An anti-gay campaign scheduled to begin
Monday has been blocked by London transport officials.
Core Issues Trust and Anglican
Mainstream, two Christian groups which believe gay men and lesbians
can and should alter their sexuality, are behind the advertisements
set to appear on five popular bus routes in the capital.
“Not gay! Post-gay, ex-gay and proud.
Get over it!” the bus campaign was to say.
London Mayor Boris Johnson, who chairs
Transport for London, pulled the advertisements amid public outrage,
the AP reported.
“London is one of the most tolerant
cities in the world and intolerant of intolerance,” Johnson said
Thursday. “It is clearly offensive to suggest being gay is an
illness someone recovers from and I am not prepared to have that
suggestion driven around London on our buses.”
Mike Davidson, co-director of Core
Issues Trust, decried the move as censorship.
“It is of deep concern that there can
only be one point of view and that is the point of view of
individuals who are determined to push through gay marriage and
apparently believe that homosexuality cannot be altered in any
possible way,” he said. “This is a disturbing development.”
The advertising campaign was cleared by
the city's Advertising Standards Authority.