Britain bans ‘harmful’ gender stereotypes in advertisements

LONDON – Hapless husbands and housework-burdened moms are being banished from British advertising, as a crackdown on gender stereotypes comes into force.

From Friday, advertisements must not include “gender stereotypes which are likely to cause harm or serious or widespread offence.”

Examples include depictions of men struggling to complete simple domestic tasks or ads that suggest women are solely responsible for cooking and cleaning.

Complaints will be assessed by the Advertising Standards Authority. British broadcasters are bound by the terms of their licenses to comply with its rulings.

The authority says its aim is not to ban all gender stereotypes but to remove those that are harmful.

Authority chief executive Guy Parker said “put simply, we found that some portrayals in ads can, over time, play a part in limiting people’s potential.”