I also disagree with Mr. Spaceman. In fact, I feel quite the opposite. If a company is advertising in a gay publication, I want to see either a sex neutral add or a gay themed ad. E.g., I was reading The Advocate the other day and saw an ad for a hotel with an opposite sex couple. "Insulted" is far too strong a word for my feelings, but it absolutely did not make me want to buy from that company. Conversely, when Levi's made a straight and a gay version of their recent TV commercial, that very much makes me want to support them with my money.

See, I hate being treated like I'm a gay person instead of a person who happens to be gay.

I generally don't like being pandered to anyway, so if it's something that panders to my homosexuality in order to part me with my money, I don't dislike it any more than if it panders to my geekdom for the same nefarious purpose.


Betty, no need to apologize to me for my own personal opinions. As you can see (er, read), others of the gay persuasion feel quite differently.

But if you're already buying a gay-aimed publication...

Breeder

Takes one to know one.

Steve - do you feel that way about all advertisements? Or just ones that are for services that are sexual orientation neutral (plumbing, cabinets, real estate, doctors, blah blah blah)?

Something about assuming I shop for plumbing in a gay mag as opposed to a plumbing mag bugs me.

I'm not saying it's unwise for advertisers to target gays in gay mags. Obviously there's a market, and many gays seem to "appreciate" those who will deign to advertise directly to them. I personally don't get it.


I want to use the same channels of information and consumerism as everyone else. My advertising doesn't have to be gay, nor does my music, my food, or my pet supplies.


Just my men. That's all I need to be specifically gay.



That's not to say I don't like to see representative gays in ads and movies and tv shows. I also like to see representative people of color, and seniors, and redheads. But showing two boys kissing does not make me want to spend my money in some special way.

Yeah, it makes me happy if some company sponsors a gay event, but it makes me happier if they sponsor some cancer cure event. Capish?

Makes complete sense to me.

I suppose I'm looking at it in the way I look at other advertisements. I'm a procrastinator, and if I'm putting off doing something that isn't critical and see an advertisement (wherever) that prompts me to make that call that's a good thing for that advertiser that caught my eye.

But isn't seeing ads in magazines a standard channel of information and consumerism? If I'm reading Rabbit Fancier Monthly and see an ad that has nothing to do with rabbits, I don't think, "Damnit, why are they singling me out?! Why can't they just show me an ad in a NORMAL context?!"

So the only advertising you want to see in gay-themed magazines is specifically gay products? Nothing but anal-sex aids (not AIDS), bouffant wigs, and Volvos? That doesn't make sense to me.

Or are you just talking about product ads that are specifically geared towards 'mos in 'mo magazines. Like gn2dlnd mentioned, isntead of, "Hey, we've got furniture, buy it," an ad that's, "Hey you flaming gay boy, look at this dude's package as he drapes over our furniture!" I can understand how creating specific advertising that they wouldn't run elsewhere because of the gay content would be irksome. But even that I don't really get. Companies tailor their ads to the publication's audience all the time. An ad for the same product is not going to look the same in Wired as it does in Newsweek.

Yes, I find it more insulting when sex is used to sell something to me than when it's used to sell something to someone else.


And it's not the bunny ad in the gay mag that bugs me ... just the assumption that to get my gay dollars for the bunny stuff, you'd better advertise in the gay magazine so I will see it. I don't appreciate the implication that gays don't read regular magazines.


Sorry, and not to piss Betty off any more, but it was the O.P. which gave me the impression she wanted to advertise cabinetry to gay men by placing ads in gay mags. I understand her point that gay mags will have a 99% gay audience. But I just bristled at the concept it was the best way to reach the gay audience. I think it's the best way to reach the gay audience that identifies primarily with being gay.

It just pushed a button is all. I hate that so many gays consider The Gay to be their self-defining thing. Blecch.

I guess I see that. But I see it more as advetise in a gay magazine so that the people who would like to spend their money at places that are supportive of homosexuality know that I'm supportive of homosexuality.