London’s first Muslim mayor has banned advertisements on the public transportation system that feature thin and attractive women.
Sadiq Khan stated Monday that any image with the ability to cause body positivity issues would be removed from areas throughout the city.
“No one’s confidence or body image should be undermined by ads on our transport system,” Khan said.
According to the Evening Standard, the new policy “is only expected to affect a handful of the 12,000 adverts a year which run across the network, including at bus shelters and on-street sites.”
The Standard made specific mention of the infamous “Beach Body” ad which outraged feminists late last year.
“An advertisement that encouraged women to get in shape for the summer has been banned by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority after feminists complained the commercial was an example of ‘fat shaming’ and threatened to bomb the headquarters of the company behind it,” Infowars’ Paul Joseph Watson wrote at the time.
Khan, who has two daughters of his own, defended the policy by stating that he was extremely concerned by advertising that can “demean people, particularly women, and make them ashamed of their bodies.”
No one's confidence or body image should be undermined by ads on our transport system. I've strengthened @TfL policy https://t.co/AJ7qYDQW0T
— Mayor of London (@MayorofLondon) June 13, 2016
“Nobody should feel pressurised, while they travel on the Tube or bus, into unrealistic expectations surrounding their bodies and I want to send a clear message to the advertising industry about this.”
The mayor’s decision received almost entirely negative responses across social media.
I fixed it. @MayorofLondon @TfL @standardnews pic.twitter.com/mNnrAAjQID
— Godfrey Elfwick (@GodfreyElfwick) June 13, 2016
@MayorofLondon @cjdtaz @TfL @standardnews who the ever loving fuck are you to say what woman should look like?
— Mrs BouTEAca (@WelshTeacup) June 13, 2016
I agree mr Khan,sir
I modified this filthy add to be right proper British @MayorofLondon @TfL pic.twitter.com/flycgwgaAe— Rider (@Doomskander) June 13, 2016
@Whatleydude @reecestweetz pretty sexist of you to think women are not mentally strong enough to look at a picture of an attractive model.
— Jak Allen (@Jakthelad23) June 13, 2016
@MayorofLondon @TfL if someone is fragile enough to have their confidence 'undermined' by an advert that's their fault and problem.
— Chloë Price (@meltonwhiz) June 13, 2016
seeing this is offensive + makes me feel unsafe, will you be doing anything about it? @MayorofLondon @TfL pic.twitter.com/ntNunTzZXF
— LaLaLuna (@rabbitraisin) June 13, 2016
Another unrealistic body expectation for short people like me. Can we ban this, too, @MayorofLondon? pic.twitter.com/4uNJSr4Y7M
— George (@thegbateman) June 13, 2016
@MayorofLondon @TfL Some men's confidence may undermined by David Beckham. Can you ban him & any images of him too? pic.twitter.com/I9osamlCZT
— Dominic Hilton (@dominichilton) June 13, 2016
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