Plibersek accuses Mafs of platforming ‘coercive control’ after contestant wanted a woman ‘obedient’ like a dog | Tanya Plibersek
Social services minister Tanya Plibersek has accused Australia’s largest media company, Nine Entertainment, of “normalizing” coercive control by publishing a post in which the Married at First Sight contestant said she wanted a woman to be submissive like a dog.
Plibersek appealed to parents not to allow their children to watch the “dangerous” reality TV juggernaut, which regularly attracts more than 2 million viewers on broadcast television alone.
In the clip the Minister released after Mafs: The Dinner Party, host Laura Byrne brings up the man’s attitude towards controlling behavior: “If you want someone who is submissive, yes, he is controlling. And you want a dog.”
Contestant Tyson Gordon replies: “Maybe that’s what I want.”
Later he says: “I don’t want a dog. I want to be the man of the house. I want to be the leader… I’m sure every woman wants that.”
Plibersek said we need to call out this kind of misogyny and the government can only do so much.
“When men who idolize ‘submissive’ and ‘submissive’ women are normalized on prime time TV, it means that oppressive control is given to a national platform,” Plibersek said. A post on Instagram.
“This is no fun, it’s incredibly dangerous. That’s exactly the cultural message we’re trying to change. Messages that encourage control and dehumanize women, amplified by algorithms that peddle misogyny for profit.”
Plibersek said the government is delaying children’s access to social media to prevent exposure to such content and promote healthy and equal relationships.
“Please don’t expose your children to this kind of thing. And let’s continue to call out this behavior for what it is, the harmful need to exert control over women who dress like it’s a normal part of a relationship.”
News.com.au commentator James Weir claimed producers trolled It’s the “darkest and dankest corners of the brosphere” for the contestants this season.
TV Week says the show I crossed a line It turns from “fun to anxiety very quickly” by airing scenes of bullying, name-calling, and physical violence.
Privately, the producers claim that they did not keep the man’s views on the platform because Plibersek referenced the hosts during the Stan episode and other contestants confronted him about his behavior and called him out for his sexist attitude.
In her portfolio, Plibersek highlighted the scourge of gender-based violence and the problem of technology-facilitated abuse.
The Nine network declined to comment.
