A lingerie companys advert has been banned because it showed – whisper it – a female nipple.
And as we all know, female nipples are inherently wrong and we must pretend they dont exist.
Honey Birdette had released an advert for a white bra and pants set. The advert showed a hint of nip through the bras sheer material.
According to Ad Standards Australia, that hint of nip was a hint too far.
The advert had been displayed in a shopping centre, which critics argued meant it could be seen by children.
The models nipples were revealed, said the complaint.
This is contrary to community standards and that is all that should need to be said.
This is in my local shopping centre. The poster is passed by numbers of families – small children, teenagers, parents – day in, day out.
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At a time where sexual assault is increasing in the news, this legitimisation of using womans naked bodies to sell underwear is inappropriate.
Now, one could note that children already see nipples at a very young age – when theyre breastfeeding – and that nipples are a body part just like a tummy or a toe in that its sexual nature is culturally informed, not inherent.
One could also note that adverts featuring mens fully exposed nipples do not warrant complaint.
Regardless, Ad Standards Australia found that while the advert was not exploitative or degrading, it was not appropriate for the relevant broad audience which would likely include children.
The bra the woman was wearing was sheer lace and considered that there was a suggestion that her nipple was visible, although this was not overly clear, stated the ruling. The Panel considered that the level of nudity was at the higher end of the scale and the image was highly sexualised.
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This isnt the first time Honey Birdette have been told off for their ads. last year, they were criticised for their Easter themed sex toy adverts.
Weve reached out to the brand for comment, but havent heard back yet.
In their initial response to Ad Standards Australia Honey Birdette said theyre dedicated to empowering women through their products and advertising, said the brand.
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At Honey Birdette, we are all incredibly passionate about empowering women and making everyone feel more comfortable in the skin theyre in, they said.
We do change our posters quite regularly in line with our new collection drops and we have a new collection dropping in the near future.
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