London Axes Body-Shaming Ads on Tube, Bus

Mayor Sadiq Khan tells Transport for London to stop running them
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 14, 2016 12:33 PM CDT
London Axes Body-Shaming Ads on Tube, Bus
One of the ads that has gotten negative attention in London is shown, from an ABC News segment from last year.   (ABC News via YouTube)

Londoners sick of being bombarded by pictures of the supposedly ideal "beach body" every time they jump on the tube may soon be vindicated. The city's mayor, Sadiq Khan, says he's banning body-shaming ads from London's mass transit system, the Guardian reports. An example of such an ad: Protein World's "Beach Body Ready" campaign, which led to protests and an online petition with more than 70,000 signatures calling for its removal last year. Khan told Transport for London to stop running such ads, and has also asked the agency to work together with its advertising agencies to make sure it's complying with the new advertising rules, the Independent reports.

"As the father of two teenage girls, I am extremely concerned about this kind of advertising which can demean people, particularly women, and make them ashamed of their bodies. It is high time it came to an end," Khan says in a statement. "Nobody should feel pressurized, while they travel on the tube or bus, into unrealistic expectations surrounding their bodies." Adds a Transport for London director, "Advertising on our network is unlike TV, online, and print media. Our customers cannot simply switch off or turn a page if an advertisement offends or upsets them." RT notes that some on social media are claiming Khan is actually motivated by his Muslim faith, rather than concern about body confidence, to get scantily-clad women off transport ads. (More London stories.)

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