UK: Adverts depicting gender stereotypes to be banned
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Shahriar Coupal
Adverts that depict gender stereotypes including women struggling to park and men being baffled by nappies are to be banned under new rules set out by advertising regulators.
These “harmful gender stereotypes” will be outlawed in an attempt to curb adverts which could negatively impact the aspirations of people watching them
Adverts that “belittle” men for performing tasks stereotypically seen as female or which emphasise traits associated with boys or girls will have to be “handled with care”.
The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) said adverts targeting new mothers that suggest looking good or keeping a home in pristine condition should be their priority would also be banned.
Shahriar Coupal, director of CAP, the body responsible for writing and maintaining the UK advertising codes, said: “Harmful gender stereotypes have no place in UK advertisements. Nearly all advertisers know this, but for those that don’t, our new rule calls time on stereotypes that hold back people and society.”
Ella Smillie, gender stereotyping project lead for CAP, said: “The evidence we published last year showed that harmful gender stereotypes in ads contribute to how people see themselves and their role in society.”
CAP said the rules will come into force on 14 June.
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