'So Gay' Not So Good: Ad Council Takes on Slur

by Kilian Melloy EDGE Contributor Wednesday Oct 8, 2008 The Advertising Council has headed up media campaigns geared toward public service for 66 years. Now it’s pitching a new message: respect for GLBT people. As reported in an Oct. 7 story published by The New York Times, a new series of ads, aimed primarily at young people, invite the audience to think about carelessly derogatory language aimed at gays and lesbians. One phrase in particular is addressed by the ads: "That’s so gay." The new campaign allies the Advertising Council with the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network, or GLSEN, which provides educational materials to schools across the country and works to reduce anti-gay bullying by students and staff. The campaign is designed to educate young people, especially students, about the harmful effects of derogatory... [read full story]