THE SHOT – A safe-sex campaign poster removed from Brisbane, Australia bus stops after 47 followers of the Australian Christian Lobby complained that the posters went “against prevailing community standards” and introduced “sexuality to young children through forced exposure in public.” Wow. If the ACL has a problem with this tame image, imagine how they’d feel about HIV PSAs with nude models and gay porn stars actually fucking. One of the featured models has started a Facebook event protesting the “blatantly homophobic” removal of the ads.
Damon
To be honest, condom advertisement isn’t really bus stop material.
Kiron
Why can’t it be? Safe sex advertized in such a tasteful way as a couple being affectionate with a simple “Rip and Roll” on the poster is hardly inappropriate. There are sexual health ads using bananas on the buses in my cities. Sex is a part of life, I don’t see what negative effects a condom ad has in a society where little kids lip sync to songs about whores prowling clubs for sex.
dazzer
What’s wrong with advertsing condoms on bus stops? Where I live, feminine hygiene products are regularly advertsised at bus stops.
L-inAustin
Are ADSHEL and the “Christian” lobby going to take care of those gay men who catch STDs when they get ill?
If this is not bus stop material then what is? Is the subway not the right spot to reach the public? Is the corner grocery store the right spot? Where is the right spot to the reach the public with an important message?
Ivan
You don’t need to be Christian or religious to not want to see that on the side of a bus. Why do gays insist it’s no one’s business but when they put their “business” in peoples face they think it’s OK and people should be forced to see it
Daniel
@Ivan: What an inane argument. I’ve seen pictures of straight couples kissing and embracing in all sorts of public advertisements. Why is it us putting our “business” in people’s faces when we do it, but not when straight people do it? Plus, I’ve seen safe-sex ads in NYC subways and bus stops that are no more offensive then this.
Could it be that the man is holding the actual condom whereas other public images simply mention the condom without showing it on a person mid-embrace? Hmmm…
Danny
Christianity’s heroes committed polygamy and incst – Moses, Abraham, Saul, Lot, David, etc. We tolerate Christians even though their heroes are a bunch of sickos. Christians shouldn’t judge anyone because they have no moral footing to stand on.
jeff4justice
@Daniel: Amen Daniel.
jeff4justice
Wow, how refreshing to see using condoms discussed. We appear to have a two-faced LGBT community that organizes AIDS walks and complains about HIV while so much of LGBT media glorifies unsafe sex.
Nearly all the popular vids on Xtube are unsafe sex. Adam4Adam has ads for BB sex companies.
I was shocked to find Frontiers4Men magazine inside the health clinic at the LA Gay & Lesbian center with an article about barebackers Maverick Men. In the same building was their center’s magazine with the Center’s CEO’s commentary about the increase in HIV rates among gay men.
When will the LGBT commubbnity speak out against the bareback glorifiers/profiteers of unsafe sex as much as we do the anti-gays who hurt us.
I hot guy I met online just a few days ago sends me a link to his profile on a BB sex site. I was shocked to learn the sole purpose of the site was to be a hookup site for barebackers.
Unbelievable.
SteveC
Condom adverts on a bus stop are fine. After all I see plenty of adverts for some charlatan called ‘God’ everywhere.
sam
For the love of the Lord -_-
if you’ve looked at the actual news articles it’s worse. The wonderful Wendy Francis (who likens us to child molestors) had the ACL organise to get them taken down. She’s crying that oh, it wasn’t because they’re GAY. it’s because of the SEXUAL CONTENT.
WHAT sexual content?! Any kid looking at this won’t know what a condom is (or if they do,t hey’re old enough to be aware of them). There are GIANT billboards in Brisbane that say “WANT LONGER LASTING SEX?!” Has she campaigned against them?! NO.
She’s a blatant bigot and should be ashamed.
TMikel
Come on, people. We see all sorts of ads that are FAR worse – ads for Viagra and other male enhancement drugs, feminine hygiene product ads, ads with half naked women selling all sorts of things – from eye glasses to perfume. This ad should offend no one and if you ARE offended, it says a lot more about you than you might think.
Nick Thiwerspoon
Give me strength. The Christian-Fascists strike again. No child would understand what the ad’s about. Anyone who does surely needs the reminder. It’s not as if they’re fucking!
The bigots at the ACL are an embarrassment to Australia. Just for the record, less than 8% of the population attends church regularly and more than a third answers “no religion” (or “Jedi”) at the census. Even our PM is an atheist.
N
Lefty
It’s a GREAT advert.
Pterodactyl
Don’t despair:
http://www.samesame.com.au/news/local/6870/Success-Adshel-to-put-posters-back.htm
sotakeidotcom
Hmm they each have “wedding” rings. Although I enjoy the projection of perfectly blissful gay monogamy, it’s weird that they are used for a safe-sex ad. Not that one of them can’t be HIV positive, but perhaps that’s another poster altogether? Maybe they’re a swinging couple……
sotakeidotcom
Oh wait, only the guy in the back has rings. You can’t see the other guy’s hands. My bad. But still, one of them has what looks like a wedding band? And it’s really strategically placed, smacked front and center.
L-InAustin
@Ivan: This is just an observation about how one’s mind is programmed to perceive things the way each person perceives it… The fact that you see it as ‘in your face’ is not everyone’s experience so what is it that bothers you so much that someone cares about all youth staying alive. I am certain you would not say the same thing if it was made for the hetero youth. Would it then feel like the straight community is throwing it in your face?