Gay ANZAC Ad - is it offensive?

[Tim D]

http://www.samesame.com.au/news/local/642/War_Of_Words_Over_Gay_ANZAC_Ad

Here is the ad:

http://www.samesame.com.au/imagecache/graphics/graphics_07ecf876a9991e7b7a8a94e0d495f2f4.jpg

The gay scene has traditionally taken the ANZAC theme and really run with it, but is this too far?

[mjm078]

I think it is offensive especially to the poor bloke in the main photo as he didn't even know it was going to be taken and/or used for this purpose.....

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=262146

i think the whole ad lacks personality and is tacky anyway - i wouldn't go to the event.

i think homesexuals "combat" is more appropriate as it is loosely tied to the holiday than this crappola......its one thing to hold a military enspired event its another to use the words ANZAC and "lest we (or in this case you) forget)" to promote it - thats disrespectful of the true ANZAC's

[Christian Taylor]

yes, remove the fact that it's a gay party and a HIDEOUS ad - and you are left with something that hasn't tried to do anything creative with the public holiday. while other ANZAC themes might be tongue in cheek, this is just odd... it's been too literal, which is wrong considering the event has no relevance to ANZAC day.

And if you'd been through a war experience, or if you knew someone who had, or if you'd lost someone through war, well I can see how it could be a very touchy subject, and why these rituals mean so much to so many...

[Aries Fairy]

I think any type of "commando" or "army" or "combat" theme is just naff naff naff around Anzac Day time.

Such an original thought....

[hazyinseptember]

I dont find it offensive.. BUT

its certainly bad taste, as well as quite illegal... Peel hotel should be ashamed to let that one slip past..

I watched a doco a few years ago about gay men in the first and second world wars..

not to mention all the amazing homoerotic art that came out of this period from artists in the field...

[kylierose]

there's a big lesson to be learned from this:

just because it's ANZAC day does not mean we can have anymore miltary themed parties on the holiday eve. that's it. they have to stop. it's just plain tacky and cliched. when will these party organisers learn that holiday themed parties are so 20th century and get on with creating something original? probably never, but that won't stop me from having a rant.

[Christian Taylor]

...probably never, but that won't stop me from having a rant.

rant away! i certainly think you have a point. very unoriginal. stale. military might be a fetish, but that's such a far cry from the reality of ANZAC Day!

[Christian Taylor]

http://tk.files.storage.msn.com/x1pM0jCSUoiRhB91h-J7pVl4UsU3Xv0FJqiVpsS7N-UGeWo18GL3WOEG58H1AyM6NQswxR-9toP_lrPctgs3j-XCzSpJzCkI2rc2gS8RHIGhwDOV4Ex5ogrp3kIYWqSN4cJEk2wY STuY8w

Okay, now you tell me which poster is more offensive.

[alison87]

Meh.

[kylierose]

can we get a thread devoted entirely to this topic?

and i was right, anzac day themed parties are totally tacky.
there's no way to avoid it.