| This public service advertisement is under fire for being offensive to women and the disabled. Photo taken from The Hankyoreh |
By Lee Min-young
Controversy is brewing over a disabled parking space advertisement by the Ministry of Public Administration and Security that some have branded offensive to women because it perpetuates sexist stereotypes.
The ad, which appeared in a newspaper and was later posted on social media after someone took a picture of it, shows a woman carrying shopping bags and trying to get into her car that is illegally parked in a disabled bay.
The ad starts: "Disabled only when you are parking?" taking a swipe at people breaking disabled parking regulations. It goes on: "It is allowed to park in handicapped-designated parking spaces only when the disabled person is present inside the car which has a decal on it."
This ad, which at first may seem like any other public campaign advertisement, has triggered heated debate on social media for a message that women and the disabled find offensive.
"I'm appalled by this ad," one user commented in a Facebook post. "I teach disabled children and I have a disability myself, so I'm one of those people who are allowed to use those special parking spaces. I agree with the need to crack down on non-disabled drivers using those spaces, but is it only I that feels the words this ad is using, like 'disabled only when you're parking,' is somewhat rude and discriminatory against disabled people?
"And the violator in this ad is a young woman wearing a tight outfit and high heels, with a luxurious car and both of her hands full of shopping bags. This ad is unbelievably sexist."
Another netizen said: "I cannot believe no one has ever raised questions until this ad made its way into the newspaper. It disgusts me."