Mexicans wear awful hats … and will give you AIDS
by guest contributor Laura Martinez, originally published at mi blog es tu blog
Talk about ads that speak for themselves. This print campaign was assigned by Marie Stopes, a British NGO, warning Brits about the dangers of unprotected sex. What’s more embarrassing -his hat or what he might give you? asks the copy showing, what else?, a guy wearing a big Mexican hat (similar to that of my friend Pedro, from Pedroland)
According to Mexico’s press reports, the NGO has apologized to the Mexican government, saying it was not its intention to single out Mexicans as purveyors of deadly diseases, and that the posters were distributed through several British clinics years ago.
OK, but what about the hat? can someone tell the Brits that –even though we ALL wear these things on our heads– we don’t actually write the word MEXICO on them… How ignorant is that?
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
Brooklynite wrote:
I’d have assumed that the guy was a fellow tourist, and that the hat was a kitsch item. I’ve seen holiday snapshots of US tourists wearing such hats on visits to Mexican border towns.
Posted 31 Aug 2007 at 8:32 am ¶
Mimi wrote:
I guess this type of ad is focused on the people that don’t know you’re not supposed to go to different countries and have unprotected sex with strangers. What’s funny to me is it seems to imply that they can’t get “unwanted holiday souvenirs” in their own country. The ad is stupid in general.
Posted 31 Aug 2007 at 9:34 am ¶
Jack D. wrote:
I’m with Brook on this one. Call me naive, but I figured it was a warning against hooking up with *any* stranger on a trip, and the guy in the photo was merely a fellow tourist. Because, really, only another stupid traveler would ever wear something that tacky.
Posted 31 Aug 2007 at 10:05 am ¶
lavalady wrote:
Hypersensitive to messed up messages in media, I totally read this as “don’t have unsafe sex with other tourists while on holiday”, not as “stay away from dirty Mexican men”.
The guy is a boob wearing a big crazy souvenir hat – screams TOURIST!!!!! to me.
But I get that it could be read in another way.
Posted 31 Aug 2007 at 10:29 am ¶
Aerik wrote:
I saw what Brooklynite saw. That guy didn’t look Mexican to me. He looked like yet another 20-something douche bag who visits Tijuana on Spring Break and comes back with an STD and a poor, aching liver.
Posted 31 Aug 2007 at 12:38 pm ¶
Aerik wrote:
And oh, 90% of people in Tijuana in tourist season are drunk white 20-somethings.
Posted 31 Aug 2007 at 12:38 pm ¶
Cassie wrote:
Considering how much Brits drink, the MEXICO hat would be helpful for reminding them where the hell they are.
Posted 31 Aug 2007 at 3:08 pm ¶
al wrote:
i thought it was a tourist when i first looked at it too. however, that man is by no means ‘20 something” and must be at least 45.
Posted 01 Sep 2007 at 3:05 am ¶
crista wrote:
i think the reason people were upset is the idea that Mexico must be SO teeming with STDs that any person back from holiday from Mexico was sure to ALSO be bringing back an STD.
Its is kindof offensive, if you think like..OH you just came back from Africa, you must have contracted AIDS there, or OH you just came back from COUNTRY X you must have contracted an STD, as well as picking up your ridiculous hat.
Plus knowing Britain and its culture right of passage of gap year, its probably more aimed at that sort of demographic..jsut back from crazy holiday overseas, the “average Joe” British guy might ALSO have some STD he picked up in crazy third world country travels.
anyway. my reading of the ad.
Posted 01 Sep 2007 at 4:53 am ¶
Fiqah wrote:
Oh, you’ve GOT to be joking.
Posted 05 Sep 2007 at 12:50 pm ¶
S wrote:
Totally, this is a fellow tourist. He doesn’t even look Mexican, can I say that here? Brits like to go on tours and get wasted and sleep with each other which is a good way to spread std’s. Am i allowed to categorize Brits? To over-sensitive to a message which is more important, ie that of your sexual health.
Posted 05 Sep 2007 at 11:26 pm ¶