Gay magazine from Winnipeg has decided to no longer run any advertisements that feature sex. The magazine in question, OutWords, wants to appeal to a much wider audience within the gay community. By removing sex ads, they hope to attract a much more upscale cache of advertisers that appeals to the LGBT market.
But bathhouse ad for the Adonis Spa bathhouse in Winnipeg seem to be acceptable. Well almost. It seems the magazine feels the photo above is too risqué. And wants bathhouse ad featuring the the shirtless image replaced.
In an editorial in the latest issue of OutWords, editor Rachel Morgan explains the decision.
“Cruiseline and Squirt are legal businesses but the reality is they are selling sex. Because of that we are getting a lot of pushback from businesses and advertisers who are uncomfortable with the Cruiseline and Squirt ads. We are also getting pushback from queer families who say they don’t like having the magazine in their homes where their children might see the ads,” she writes.
Adonis owner Doug Pomanski, “They said the last ad was too risqué; we had to change the photo. To me it makes no sense at all. It’s completely off the wall. We’re gay men and we have sex.”
What do you think?
To read more go to Bathhouse owner responds to OutWords’ “selling sex” ban
I think there are too many people out there trying to censor gay men. And frankly, I’m getting tired of it. I’d like to know if there are new owners at this magazine. I’d like to know who the people are who are making these decisions. Are they, indeed, gay men? As a published gay author I face censorship daily from both politically correct types and those who want to put all gay men into a neat little box and tie it up with a pink bow. I’d also like to know when gay men became so average a sex ad, or a shirtless model, frightened them into not buying a magazine.