Bard rejects sex shop ad
Trouble: Theatre company mounting a violent sexual play refuses 'tasteful' ad
Kevin Griffin, Vancouver Sun, Arts & Life, Saturday May 3rd, 2003

Theatre: The Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival has refused to allow a Kitsilano erotic arts store from advertising in its program on the grounds that the store is "dedicated exclusively to sexual themes" and therefore not appropriate advertising for a "family-focused event."

In a letter to The Art of Loving owner John Ince, Bard on the Beach general manager Marilyn Navarro Leiton said the organization had reviewed Ince's request for an ad, the company's Web site and its ad in the Telus SuperPages under Adult Entertainment Products and Services.

"As you made clear during our discussion," the letter reads, "your business, inclusive of both the store and gallery, is 'dedicated exclusively to sexual themes.'

"We are a family-focussed event and we market directly to schools. Our in-house programme is handed directly to all attendees, including thousands of children from ages six and up, accompanied by teachers and parents. We have concluded this would not be appropriate advertising for our season program."

Ince said Bard on the Beach has never seen the ad he wanted to run. Instead, the annual summer Shakespeare festival made its decision not on the basis of his ad but on the nature of his business. While Ince doesn't dispute the right of a publisher to decide what to publish, he calls into question the grounds Leiton has cited for refusing the ad.

"It is the same argument that people have said about why there shouldn't be gay teachers. What exactly is the threat from gay teachers? Why is it never spelled out? Why the connection? Why is our ad a threat to children?" he said in an interview Thursday in front of The Art of Loving.

"I argue that the issue of children is bogus. It's used to conceal an argument that people are not aware of," he said.

Ince believes that people often cite protecting children as a knee-jerk reaction to cover their own discomfort with discussing anything about sexuality, especially anything positive.

By refusing the ad, Ince believes, Bard on the Beach is reaffirming our culture's erotophobic values.

"Their complaint was not about our ad -- it was about our store. It is because we focus on a sexuality theme. Clearly, they don't like us. You can't repair that, in my opinion. I'm just sad about that."

Ince pointed out that he did not approach Bard on the Beach. The Shakespeare festival approached him to advertise through a mass fax sent out to art galleries and businesses. The Art of Loving has an art gallery in the front of the store and is a member of the Arts Alliance.

Ince's proposed ad included a quote from Shakespeare: "They do not love that do not show their love."

Ince also points out that in the upcoming season, Bard on the Beach is staging Pericles, Prince of Tyre. The play starts with Antiochus, King of Antioch, revealing that he is having an incestuous relationship with his daughter. As the Pericles unfolds, it touches on murder, prostitution, including child prostitution, and misogyny.

"To present a play that deals with incest, child prostitution and sexual violence and then refuse a tasteful ad from an organization like ours is a classic case of unreasonability," Ince said.

Despite messages being left with Bard on the Beach Friday, neither Leiton nor any other official with the organization was available to explain their decision to refuse Ince's ad.

Ince said he is not aware of any evidence suggesting that children might be harmed by the knowledge that an erotic arts store exists in Kitsilano. In fact, Ince thinks a strong case can be made that introducing children to the idea of such a store in a positive, supporting way is actually a good thing.

"Young people in our culture get powerful sexual messages all the time, and rarely the wholesome, sex-positive type that our store projects," he said. "Indeed the Festival itself exposes children to negative sexual themes in Pericles! Our store offers a partial antidote to that sexual negativity. The Festival's decision denies children access to the valuable sex-positive information our ad and store project."

The Bard on the Beach's initial rejection of The Art of Loving is similar to what Canada Post did last December with a flyer from the store.

At first, Canada Post refused to accept a flyer with a similarly tasteful front page that said: "Enjoy Sex? At last, a resource for people who see sexuality as a wonderful part of life!" The flyer went on to describe The Art of Loving as "Friendly, educational & classy."

Inside, there was information about books, videos, various sensual products such as erotic edibles, and seminars on topics such as kissing and nude photography.

The flyer was first refused on the grounds that it was Canada Post's policy not to accept unaddressed admail that contains "sexually explicit material." An e-mail from Cynthia Yeung, business sales professional, said that "the corporation's concern has been that such items would be received in households with minor children or sensitive persons who may be offended by sexually explicit material."

Elizabeth Cooper, manager of the business sales centre, said afterwards in an e-mail that she had reviewed the flyer with the direct marketing manager.

"We agree that the piece does not contain profanities, it is tastefully done, and it does not contain anything lude [sic]," she wrote.

Ince said the flyer went to thousands of homes. He has yet to hear a complaint.

Bard on the Beach in Vanier Park started in 1990. The coming season runs from June 11th to Sept. 21st. In addition to Pericles, Bard on the Beach will be presenting The Comedy of Errors and The Merchant of Venice. As well, it will be staging Shylock by Mark Leiren Young, a play which looks at issues of anti-Semitism and censorship raised by the Merchant of Venice.

kgriffin@png.canwest.com

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