Australia’s advertising watchdog has thrown out a complaint about a Libra ad which upset transgender advocacy groups on both sides of the Tasman. The ad shows either a drag queen or transwoman losing a mirror-front bathroom battle with a woman, when her competitor pulls out a tampon. The drag queen storms out in a huff. It was pulled after complaints it was transphobic, because it insinuates that the only way you can be a woman is to get your period. The Australian Advertising Standards Bureau has ruled the ad "does not demean women who do not menstruate, nor does it demean or vilify transgender people and does not vilify men who dress as woman." The Bureau says the ad "features a man dressed as a woman in a female bathroom environment, however there is no way of determining whether they are representative of drag queens or transgender women." However, despite the uncertainty the Board found the "advertisement did not discriminate against or vilify any section of the community." Sally Goldner, a spokesperson for Transgender Victoria, was angry at the Advertising Standards Bureau's ruling and told ninemsn the setting of the ad is "disturbing". "A big issue we face is violence in toilets because we don't meet people's expectations … and [the Advertising Standards Bureau] are effectively spitting in the face of people trying to stop violence against transgender people.”. The crux of the debate over the ad has been whether it features a drag queen or transwoman. The actress, herself a Sydney drag queen, has defended the ad as simply reflecting honesty about the life of a drag queen.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 31st January 2012 - 10:00am