Uproar over a Virgin Mobile ad with a gay kiss that was reportedly pulled by Calgary Transit was the result of a mistake, according to officials.
Online gay magazine Xtra.ca reported Thursday that Calgary Transit had pulled a Virgin Mobile ad depicting two men kissing while allowing an ad with a heterosexual kiss to remain.
That’s false, according to transit spokesperson Ron Collins, and this was later confirmed by a retraction on Xtra.ca. The ad with the two men never made it to Calgary bus shelters, contrary to what Virgin told the magazine.
“They never approached us with that ad, it was a misrepresentation,” Collins said.
“After several complaints, we pulled two (heterosexual) ads that we feel were fairly provocative. We left a third that will continue to run.”
Fairytales Film Festival director Jessica Dollard said based on a rating classification, all of the photos would have been deemed PG, including the one with two men kissing.
“All of the ads would have been given the same rating, regardless of the gender. There is no skin showing and it’s just a kiss,” she said.
The remaining ad features a man and a woman kissing as part of the Virgin “Hook Up Fearlessly” marketing campaign.
