You know the one: a cartoon image of an aggressive looking male emu holding a can of beer and towering over a prostrate female emu who is sporting what appears to be a “just raped” expression with legs askew, the words “plucked duck” emblazoned underneath her, and feathers flying.

I noticed the logo being used again recently to encourage new committee members to come on board. I recognise that its creators were probably “only joking” and “just having a bit of fun” and “where’s my sense of humour gone?” and I have to admit that…well yes… my humour does seem to have abandoned me with regards to this particular image.

My dilemma is: When do jokes like this become naturalised and so “normal” through constant repetition and/or over exposure that they slip into the everyday and nobody even notices them anymore or thinks to question the gender messages contained therein? Last year Australia’s footballing community had a wake up call when a number of its high profile players were exposed for violent and/or misogynist acts against women.

At the time many of us were asking, “How can they possibly think that sort of behavior is OK?” But maybe it’s images, dressed up in humour, like the one being used to market our own B&S that help to make it OK.

Please don’t get me wrong. I have nothing but admiration for those people who give tirelessly of their time and energy to make community events like the &S happen.

I am also aware of how important these events are for maintaining a vital local economy and the generosity of committee members in giving to charitable causes.

I can also claim to have had three members of my immediate family proudly wear the Emus’ colours at various times over the past 30 years.

My concerns lie not with the event or the club. They are with the sorts of messages that images like this send to our community about what is acceptable, or possibly even expected, behavior for males and females on evenings such as these.

Am I being too harsh? I would be interested in what others think.

Sherilyn Lennon

Goondiwindi