Adverts that portray ‘harmful’ gender stereotypes set to be banned next year

ADVERTISEMENTS THAT perpetuate harmful gender stereotypes such as a men struggling with household chores or girls being less academic than boys are to be banned, the regulator has announced.

The new rule – that ads must not include gender stereotypes which are likely to cause harm or serious or widespread offence – comes into effect in June following a consultation.

Scenarios likely to be “problematic” include depictions of a man with his feet up while a woman takes sole responsiblity for cleaning up, and a man or a woman failing to achieve a task specifically because of their gender, such as a man struggling to change a nappy or a woman being unable to park a car, the Committees of Advertising Practice (Cap) said.

Advertisers will also have to tread carefully when contrasting stereotypical personalities of boys and girls or if they belittle a man for carrying out stereotypically “female” roles or tasks.

Ella Smillie, Cap’s gender stereotyping project lead, said: “The evidence we published last year showed that harmful gender stereotypes in ads contribute to how people see themselves and their role in society.

“They can hold some people back from fulfilling their potential, or from aspiring to certain jobs and industries, bringing costs for individuals and the economy.”