much as it was to me

the blood from my eyes says i have an opinion

i think i'll have to thus say where's the men :(

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Beautiful girls don't need or want to 'advertise' in this way

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

exactly

i was workin in didsbury this weekend and we had this girl who maybe once upon a time was really beautiful but the way she was dressed and the make up just screamed out that she was advertising herself...

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

looks alone dont make a person beautiful, its whats inside that counts

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Perhaps every so often, in amongst the various supplements, they could suprise it's readers, and do the occasional 'news' supplement.:D

Goes off eagerly to check calendar, to see how long one has to wait before the twelve page first communion special, and the thirteen page school prom supplement, is due.:D

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

What page inside???


:D

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

:rolleyes:

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Can't win with you, can I ? Did my best to put stastical information forward ... :p :D

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

No, Kate, you were right to point out the supplements are extra to the ordinary number of pages.

Point well made.;):)

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

[quote=blazey;558000]What happened to the bit about shutting up:D:confused::D

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Seems like a lot of argument, time and space is being wasted on something really quite shallow. Not enough options for me to vote .... there needs to be an option like "Who really gives a s**t?":rolleyes:

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I think that the problem is that the papers main selling point goes into these competitions, and so the regular content lacks quality because they know it isn't selling. Somebody must be buying into these competitions otherwise they wouldn't fill the paper with them.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Could be a reasonable idea though to have a couple of pages dedicated to more national news and how it effects the people of Hyndburn (or not even) after all we are 'Accy'web, and discuss subjects from all parts of Globe, but we do relate these to many experiences in our own lives. Maybe they could open their horizons a little further, without the detriment of losing articles pertaining to local issues.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

What do these girls get if they win??:rolleyes:

sorry but havent read about it!

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Presumed that "No opinion on this matter" covered this Eric ... LOL

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I think it's £100, and a set of photographs.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Hardly photographs their mums will put up on the living room walls though ;)

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Ugly people say that.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I prefer the direct approach ... no circumlocution;)

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I count five words for what you said and what Garinda put forward .. so same difference :p

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

"I have no opinion" could mean several things .... could mean I'm too stupid to come up with one .... "I don't give a s**t" is an opinion.:p:p

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Then I am ugly because I say and agree with that

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

The flats that are on the end USED to be used to house people that had just come out of jail. I say USED TO BE, not sure any more.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Well I never knew that but the flats were done up a few years ago.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

This weekend's Observer has a photograph of a Honey in her bra and knickers, plus the first letter of complaint, from two young women, who say the competition is degrading.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

wonder who that was?

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

I don't think it is fair to say it is degrading. How can you feel degraded by someone elses independent actions? You would have to feel represented by them in some way surely. I don't quite understand it. It is probably jealousy that is driving some people to complain, and spite.

Even if the girls were fully naked it' make no difference to me, because I can't see a reason to associate them with myself. If that makes sense?

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

It's a shame they didn't feel able to give their names, only that they were two 'fully-clothed Hyndburn Honeys.

I suppose the cynics would probably call them two bitter mingers.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Doesn't really help their cause to remain anonymous !
If you are big enough to whinge about it you should be big enough to put your name to it.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Exactly.

Can't see the point of expressing your views publicly, if you're too timid to put your name to 'em.

People don't need to give their full name, or have their address published, if they'd rather retain some anonymity.

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Distaste for something doesn't necessarily have to have a name to it to have effect. Sometimes anonymity is part of the effect.

I'm going to have a see if I can fin the letters online... then i can comment better :p

Re: Hyndburn's Honeys.
 

Personally I think publishing a photograph of a girl in her knickers and bra, is going down the tacky route.

The defence about bikinis being seen on a public beach doesn't really hold up with underwear...unless you're a Peeping Tom.