AIDS Ads, Part 3
We continue our survey of safe-sex ads responding to the AIDS epidemic. Some ads showed nothing more than butts, like this ad by the AIDS Committee of Toronto ...
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and this delightful public billboard in Switzerland ...
or they coyly hid the goods, like this ad or poster by the Real AIDS Grazer Kunstverein in Graz, Austria.
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Other ads showed frontal views, but carefully not erect. This interesting 1990s ad by the German organization Deutsche AIDS Hilfe sends the message that it's OK to be gay and it's OK to be disabled. The text proclaims "Confidently gay, confidently disabled." Down at the bottom in small print it lists safe sex practices.
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Another 1990s ad by Deutsche AIDS Hilfe says "Right here? But safe!"
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Our third 1990s ad by Deutsche AIDS Hilfe is a pun on Einer Trage des Anderen Last (Bear One Another's Burdens), the title of a 1988 German film, by substituting Lust for Last, so it now says "Bear One Another's Desire."
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Some ads and posters went a step further and actually showed an erection, like this ad for World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, 1992, by the Association of Gays and Lesbians in Lyons, France. The text says "Put on a condom and dive into pleasure without playing with fire." I guess the image of a devil about to fuck an angel is supposed to illustrate playing with fire, but since the devil is wearing a condom, they're not playing with fire.
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Here's a 1993 ad by the Real AIDS Grazer Kunstverein in Graz, Austria. It's simple and direct: wear a condom, stop AIDS, and celebrate.
And other ads went as far as showing guys having sex. In this 1993 ad by the Terrence Higgins Trust, the sex is merely suggested by the photo, though it's mentioned in the text.
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But this 1990s ad by Deutsche AIDS Hilfe is direct and explicit. The text says "Blowing OK. Pull out before you come."
We'll see more AIDS ads and posters next time.
7 comments:
In the penultimate ad, they could be frotting. Which is safe.
Good post!
That bottom ad is absolutely my favorite. My fervent desire!
A native German speaker should check my work, but slight translating nuances were missed.
Sicher Sex (safe sex) was the thrust of the campaign. So with the italics the meaning is:
Right here?
But safe!
Even in the throws of passion in non-traditional settings, sure, stay safe. It's a nice poster!
"Lust" can also indicate joy along with wanting. So this ad is upbeat. Sex can be enjoyed & you can support your partner being safe. Lust in English has a value judgement against it, closer to the word Leidenschaft in German. This is more playful.
Pull out before it comes.
You had the main meanings in the translating. What I always liked about the Northern European safe sex campaigns, is the total different starting point than other cultures. They assumed men are sexual beings. Meh have sex wherever, without shame attached. Most all stressed continuing to enjoy sex with good outcomes.
Hello from West Seattle
@Anon - Thanks for the German translations. I studied German, but it was a long time ago. I have updated the text. The most important change was that I had translated "sicher" to mean "certain" instead of "safe", which completely changes the meaning. "Safe" makes much more sense. I also changed "lust" to "desire", to eliminate any negative connotations. I changed "get out" to "pull out", as you suggested, but I left "before you come" rather than "before it comes." The German literally just says "out before it comes," which doesn't work very well in English.
love these pics. Like a time machine!
Wonderful post, as always. Ads were so different in other countries. I would see them while traveling in the 90s and be amazed.
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