Gay Health Ads Pulled from Bronx Bus Shelters Due to Complaints
Infinity Outdoor, an advertising company that maintains New York City's bus shelter ads, has removed from several bus stops in the Bronx a public service ad encouraging men who have sex with men to avoid HIV and STD infections by contacting health care workers, the New York Times reports. Infinity Outdoor spokesperson Dana McClintock said that the ad, which depicts two men embracing above a caption that reads, "I'm not gay, but I sometimes have sex with other guys," and includes the number for the Health Link Line, generated several complaints about its reference to sex. The ad was one of three the Bronx Lesbian and Gay Health Resource Consortium paid to display at 40 bus shelters around the Bronx as part of a campaign to increase AIDS awareness among local residents. Infinity Outdoor had approved the content of the ads and put them up Monday morning where they were to remain in place for four weeks at a cost of $19,000. But the company replaced the ads featuring the two men with others used in the campaign on Monday night or Tuesday morning due to complaints. McClintock said that the company makes such decisions "on a case-by-case basis" and that they "do [their] best to strike a balance between First Amendment rights and community concerns." The ads will continue to be displayed inside city buses, the consortium said (Kennedy, New York Times, 6/27).
This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.