Members of the community have raised concern over an advertisement from the Yellow Pages that has been heard playing on Perth radio station 96FM.
The narrated radio spot explains to the listener a scenario where your uncle, who is a plumber, has gone away overseas to ‘find himself’. When the listener needs a plumber the Yellow Pages comes to the rescue. At the end of the advertisement the announcer says your uncle has returned, but is now your auntie having ‘found himself’.
Jamie Moir, who is not part of the LGBTI community, but an ally through friends and family, told OUTinPerth when he first heard the spot he felt it was offensive to the trans* community.
“Yellow pages is a print media dinosaur. So similarly out of touch views are their views. If their uncle was happier as their aunty, what’s all the fuss about?” Moir said.
Aram Hosie, who is a member of the National LGBTI Health Alliance’s Intersex, Trans and Gender Diversity Working Group said that while he understood the advertisement was meant to be humorous, it was disappointing.
“First and foremost is the scenario being pitched that because your ‘uncle’ transitions to female, they subsequently would no longer be part of your world. The reality is that many trans people do unfortunately face ostracism and rejection by their friends and family, which can have devastating effects on their mental health.” Hosie commented, “This advertisement plays right into saying that it is perfectly acceptable, or to ‘be expected’ that you would cut someone out of your world because they transition, which is a pretty appalling message to send.”
Hosie also highlights the advertisement portrays the journey transgender people go through in a simplified form, drawing comparisons to criticism of the recent winner of the Tropfest film festival.
“Much like some of the criticism of the Tropfest film ‘Bamboozled’ late last year, the ad completely misunderstands what is involved in transition, kind of implying that it would be a fairly spontaneous decision and a quick process to undertake via a holiday overseas. This isn’t really offensive per se, but it is very far removed from reality and again feeds into a lot of the misconceptions that exist about trans people and transitioning.”
Hosie and other trans* advocates also note the advertisement implies that when people transition they lose all their previous skills.
“The ad implies that because the “plumber Uncle” has transitioned to female, they are magically no longer a competent plumber and you have to find a new one. I find this to be faintly sexist in addition to being transphobic – I can’t see any reason in the world why a transwoman wouldn’t continue to be an excellent plumber, and to imply otherwise feeds into gender stereotypes and belittle the capabilities of trans people.” Hosie said.
Transgender rights activist Jayne McFayden echoed Hosie’s thoughts, “Trans people face enough discrimination in life the fact the your aunt is no longer a plumber could be seen reinforcing workplace discrimination against trans* people or that women cannot be plumbers.”
The Australian Advertising Standards Bureau has not received any complaints about the advertising campaign prior to OUTinPerth drawing their attention to it. The bureau highlighted that people can lodge a complaint via their website.
Both Sensis (Yellow Pages) and 96FM were approached for comment but were unable respond before OUTinPerth’s publication deadline.
Listen to the advertisement below, let us know what you think of it’s content in the comments section or on our Facebook page. Have you heard the spot being played on other radio stations?
