Toronto: An animal rights poster showing "Baywatch" actress Pamela Anderson in a bikini with her body parts marked as pieces of meat has been banned by authorities in Montreal.
The ad for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) says: "All animals have the same parts. Have a heart. Go vegetarian."
The Montreal Film and TV Commission has refused permission to PETA to stage the poster unveiling event in the city`s busy Place Jacques-Cartier.
"I have to inform you that we, as public officials representing a municipal government, cannot endorse this image of Ms. Anderson," a spokesperson for the commission said.
"It is not so much controversial as it goes against all principles public organisations are fighting for in the everlasting battle of equality between men and women," he said.
The Canadian-born Anderson, an ardent supporter of animal rights, who is in Montreal to unveil the poster Thursday, said the behaviour of city authorities was "puritanical".
"In a city that is known for its exotic dancing and for being progressive and edgy, how sad that a woman would be banned from using her own body in a political protest over the suffering of cows and chickens," she said.
PETA has now decided to hold the poster launch function in a restaurant which needs no permit from the authorities.
"In this sexy ad for PETA, the blonde bombshell shows some serious skin and looks as if she`s been tagged by a butcher, making it clear that humans and animals are composed of identical parts. In the ad, Pamela Anderson shows off her outer-and inner-beauty to promote a vegetarian diet and point out the similarities between humans and animals," said the animal rights group.
Defending the poster, PETA president Ingrid Newkirk said: "Your body is something you should be able to use for anything that`s not harmful to anyone else.
"This is not harmful to anyone else. It`s in fact intended to stop harm to what Pam calls `sisters under the skin`, which are the most exploited animals in the meat business - the females."
IANS
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.