Pride in London 2017 organisers face backlash for 'appalling' posters

A row has erupted over claims Pride in London’s advertising campaign for this year’s parade is demeaning towards the LGBT+ community.

Organisers asked Londoners to send in their LGBT+ stories, which campaign artists then transformed into one of its many posters for the event.

But since they were released, scores of social media users hit out at the group for creating “offensive” posters they said “objectify” gay people.

In one of the posters, a message read: “being homophobic is sooo gay,” which has been condemned for using the word ‘gay’ as a slur.

Pride 2017: The posters have since been removed for the campaign's series
Pride in London

One Twitter user wrote: “Who in their right mind thought this and using homophobic pejorative on a Pride poster was good idea?!!! Really missed the mark. Horrendous.”

And another said: “I'm rereading all of the posters thinking "how do these people get a job in marketing?”

Another wrote on the social media site: “Really am appalled at an organisation approving of ‘gay’ being used in such way.”

Pride 2016 - in pictures

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In a statement that campaigners said “objectified” gay people, another poster read: “My gay friends make me more attractive by association.”

Pride in London have since apologised for the posters, saying: “This was never our intention, and we are genuinely sorry.”

News site Gay Times joined in condemning Pride’s “offensive” posters.

Posters: Pride in London has aplogised for the 'offensive' adverts
Pride in London

On using the word ‘gay’ as a slur, it said the statement would be “naturally upsetting” for LGBT+ people who “have grown up having to hear it as a homophobic slur in the playground.”

Organisers admitted they had “misjudged” the content of some of its messages, and apologies for “undermining” the LGBT+ community.

The campaign in statement said: “It is clear we misjudged the content of some of the messages in this poster series, undermining the individuality, importance, and dignity of the LGBT+ community.

“This was never our intention, and we are genuinely sorry to have played any part in something that appears to devalue our own community, and have removed these four images from our campaign.”

The posters in question have since been removed from the series.

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