AIBU to complain about condom advert on the Tube?

[PerspicaciousGreen]

I regularly travel on the London Tube with my children. They have eyes. One of them can read a bit. They ask questions. I often have to have conversations with them that I don't think I should have to have at their age simply in order to get from A to B.

I know that I'm more sensitive than average to sexual imagery - both when it comes to me and to my children. For example, I don't like having to go past a whole platform of bra adverts featuring women in, obviously, nothing but their underwear. Yes, I can avert my eyes, but I can't opt out of being aware of them at all. But as I said, I know most people aren't bothered by it and I can't expect TFL to cater to my own personal preferences.

But today I saw an advert by Durex with picture of a young man and a slogan that said something like, "For the condom that fits perfectly every time".

Am I being unreasonable to think that if TFL is going to brand itself as being diverse and open and inclusive, that has to include families with children below the age of consent? And that openly advertising sex products to actual children is not OK? There was no adult-only innuendo or hidden message - I was just grateful our train arrived before my child asked, "Mummy, what's a condom?" A generation ago it would have been unthinkable to have sex adverts in a public place.

I am going to complain to TFL that their advertising policy allows "adult" adverts, but I don't expect to get anywhere with them. So AIBU?

Oh and it’s the advertising standards authority you want to complain to if you really want to be laughed at. Advertising is pretty strongly regulated in this country so I think you can be assured it’s already been addressed as suitable for children to catch a glimpse of.

The weirdest thing about those ads to me is that the one on my local bus stop has a picture of a woman, and a similar headline like 'TFW the condom is a perfect fit.'

...as a woman, a condom is never a 'perfect fit' for me. Idk what that is even supposed to mean.

I came on to say I saw a version of this ad yesterday and thought the same thing OP...but looks like we're in the minority!

The fact you don't have cum dribbling into you means it's the perfect fit

You must be joking??!!

You cannot live in a bubble though.unless you never use public transport ,go past an underwear shop ,buy a newspaper and so on .you live in a country where we have free speech .just say if asked they are for people who don't want dc yet.hopefully they will leave it at that! We did some introductions to sex education at 9 and that was in the 80s.so they will learn in not too long now anyway

The advert I am always surprised they show prewatershed is the "dong dong dong" erectile dysfunction one that pops up during football matches on sky.

Luckily DS1 (6) remains oblivious.

I don’t see it as being hugely inappropriate an advert….if anything, be glad that they are subconsciously soaking up the safe sex message before they even understand what it is. It’s when you hide things like condoms that they don’t become normalised. You don’t have to explain exactly what it is, just what it does.

Oh no that's not good, I found out most things from my mates at school. My parents were like ImBoilingJackie's 'never you mind' was a standard answer to any questions.

My mum and dad tried to wrap me in cotton wool. Believe me it didn't help me.

Lesser of two evils. Too many young men are influenced by porn and never think of condoms. Teenage unplanned pregnancies are lower than they used to be, but anything to reduce them should be supported.

By the time TFL have removed ads for junk food that might appeal to children, and any ads that you deem age inappropriate for your little darlings, it's not going to leave a whole lot.

Bra's??? Bra's??? Are you for real? How the hell do you cope with buying underwear in shops when there are lingerie clad mannequins everywhere?

Baffling.

This ^

I agree with you. I’m sick of the assumption we’re all ok with sexualised content being shoved at us constantly. It’s not appropriate.

If you think a bra advert is 'sexualised', that's on you. Breasts are primarily for feeding babies. And women need particular garments to keep them comfortable and supported.

Condoms too are a fact of life.

It's not like these are screens showing x rated content.

I really hope that these hangups views aren't being passed onto DC.

That's what I thought too, there must be many MNers who lie awake because they've nothing to worry about, so they then worry about what they're missing.

Join the modern world. It's a matter of public safety and that overrules any issues of individual comfort. Just explain it to your children if they ask.

if they're over the age of 6/7 they should know anyway

Should they? As DD was nowhere near puberty at that age and showed zero interest in where babies came from it wasn't a subject that came up in conversation.