October 09 2006
Political Correctness, Incorrectness and Other Taste Catastrophes
posted by Ana Samways at 9:30 pmIt’s getting so difficult to sexualise young girls these days: Lee denim in Australia has gone all Lolita with its latest ad campaign and has just made it through the advertising standard complaints process without official reprimand…”The board (notes) that the woman is over 18, is fully clothed in attire that is fashionable amongst young women for summer, and that there is no nudity.”
Meanwhile, back in New Zealand, Pavement magazine has been warned by our chief censor Bill Hastings, it could be in trouble over its underage spread.
Stuff.co.nz reports Pavement’s “Lost Youth – the 13th birthday special teen issue contained a 10-year-old wearing make-up and expressions that portray her “in a highly sexualised manner” and a semi-naked girl posing erotically among soft toys and dolls”. Hastings says “It doesn’t matter what age the model is, if the accessories she is posing with are the toys of a young girl, the intent is surely to suggest that the model is very young. It doesn’t matter if the model is an adult – if she looks underage, it’s considered to be objectionable,” he said.
The excellent Stuff story here.
Other Lee ads here:
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It’s stories like these that give political correctness a bad name:
Columbia University has suspended its men’s ice-hockey team because its members used a team recruitment fliers which goaded students to join by saying “Don’t be a pussy”. But free speech lobbyists say the expression was a play on the university mascot, the Lion, and that, in any event, “what is so offensive about the word ‘pussy’ today?,” they said. Full story here.
But then stories like this remind us of what might happen without political correctness…
More guns the answer to string of deadly school shootings: A Republican representative has had the brilliant idea of arming school staff (teachers, principals and admin staff” as a safety measure and a deterrent. “Israel and Thailand have well-trained teachers carrying weapons and keeping their children safe from harm. It can work in Wisconsin,” he said. Full story here.
October 10th, 2006 at 6:34 pm
I’m liking Lee’s definition of “fully clothed”.
October 10th, 2006 at 6:35 pm
…or, as the case may be, “The board”.
October 11th, 2006 at 7:47 am
In reference to the firearms thing.
Take a look at Switzerland, most well armed populace in the world (all over 18 armed with assualt rifles) and funnily enough one of the lowest violent crime rates as well.
Had teachers (or students) been armed they might have been able to defend themselves and prevent the shootings from getting worse (while the police take a few hours to secure the perimiter and scratch their buttocks)…
oh yeah.. and mmmm boobies!
October 16th, 2006 at 12:58 pm
The Swiss model is a complete bunch of arse. Yes, they’re the most armed and yes, they have a low crime rate. They’re also all conscript soldiers so a: they’re REQUIRED to keep their firearms (typically an assault rifle) at home ready in case of The Big Day and b: they’re all well TRAINED. Compare/contrast that with the US where you have to be vertical and sober* and you too can own a firearm.
*not really
October 18th, 2006 at 12:24 pm
People (like censors) might see the lollipop and think “oo dear young kids sweety being sexualised”.
Others might think more accurately that the girl’s sucking the lolly because she’s dropped a pill and got the chewing thing (bruxism/trisma if you want the technical term).
June 30th, 2009 at 2:43 am
It is insain to frame your mind in such a way, anyway, what is the point? you all are over-reaction on CP.