Humanists UK urges ASA: don’t censor ‘sacrilegious’ images
Publisher: In-Sight Publishing
Publisher Founding: September 1, 2014
Publisher Location: Fort Langley, Township of Langley, British Columbia, Canada
Publication: Freethought Newswire
Original Link: https://humanists.uk/2024/10/23/humanists-uk-urges-asa-dont-censor-sacrilegious-images/
Publication Date: October 23, 2024
Organization: Humanists UK
Organization Description: Humanists UK is the operating name of the British Humanist Association. We are a charitable company (no. 228781), formed in 1896 and incorporated in 1928, and registered in England and Wales. Our governing document is our Articles of Association, which can be viewed here.
A poster advertising comedian Fern Brady’s tour is ‘sacrilegious’, according to a complaint received by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). Given ASA rules, this complaint could lead to the comedy poster being banned.
Humanists UK is concerned that the ASA will ban the poster on grounds of causing religious offence, as it has with similar adverts in the past. It says that doing so amounts to a de facto anti-blasphemy law, which is an unreasonable restriction on free expression.
Fern Brady’s poster shows her standing in front of a stained glass window with the title for her tour ‘I gave you milk to drink’, a reference to a biblical verse. Brady is depicted wearing ‘biblical era clothing’ and squirting breast milk towards the mouth of a man kneeling in ecclesiastical clothing.
The ASA is the self-regulator of almost all advertising space in the UK. It maintains a Code on Advertising Practice, and routinely bans adverts that don’t comply with the Code. The Code says ‘Marketing communications must not contain anything that is likely to cause serious or widespread offence. Particular care must be taken to avoid causing offence on the grounds of: …religion or belief’. Humanists UK believes that the subjective tests of ‘offence’ should not appear in the advertising codes of practice and has long spoken out against examples of censorship that amount to the reintroduction of the blasphemy law, for advertising, by the back door.
Last year, the ASA found that a poster promoting Demi Lovato’s album was ‘likely to cause offence to Christians’. The poster had been displayed at only six locations across London in the summer of 2022 before being taken down four days later. It depicted the clearly recognisable singer ‘in a bondage-style outfit whilst lying on a large, cushioned crucifix’, along with the name of the album, ‘HOLY FVCK’. Complaints were made to the ASA about the poster on two grounds – that the advertisement would cause ‘serious or widespread offence’ and that it was ‘irresponsibly placed where children could see it.’ Both grounds were upheld by the ASA. While the poster could have reasonably been banned solely for containing language that was easily recognisable as alluding to a swear word, or for its inappropriateness for children, Humanists UK criticised the ASA also banning the image for being religiously offensive.
Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson commented:
‘Blasphemy laws were repealed in England and Wales in 2008, and Scotland in 2024. Yet to censor adverts solely on the grounds that they may offend the religious sensibilities of some enforces a de facto ban on blasphemy.
‘We urge the ASA to make the right decision, to protect Fern Brady’s right to freedom of expression, and to do away with back door anti-blasphemy laws.’
Notes
For further comment or information, media should contact Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson at press@humanists.uk or phone 0203 675 0959.
Read more about our work on freedom of expression in advertising.
Read more about our work on repealing blasphemy laws.
Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 120,000 members and supporters, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. We provide ceremonies, pastoral care, education, and support services benefitting over a million people every year and our campaigns advance humanist thinking on ethical issues, human rights, and equal treatment for all.
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