ITC Rulings Suggest Increasing Homophobia In Ads

The ITC has suspended a TV ad for alco-pop WKD on the grounds that it may encourage the teasing and bullying of effeminate men.

The ad takes place in a changing room and features a group of football players laughing at a man who they have tricked into standing in an effeminate fashion.

The ITC received a total of six complaints about the ad, with viewers expressing concerns that the stereotype presented in the ad may appear hostile to gay men and could encourage homophobia.

The suspension follows a similar move to ban a Yahoo! advert, which was deemed “inappropriate and homophobic”. The ad featured a pastiche of a gay man leering at another man who had been tied naked to a tree. After receiving 15 complaints the ITC concluded that the ad stereotyped gay men as “predatory”.

The stereotyping of gay men in the UK media has been a topic of debate following the press coverage of the Paul Burrell trial, and Tory leader Ian Duncan Smith’s moves to prevent gay couples gaining adoption rights. Campaigners against homophobia have vociferously criticised the stereotyping of gay men in advertising.

The ITC has recognised the potential damage of stereotyping across all sections of society, and states in its code: “The use of stereotypes is an inevitable part of establishing characters within the brief span of a TV commercial. But some stereotypes can be harmful or deeply insulting to the groups in question and care is needed that they do not condone or feed prejudice or perpetuate damaging misconceptions.”

ITC: 0207 306 7743 www.itc.org.uk

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