(CNN Philippines) — After receiving criticisms for being “sexist,” the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) immediately took down one of its “no smoking” ads and apologized to the public a day after posting it on Facebook on Monday (April 20).
The controversial ad showed a woman scowling in disgust as she leans back while her hand covers the mouth of a guy who seems to be in an attempt to kiss her. Behind them is a “no smoking” sign.
At first glance, nothing seemed wrong with the MMDA ad on having smoke-free terminals and public vehicles.
What drew disapproval on social media, however, were the words: “Be the stronger sex. Say you mind.”
Filipino netizen Roseann Ramirez commented in the now deleted post saying that the ad, which used the hashtag #RespectTheSign, assumed that a stronger sex exists. She added that it also suggests that men are the stronger sex by telling women to aim to be the stronger one.
While MMDA’s campaign was commendable, Associate Dean Danilo Arao of the UP Diliman College of Mass Communications said the message got lost in the ad.
Arao, who also teaches an ethics course in journalism, said that the use of the phrase “stronger sex” implied “an acceptance that women are the ‘weaker’ ones even if that may not be the intention of MMDA.”
He also noted how the ad stereotypes men as smokers while women are the victims of second-hand smoke.
In its apology Tuesday (April 21), the MMDA’s Anti-Smoking and Digital Media teams explained that the ad was not intended to be sexist.
Role of social media
Arao noted how social media helped the public articulate their concern to the MMDA which led to the decision to take down the ad on Monday.
“I would like to think that social media now play a major role in engaging the community to articulate their concerns, even if a deeper and sharper analysis is needed to effect social change.”
The MMDA assured that it is “exerting greater effort to uphold gender equality” in all its actions after the incident.
