Billboards showing a pregnant woman “having a lesbian” has been cleared by the advertising watchdog after complaints that it “sexualised children”.
The Advertising Standards Bureau has thrown out both complaints against the ad promoting gay marriage.
The billboards – now on display in Brisbane and likely to be rolled out nationally – show a pregnant woman with the slogan, “Congratulations, you’re having a lesbian”.
One anonymous complainant claimed the ad “is illegal as it involves the sexualisation of children”.
Another woman complained that the billboard could make pregnant woman “uneasy”.
“If science can prove one is having a lesbian/homosexual should one abort?” the woman told the advertising board.
“If a child saw this advertisement and asks about it, what does one tell a child?”
An advertising board spokeswoman yesterday confirmed both complaints had been dismissed, but said the reasons had not been published.
The advertiser, Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, rejected the suggestion it had exploited or sexualised children.
It told the advertising board the woman in the ad was “modestly clothed and sensitively portrayed”.
What R U Having?
“We feel that our message is justified for its educational value, to bring awareness to the public about homosexuality,” its response states.
“Wouldn’t it be great if one day parents were able to accept and celebrate the sexual orientation of their child from the day they were born?”
The campaign’s organiser, Shelley Argent, said the real child abuse was to reject a child on the grounds of sexuality.
She said more than 300,000 people in 195 countries had viewed a related YouTube video – “What R U having?” – featuring a woman having an ultrasound.
“You’re having a lesbian!” the doctor tells the overjoyed parents.
The campaign’s theme is that “any child can be born gay.”
Ms Argent said singer Ricky Martin, who is gay, had tweeted about the video.
Billboard giant GOA, which has donated $60,000 worth of space in Brisbane, yesterday said it had received hate mail over the ads.
Managing director Chris Tyquin said one of the letters claimed that “homosexuality can be cured”.
Advertising Watchdog Clears Provocative ‘I’m having a lesbian’ Billboard
