Malmaison slammed for ‘soft-porn’ images
A boutique hotel chain has been accused of demeaning women after it used the image of a bare-shouldered female in a hard hat, holding a tool and with her chest wrapped in construction tape, on the hoarding surrounding its Manchester property.
Kate Lloyd of the Construction Industry Training Board described the hoarding outside the Malmaison as ‘depressing and highly insulting’.
Her comments came after writer and university lecturer Jeanette Winterson compared the images to those of ‘soft-porn babes’ in an article in the Guardian.
Ms Lloyd told the BBC: "The CITB has for years been challenging stereotypes around women in the industry and trying to encourage females of all ages to consider careers in the sector."
A spokesman for Malmaison said the hoarding was ‘meant to be a bit of fun’.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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