This is getting silly

The Advertising Standards Complaints Board has ruled that a Tui billboard proclaiming “There’s nothing wrong with Miriam – Yeah Right” is seriously offensive, ridicules transgendered people and contradicts basic human rights.

I think the Board (which had a dissenting minority) are being somewhat politically correct. For the record I do not think there is anything “wrong” with transsexuals myself, and have got on well with Georgine Beyer the few times I have met her.

It is all about context. The Miriam reference is to the TV show (which was so boring not even I could watch it) where six guys compete to go out with Miriam, not realising she is a transsexual. So it is not referring to transsexuals being wrong, just that Miriam was not going to be what they expected.

I mean even debating the finer points of interpretation is a bit silly to be frank. The Tui billboards are about taking the piss – this just seems far too precious.

The full decision is here.