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Nike drops 'homophobic' ads

Tue 29 Jul 2008 In: International News

Sports shoe company Nike says it would pull its ads for its new Hyperdunk basketball shoes, responding to bloggers' criticism that they fed homophobic views. Not right? Nike's ad was seen as anti-gay Nike previously defended the ads, but on Friday said it would withdraw them as quickly as possible "to underline our ongoing commitment to supporting diversity in sport and the workplace," The Oregonian reported. One ad showed a basketball player dunking over another. The crotch of the player dunking was planted firmly in the other player's face. The ad sported a large tag line: 'That Ain't Right'. "The joke here ... is based on the implacable homophobia of straight jocks," a blogger on Gawker.com wrote last week. "Nike should pull the ads. Or rework them to be friendlier to gay basketball fans, at least." Nike had initially said the ads were "based purely upon a common insight from within the game of basketball - the athletic feat of dunking on the opposition, and is not intended to be offensive." Nike also reiterated its "history of supporting athletes regardless of their sexual orientation." Nike has been praised by gay-rights advocates for supporting a 2007 Oregon law banning discrimination against gays in work, housing and public places.    

Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff

First published: Tuesday, 29th July 2008 - 11:07am

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