Two Swedish newspapers have deemed that an advertisement which features a trio of half-naked women is inappropriate for publication, much to the surprise of the ad’s creators at a sexual health organisation.
“We are really surprised because we don’t think it’s controversial,” claimed Mikael Andersson who represents the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights at its Skane base.
Andersson’s comments–published in the advertising magazine Resume–came after the discovery that two notable southern Swedish newspapers – City and Sydsvenskan – refused to accept the advertisement, which is part of a four piece campaign called ‘Love has many faces’. The new campaign aims to strengthen the identity of homosexual, transgender and bisexual people in the Skane region.
The Local reports that Daniel Sandstrom, editor-in-chief for Sydsvenskan, said the last instalment in the advertising campaign–which shows three near naked women in a sensual embrace–was not acceptable.
“I have no problem with printing provocative images; we had pictures from, among others, artist Andres Serrano,” said Sandstrom, referring to the controversial US artist notable for his pieces such as ‘Piss Christ’ and the series called ‘Blood and Semen’. “But the picture in question simply didn’t meet standards of acceptability. I think rather that it reproduces a cliché-filled image of lesbian love.”
Andersson denied Sandstrom’s assertions that the picture was tasteless and clichéd. “They aren’t thought of as stereotypical images meant to tempt the viewer,” he argued. “Rather it’s the models who are doing something between themselves.”
Andersson also questioned press ethics in labelling the image inappropriate and added that the picture is an essential part of the campaign and therefore important to the overall message to be published by the media.
I so thought Sweden is liberal.
And i thought Sweden is liberal.
It’s hard to really say whether they are right or not without the picture, but on a general view, I think it’s hypocritical not to put it in when there is so much other sexualised content in the media.
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Newspapers are businesses that choose what to publish and what not to publish. They do that every day, for both news and adverts. If a particular accepts only arty adverts, then that’s his choice – and the readers’ choice whether or not to buy the newspaper.