London transport chiefs ban 'gay cure' bus advert
London transport chiefs ban 'gay cure' bus advert
Transport chiefs have banned an advert which suggested gay people could be cured.
The campaign, mimicking an initiative by pro-gay group Stonewall, claimed therapy could change sexual orientation and had been due to run on London buses from next week.
But Transport for London (TfL) has now confirmed the adverts have been scrapped after an outcry.
Core Issues Trust, the group behind the adverts, said it was censorship.
TfL said the adverts did not reflect a "tolerant and inclusive" London.
A spokeswoman said: "The adverts are not currently running on any London buses and they will not do so."
From 1 April, 1,000 London buses carried adverts promoting equal marriage with the slogan "Some people are gay. Get over it!"
'Correct channels'
The posters, backed by Anglican Mainstream, read: "Not gay! Post-gay, ex-gay and proud. Get over it!"
The adverts were reportedly booked for two weeks by the Christian group Core Issues to display on vehicles running on five routes in central London, including top tourist destinations such as St Paul's Cathedral, Oxford Street, Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus.
Stonewall spokesman Andy Wasley said: "It is fantastic that no adverts will be promoting voodoo, gay-cure therapy in London."
Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: "It is clearly offensive to suggest that being gay is an illness that someone recovers from and I am not prepared to have that suggestion driven around London on our buses."
Core Issues co-director Mike Davidson said he did not realise censorship was in place.
He said: "We went through the correct channels and we were encouraged by the bus company to go through their procedures.
"They okayed it and now it has been pulled."
