Double Standards Again....

I've always considered myself to be an open minded and fair individual, trying to see both sides of conflict, so it was a surprise to find that Heinz has been forced to pull its latest ad for Deli Mayonaisse. You can see the ad here:

I'm not going to go into details of the ad, except to say that it apparently show two men sharing a kiss. Look at the ad for yourself to see the sequence.

200 complaints were made to the ASA citing it as "inappropriate" and "offensive". According to the Guardian website " Other complaints include that the ad was "unsuitable to be seen by children" and that it raised the difficult problem of parents having to discuss the issue of same-sex relationships with younger viewers."

My view is this: Parents should be educating their children to understand equality and fairness extends to alll members of society, so the issue of same sex relationships, is just the same as opposite sex relationships.

The kiss in question is an innocent peck on the cheek. When you compare that, which the sex, nudity, greed and violence children are permitted to watch before the watershed, along with the violent video games and pornographic music lyrics played on national radio at anytime of the day, I struggle to find what the real issue is here.

How many times during he TV football coverage do the players kiss and hug each other when a goal is scored ? Yet these 200 people who made complaints about the ad saw no problem then. And what about the media and fashion industry selling the idea of sex to a child market in the form of revealing clothes and make up for young girls? I hear no complaints from these people then, about parents having to explain the adult world of sex and relationhip to their children. And what about the millions of us who saw the ad and laughed and did not complain? Why have we been denied our right to view the ad? It seems to me a case of double standards yet again, which homosexuality in the media being a political hot potato, is used as a scapegoat for the "ills of society".

I live in Devon, and recently The Earl Of Devon refused permission for a gay couple to marry in his ancestral home of Powderham Castle, citing "it went against his Christian views", The council revoked the license for all civil marriages, gay or straight, to avoid a breach of the 2007 Sexual Orientation Regulations. I disagreed with the Earl's opnions, but everyone has the right to their opinions and wishes in their own home. He then went on to say he was quite happy to take the gay couple's money for a celebratiory reception of their civil partnership at Powderham Castle. So The Earl has a problem with the couple in question having a civil partnership at Powderham Castle, but not when they are paying customers, celebrating their homosexual union and hiring out the banquet hall and lining his pockets with cash for food and drink. Is there something I am missing in this? Does his conflicting views about homosexuality and civil partnership and his faith not apply when there is money involved and he's is going to profit from the civil partnership of two romantically committed homosexual men? I smell the strong odour of hipocrisy here.

With Draconian views like this, how is society supposed to evolve? How are parents giving their children an open view of the world when we still condone predjudiced behaviour like this?

Its a world gone mad.

I have several friends of all sexual orientaion and both of my children have come to understand, that no matter what body you have, which sexuality you prefer, love and respect for your fellow human beings is paramanount. We all have differences, which make us individual, and the most important thing to remember is this: If you are lucky enough to be with another person with whom you share love, respect and commitment, then that is no bad thing. Plenty of people are subjected to hate and violence in their relationships which is contributing to the demise of life on this beautiful planet we call home.

Its just a shame more people are too narrow minded to see the truth that real love can give us.