Lad magazines encourage men to be callous: UK party

LONDON, Aug 4 (Reuters Life!) - Lads' magazines such as "Nuts" and "Zoo" promote a shallow approach towards women and encourage young men to think of them as permanently, "lasciviously" available, a British MP said on Monday.

They play a part in encouraging selfish irresponsibility among young men which in turn contributes to high rates of teenage pregnancy, Conservative Member of Parliament Michael Gove added in a speech.

"We need to ask tough questions about the instant-hit hedonism celebrated by the modern men's magazines targeted at younger males," said the MP, who is the opposition party's children's secretary.

"Titles such as Nuts and Zoo paint a picture of women as permanently, lasciviously, uncomplicatedly available," he added. "The images they use and project reinforce a very narrow conception of beauty and a shallow approach towards women.

"They celebrate thrill-seeking and instant gratification without ever allowing any thought of responsibility towards others, or commitment, to intrude."

No comment was immediately obtainable from the publishers of Nuts or Zoo, but the Nuts Web site (www.nuts.co.uk) advertised its current issue with pictures of topless women alongside captions like "The sexiest shoot I've ever done" and "Gemma peels off".

Zoo's Web site (www.zootoday.com) offered a similar mix of articles on cars, gadgets, sports alongside topless pictures of women and items such as the "100 Best Bloggers' Boobs!"

Gove told the Institute for Public Policy Research that women's magazines, by contrast, aim to address their readers in a mature and responsible way.

"We should ask those who make profits out of reveling in, or encouraging, selfish irresponsibility among young men, what they think they're doing," Gove added.

"The relationship between these titles and their readers is a relationship in which the rest of us have an interest."

Gove said that strengthening relationships is the key to building a better, happier and fairer society. He added that strong family relationships must be the cornerstone of any effective anti-poverty strategy.

Britain has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in Europe. In February, the government launched a 27 million pound campaign to promote the availability of contraception to women of all ages.

(Editing by Stephen Addison and Paul Casciato)