An anti-bullying charity has called for a gym billboard poster to be removed for being "offensive".
The poster, on Tamworth Road, in Sawley, Derbyshire, shows aliens beaming up a person into their spaceship with the text, "they'll take the fat ones first".
Combat Bullying, based in Nottinghamshire, said it would "further harm" those who are being bullied.
Fit4Less said it wanted to create an "light-hearted and humorous" advert.
It reads: "They're coming… and when they arrive they'll take the FAT ones first!". It then has "save yourself!" with an arrow pointing to the gym's website.
One passer-by said the poster was "ridiculous" and he would "rip it down" because "being a big lad myself, it upsets you".
Many other people said it was "in poor taste" and "offensive".
Natalie Harvey, founder of the charity, said the poster has caused her concerns because it would "aid bullying".
"This week alone three cases have been brought to my attention of children being bullied because of weight issues," she said.
"If those children or the perpetrators saw this poster it would cause further harm for the children who are being bullied.
"The poster should be removed and replaced with something more tasteful to attract the gym goers."
Kerry Matthews, from the gym in Long Eaton, Derbyshire, said: "We really didn't mean it offensively.
"It was supposed to be a bit cheeky, hence the alien image, and grab people's attention in a couple of seconds.
"So many campaigns use ultra skinny people and that's not the reality."
Ms Matthews added that the gym wanted to get people talking about getting fitter.
Alien Offensive
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 1:34 am
by RayThom
Bullying? I fail to see any "fat shaming" here. If the offended morbidly obese people would protest less and reduce more there wouldn't be a problem.
Take a look at their 'energie Happy" video. They're almost all overweight. I hardly see any discrimination here. I believe they doth protest too much. http://f4l.com/long-eaton
Re: Alien Offensive
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 1:45 am
by Gob
RayThom wrote:Bullying? I fail to see any "fat shaming" here.
My thoughts exactly.
Though calling people "fat" may be the issue, as we are no longer allowed to mention that anyone is less than perfect for fear of "bullying" them.
Re: Alien offensive
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 7:52 pm
by Lord Jim
I agree that this seems like a silly overreaction to what looks like a fairly clever and attention grabbing (which is what effective advertising is supposed to do) billboard...
And I also agree that this whole "bullying" thing has been taken way to far, (I remember the story we had here about the woman with the news program who was whining that she was being "bullied" by some powerless guy who sent her one email that suggested that she should lose some weight) which cheapens and trivializes genuine bullying...
But to be clear, if I'm reading this correctly:
Natalie Harvey, founder of the charity, said the poster has caused her concerns because it would "aid bullying".
"This week alone three cases have been brought to my attention of children being bullied because of weight issues," she said.
"If those children or the perpetrators saw this poster it would cause further harm for the children who are being bullied.
The primary concern isn't that the poster itself is a form of "bullying" per se..
But that it will be used as material by thoughtless tykes who are already involved in taunting their overweight classmates as in, "You better lose some weight tubby, or the aliens are going to eat you."...
But that doesn't make the reaction any more valid, because kids inclined to engage in that sort of behavior are not going to have any problem coming up with taunting things to say...
You have to try to deal with that with the kids themselves, not engage in a futile attempt to sanitize society of any speech, (commercial or otherwise) in the public square that somebody somewhere somehow might be able to use to inflict cruelty on somebody else...
Re: Alien offensive
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 7:56 pm
by oldr_n_wsr
kids inclined to engage in that sort of behavior are not going to have any problem coming up with taunting things to say...
And sometimes more imaginative.
Re: Alien offensive
Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 10:55 pm
by rubato
I think that is an offensive slur against aliens. Why should we assume they will prefer to eat disgusting lard-leaden meals? If they're really advanced that will eat California Cuisine (the rest of the world knows it as Nouvelle Cuisine), small tasty portions, lots of local fresh vegetables and fruits attractively laid out on the plate served by waiters and waitresses with the grace of dancers, the soft and musical voices of angels, and the perception never to need to ask "how are you liking that"?.
yrs,
rubato
Re: Alien offensive
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 1:30 am
by dales
If they're really advanced that [they] will eat California Cuisine
The Donner party was the first to pioneer "California cuisine".
And thereby hangs a tale.........
Re: Alien offensive
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 1:38 am
by Long Run
dales wrote:
The Donner party was the first to pioneer "California cuisine".
And to think that they were able to do that without the avocado . . .
Re: Alien offensive
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 3:22 am
by Bicycle Bill
dales wrote:
If they're really advanced that [they] will eat California Cuisine
The Donner party was the first to pioneer "California cuisine".
And thereby hangs a tale.........
Were they pioneering "California cuisine", or were they merely ahead of their time in their zeal for recycling?
And wes must be rubbin' off on me; I felt the need to include that video with this thread... -"BB"-
