The Advertising Code Committee believes that a radio commercial about the bill for the Transgender Act was unnecessarily offensive.
In the commercial of Gendertwijfel.nl, which was heard earlier this year, a woman said: “My daughter can register as a man. Our son as a woman. This is even possible under the age of sixteen. Gender is not a choice, is it?”
The commercial was a response to the bill that states that an expert’s statement is no longer required to change the gender in the birth certificate. The age limit of sixteen years will also be abolished. The House of Representatives will discuss it further in June.
The Advertising Code Committee now rules that the commercial was unnecessarily offensive. This is reported by the Transgender Network Netherlands, which together with the organization WOMEN Inc. objected.
The committee emphasizes that this concerns a vulnerable group, “namely (young) transgender people”. “Although it is clear that the woman expresses her own opinion, she does so in a tone that can only be understood as mocking, indignant, condescending and dismissive.”
“Do not advertise in such a way in the future”
The Advertising Code Committee rejected all kinds of other objections to the commercial by Gendertwijfel.nl, but recommends not to advertise in such a way in the future.
“A broad freedom of expression applies to the promotion of ideas that contribute to the social and political debate. And when assessing whether freedom of expression should be limited, the committee adopts an (extra) restrained attitude. “
Transgender Network: ‘A much needed message’
Remke Verdegem, chairman of Transgender Network Netherlands, is pleased with the committee’s verdict. “Hearing on the radio that you wouldn’t be okay hurts, moreover, people around you can think: it’s okay to mock, condescend and reject someone’s being transgender.”
“That is why it is important that the Advertising Code Committee now clearly states that this is not okay and that the radio commercial was needlessly offensive. A much-needed message at a time when gender-diverse people are more often the subject of ridicule in public statements.”
The creators of the radio commercial can still appeal. The Advertising Code Committee only publishes its opinion when it is final.
