Analiese Jackson
An event being held at the The Ferguson Bar has caused a bit of a stir for using blatantly sexist advertising for an upcoming event.
The dance party, which is to be held in late October, is called ‘Cum ‘ N Sweat’ and the posters feature a picture of a young women’s legs juxtaposed on a blue poster with white, dripping writing, evoking some potentially offensive imagery. A number of students approached Satellite about the posters, citing that they felt it was inappropriate for an event held on campus to be marketed thisway.
After having viewed the posters herself, Women’s Welfare Officer Helen van Asch said that she was: “concerned that the advertising of this event may promote an environment that is deemed unsafe for women”. van Asch stated that the “sexual imagery contained in this advertising could possibly create an expectation of women who may feel pressured to conform to the perceived ideals that this event encourages”.
Whilst van Asch is not asking for this event to be cancelled and realises that it may be too late to amend the offending advertising, she told Satellite that she would “appreciate event organisers to review their promotional material in future to ensure that it is not offensive to students on campus.”
When approached for comment about the posters, Bar Manager Andrew Waite went on the offensive: “You print far more offensive things Satellite!” he exclaimed. Waite brushed off any suggestions that the posters could be deemed as offensive and enquired: “Haven’t you got anything better to write about?”
Suggestions given to Satellite of “better” things to write about by Waite included covering the effects of the recession on students.
When it was pointed out to him that, technically speaking, New Zealand has come out of a recession, Waite told Satellite Editor Analiese Jackson and van Asch that such complaints were “childish” and that he had far better things to worry about than a poster.
Satellite strongly opposes the objectification of women in advertising and tries its best to avoid running sexist advertisements within its publication.