‘This broke my heart’: Photo showing a woman gagged and bound while her husband watches the Bathurst 1000 sparks fiery debate online
- A woman was bound and gagged while her husband watched the Bathurst 1000
- The photo is circulating as a meme but feminists claim it is misogynistic
- People are divided over whether it was a harmless joke or disrespectful
- The Bathurst 1000 race ran from Thursday October 10 to Sunday October 13
A viral photo showing a woman bound and gagged while her husband watches the Bathurst 1000 has sparked a heated debate online.
Hundreds of women expressed their disgust at the ‘misogynistic’ and ‘disgraceful’ image after it was shared online by domestic violence campaigner Sherele Moody.
Ms Moody claimed the photo promoted violence against women, referencing the 57 women in Australia who have been killed in 2019 alone.
But male racing enthusiasts were quick to hit back, hijacking her post to insist the photo was a ‘harmless’ joke being taken the wrong way.
A photo is circulating showing a woman bound and gagged while her husband watches the Bathurst 1000
In the image, the young woman has her arms and legs tied to the back of a chair and duct tape over her mouth.
She is placed next to the television but facing the couch, while the iconic race continues on in the background.
The 1,000km race around Mount Panorama Circuit was held from Thursday October 10 to Sunday October 13.
The original source of the picture is unknown, but Ms Moody said it was an ‘absolute f***ing disgrace’ and ‘reduced women to objects of ridicule and abuse.’
‘Many thousands of women and children are likely to be beaten by drunken revheads following – and during – the Bathurst 1000,’ she told her Facebook followers.
‘The motor racing industry is a mysogynist’s paradise so it does not surprise me that this meme encouraging domestic violence is making the rounds.’
Ms Moody’s post attracted almost 2,000 comments, which were divided between being appalled at the connotations of the picture and appreciating it as a joke
Ms Moody went on to say the photo was a prime example of how Australians were responding to toxic masculinity.
‘Some men still think women should speak on their command.
‘Jokes that reduce women to objects of ridicule and abuse is one of the drivers of violence against women.
‘What an absolute f**king disgrace, Australia. Surely it’s time for men to stand against this crap.’
Ms Moody’s post attracted almost 2,000 comments, which were divided between being appalled at the connotations of the picture and appreciating it as a joke.
The 1,000km race around Mount Panorama Circuit was held from Thursday October 10 to Sunday October 13
Drivers compete for about 6.5 hours, completing 161 laps around a 6.123km circuit
‘Jokes perpetuating this toxicity among domestic partnerships are disgusting and should not be normalised and it really makes my blood boil when I know garbage like this circulates,’ one woman said.
Others said the post is a direct reflection of where a ‘historic objectification of women in sport takes us’.
‘There is always someone who needs to blow sh*t out of proportion, I understand the demeaning manner but there is no harm to this person… its a joke,’ one man responded.
‘Motorsport is not in any way misogynistic, the amount of women in motorsport and mechanics that are doing amazing jobs is phenomenal. There is sexism in all aspects of life, this post from that page is very obviously a JOKE,’ another wrote.
‘They don’t genuinely want to tie up their girlfriends to watch a race, the woman in the photo obviously consented to this photo as she probably thought it to be funny as well.’
Lifeline: 13 1144
National Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence Counselling Service 24hr helpline: 1800 RESPECT