Allied Press responds to advertisement criticism

THE Speak Up For Women advertisement you have allowed to be printed in your paper today (7.9.21) is awful.

I can only assume this has been done thoughtlessly, and you don't actually support such antitrans rhetoric.

But I think it would be helpful if you clarify that fact.

Please don't give hate speech such a prominent platform.

I AM just writing to express my horror and disappointment at the choice to run an advertisement from SUFW in today's paper.

I understand that advertising dollars are in short supply, but surely the paper does not need to stoop this low.

I AM writing to express my concern that the group Speak Up for Women was able to run an advertisement in your paper.

This group are a small but wellresourced lobby group who are using misinformation to encourage the further marginalisation of our vulnerable trans and intersex communities.

Disingenuous information being propagated by SUFW includes: that people will change their gender on official papers in order to sexually assault children in female changing rooms. There is no data to back this up.

Indeed there is more than ample research regarding the real risk of children being assaulted by the cisgender men in their lives, a tragic but documented reality. At present noone is required to present birth certificates, or similar, to enter changing rooms. This is scaremongering pure and simple.

Speak Up For Women is disseminating lies and misinformation that have a real impact on the lives of trans and intersex people who already bear the brunt of damaging prejudice and violence.

And you are helping them do it.

I am appalled that your newspaper could support this group, and ask you to urgently review your editorial policy. I would like to see the advertisement withdrawn, and the misinformation addressed in print.

I hope that when you look further into the issue you'll see the error and remedy it — your support for the trans and intersex community could make all the difference to many people in a vulnerable — no dangerous position.

Paekakariki [Abridged]

Editor’s note: The received several others letters of a similar theme.

Allied Press advertising sales manager Matthew Holdridge replies:

Allied Press does not in any way support the views expressed by Speak Up For Women in an advertisement published in the Otago Daily Times and community publications.

We take a lot of care around the advertisements we publish.

We had some concerns with this campaign and referred it to the Advertising Standards Authority for its comments.

The authority had already had complaints from a similar billboard campaign in Wellington by the same advertiser. It concluded the billboard was ‘‘robust advocacy’’ and there was no case to answer. The same advice was given to us regarding the current campaign.

We respect the democratic right of free speech, as all responsible media publishers should, whether we agree with the views in the advertisement or not.

Editorially we have covered the protests of this group's activities and given a voice to the trans community's concerns.

We support diversity and value inclusivity. ..................................

BIBLE READING: Patiently trust Him and show love and justice. — Hosea 12:6.