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Sex-role Stereotyping Guidelines were originally developed by the Canadian Radio-Television Telecommunications Commission Task Force on Sex-role Stereotyping in the Broadcast Media in 1981. Advertising Standards Canada, on behalf of the advertising industry, accepted responsibility for their administration and extended their purview to all Canadian paid media. The Guidelines were revised in 1987 and again in 1993 when they were renamed the Gender Portrayal Guidelines after an extensive consultation process with the advertising industry and public representatives.
These Guidelines represent one important element of the Canadian advertising industry's commitment to self-regulation. Experience has shown that self-regulation, involving industry and public representatives, is effective in creating positive change and is more flexible and less costly to administer than government regulation.
Introduction
The social and professional roles of men and women in Canadian society have changed and continue to change dramatically. Women and men participate at every level of society and communication is changing to reflect this reality. However, sexual and sex-role stereotyping, demeaning references or images and words that exclude women are still found in everyday dialogue and in the media. Such portrayals are incompatible with the goal of gender equality.
The following Gender Portrayal Guidelines are based on Advertising Standards Canada's experience in dealing with comments and concerns about the roles and portrayal of women and men in advertising over the past 20 or more years. They are not a "how to" guide, nor do they cover all situations which require care in gender portrayal. They do, however, provide direction in those areas which, based on the number and/or type of consumer complaints received by the ASC, appear to have been most problematic.
These Guidelines are designed to help creators of advertising develop positive images of men and women and eliminate systemic discrimination based on gender. Advertisers and their agencies are reminded that consultation with the ASC at the storyboard or concept stage, can help avoid the expense of producing messages which in their final form may conflict with the Guidelines.
Interpretation Guide
1. Caution should be taken to ensure that the overall impression of an ad does not violate the spirit of gender equality even though the individual elements of the ad may not violate any particular guideline.
2. While the Guidelines pertain to both women and men, some clauses are particularly directed to the portrayal of women. Men and women are not at equal risk of being negatively portrayed and these Guidelines recognize that fact.
3. Humour, works of art and historical settings can all be positive elements in advertising. However, these techniques should not serve as an excuse to stereotype women or men or to portray behaviour which is not acceptable today.
4. The Consumer Response Councils may consider the nature of the media used when assessments are made. Sensitivity should be demonstrated in choosing media vehicles for certain product categories, such as intimate or personal products.
Gender Portrayal Guidelines
1. Authority
Advertising should strive to provide an equal representation of women and men in roles of authority both for the characters within the actual advertising scenario and when representing the advertiser through announcers, voice-overs, experts and on-camera authorities.
2. Decision-Making
Women and men should be portrayed equally as single decision-makers for all purchases including big-ticket items. Where joint decision-making is reflected, men and women should be portrayed as equal participants in the decision-making process whether in the workplace or at home.
3. Sexuality
Advertising should avoid the inappropriate use or exploitation of sexuality of both women and men.
4. Violence
Neither sex should be portrayed as exerting domination over the other by means of overt or implied threats, or actual force.
5. Diversity
Advertising should portray both women and men in the full spectrum of diversity and as equally competent in a wide range of activities both inside and outside the home.
6. Language
Advertising should avoid language that misrepresents, offends or excludes women or men.
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