[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/sexist-ads-who-even-approves-them\/#NewsArticle","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/sexist-ads-who-even-approves-them\/","headline":"Sexist ads: Who even approves them?","name":"Sexist ads: Who even approves them?","description":"A sexist ad, posted by dating website Match.com was recently banned by the British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) earlier this month \u2013 four months after it was posted on popular video-sharing app TikTok in June.\u00a0 ASA is an independent regulator that enforces the country\u2019s ad rules. The clip showed a subservient woman giving a man [&hellip;]","datePublished":"2022-10-15","dateModified":"2022-10-15","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/author\/editor1\/#Person","name":"Judith Tan","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/author\/editor1\/","identifier":57,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/Judith-Tan-100x100.jpg","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/Judith-Tan-100x100.jpg","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"TheHomeGround Asia","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2021-07-22-222533.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2021-07-22-222533.jpeg","width":640,"height":640}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/TNP-2.jpg","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/TNP-2.jpg","height":900,"width":1600},"url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/sexist-ads-who-even-approves-them\/","commentCount":"273","comment":[{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/sexist-ads-who-even-approves-them\/#Comment1","dateCreated":"2026-08-17 04:04:15","description":"Generic Viagra online [url=https:\/\/mencarevirtual.com\/#]Viagra generic over the counter[\/url] Cheap Sildenafil 100mg","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jesustrize","url":""}},{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/sexist-ads-who-even-approves-them\/#Comment2","dateCreated":"2026-08-17 03:43:44","description":"Buy Viagra online cheap: <a href=\"https:\/\/mencarevirtual.com\/#\" rel=\"nofollow ugc\">Buy generic 100mg Viagra online<\/a> - buy Viagra over the counter","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Michaelcoich","url":""}},{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/sexist-ads-who-even-approves-them\/#Comment3","dateCreated":"2026-08-17 00:24:51","description":"generic sildenafil: <a href=\"https:\/\/mencarevirtual.shop\/#\" rel=\"nofollow ugc\">best price for viagra 100mg<\/a> - over the counter sildenafil","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Michaelcoich","url":""}},{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/sexist-ads-who-even-approves-them\/#Comment4","dateCreated":"2026-08-16 22:52:59","description":"https:\/\/mencarevirtual.shop\/# MenCare Virtual","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Colintom","url":""}},{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/sexist-ads-who-even-approves-them\/#Comment5","dateCreated":"2026-08-16 22:21:06","description":"https:\/\/mencarevirtual.shop\/# Cheap Viagra 100mg \r\nbest price for viagra 100mg","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Henrywoove","url":""}},{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/sexist-ads-who-even-approves-them\/#Comment6","dateCreated":"2026-08-16 16:51:03","description":"https:\/\/mencarevirtual.com\/# best price for viagra 100mg \r\nViagra online price","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Henrywoove","url":""}},{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/sexist-ads-who-even-approves-them\/#Comment7","dateCreated":"2026-08-16 16:18:53","description":"http:\/\/mencarevirtual.com\/# MenCare Virtual","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Colintom","url":""}},{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/sexist-ads-who-even-approves-them\/#Comment8","dateCreated":"2026-08-16 12:56:41","description":"over the counter sildenafil: <a href=\"https:\/\/mencarevirtual.com\/#\" rel=\"nofollow ugc\">MenCare<\/a> - viagra without prescription","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"MartinDoozy","url":""}},{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/sexist-ads-who-even-approves-them\/#Comment9","dateCreated":"2026-08-16 10:38:24","description":"https:\/\/mencarevirtual.com\/# MenCare \r\nsildenafil 50 mg price","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Henrywoove","url":""}},{"@type":"Comment","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/sexist-ads-who-even-approves-them\/#Comment10","dateCreated":"2026-08-16 10:18:38","description":"best price for viagra 100mg [url=https:\/\/mencarevirtual.shop\/#]Order Viagra 50 mg online[\/url] viagra without prescription","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Jesustrize","url":""}}],"about":["Community","Local","Sex &amp; Gender","Short Read","Singapore"],"wordCount":784,"keywords":["AAMS","Ang Peng Hwa","ASA","ASAS","aware","CASE","Goh Shufen","Liat Towers","Match.com","OverEasy","SAFRA","TikTok"],"articleBody":"A sexist ad, posted by dating website Match.com was recently banned by the British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) earlier this month \u2013 four months after it was posted on popular video-sharing app TikTok in June.\u00a0ASA is an independent regulator that enforces the country\u2019s ad rules.The clip showed a subservient woman giving a man a protein drink while he has his feet up, organising socks and towels, and turning the TV on for him and throughout the video, a woman\u2019s voice was heard saying, \u201c I will make him his protein drink after the gym. I always make sure he has a fresh towel and socks after his shower. I put the football on for him every evening.\u201dThe video shows a woman saying she&#8217;s &#8220;a keeper&#8221;, doing all sorts of chores and tasks for the man, who did not reciprocate. (Photo source: The Guardian)At the end of the ad titled \u201cThings that make me realise I&#8217;m a keeper\u201d, the woman adds, \u201cFind your keeper via Match. Go download the Match app today.\u201dBritish ASA said the Match.com TikTok video \u201cperpetuated negative gender stereotypes and was likely to cause harm and widespread offence\u201d. It rejected the dating app\u2019s argument that the video aimed to highlight \u201csmall genuine acts of kindness within a relationship.\u201dA 2015 sexy-st ad for Orchard eatery got women \u2026 and men\u2026 bummedSingapore did not escape the onslaught of sexist ads.\u00a0This 2014 promotional poster by SAFRA came under criticism for being sexist and distasteful towards women. (Photo source: AWARE\/SAFRA)In 2014, a promotional poster by SAFRA came under criticism for being sexist and distasteful towards women. Spotted at a bus stop in Upper Thomson, it had two men at a gym, with a woman in the foreground and the two men were depicted being distracted by the woman.The caption in the poster says, \u201cA great workout, good friends and some healthy distractions. \u2026 There will never be a dull moment here. Get more out of life with our membership.\u201d\u00a0In a letter to SAFRA, leading women&#8217;s rights and gender equality group AWARE Singapore wrote, \u201c&#8230; persistent unwanted leering, leading to offensive remarks and\/or sexual harassment or even assault is something that women are much more likely to experience from men\u201d.\u201cYour ad contributes to this culture.\u00a0 By referring to women as \u2018healthy distractions\u2019 for men, it tells men that the women using the gym are objects to be stared at, whether or not the women are okay with it.\u00a0 It tells men that it is legitimate for them to engage in behaviour that might make women feel belittled, uncomfortable or threatened, as a common precursor to non-consensual harassment,\u201d the group wrote.Sexist ads did not stop there.A year later in 2015, eatery OverEasy teased the \u201cpalate\u201d of potential patrons when it was opening a second outlet in Orchard Road but being \u201covertly clever\u201d with its ad left a bad taste in the mouth of many.OverEasy, which was taking over the 3,500 sq ft space at Liat Towers, put up a large billboard featuring three scantily-clad women exposing their buttocks with the tagline, \u201cSeriously sexy buns. Two are better than one. Smack that, Aug 2015\u201d.Reports were made to Singapore&#8217;s advertising watchdog, the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (ASAS). It was established in 1976 and relied on voluntary compliance from industry stakeholders such as advertisers and media owners.\u00a0This 2013 ad by the Singapore Cancer Society was aimed to raise awareness on the importance of getting regular pap smears but it got labelled &#8220;tacky&#8221; and &#8220;sexist&#8221;. (Photo source: Wardrobe Trends Fashion)ASAS, which is an advisory council under the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE), flexes its muscles by getting media owners to withhold ads that flout the rules. Feedback on sexist ads fell from 307 in 2013 to 272 in 2015, while feedback about online advertisements doubled from 45 in 2014 to 91.But when TheHomeGround Asia approached ASAS to find out how many complaints ASAS has received in the past year for sexism, negative gender stereotyping in advertisements and commercials and whether the watchdog police dating apps and sites to ensure there is such stereotyping, both ASAS and its chairman, Professor Ang Peng Hwa, declined to comment.President of the Association of Advertising and Marketing Singapore (AAMS) Goh Shufen said, \u201cIn this social media first era, consumers own the most powerful voice and vote. Brands simply cannot afford to be tone deaf to these obvious stereotypes that are no longer acceptable for the young generation the ad is targeting.\u201dAAMS, however, does not police advertisements.RELATED: More than 1 in 2 experienced discrimination at work, AWARE-Milieu survey findsJoin the conversations on TheHomeGround Asia\u2019s Facebook and Instagram, and get the latest updates via Telegram."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Destinations","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Singapore","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/\/singapore\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Sexist ads: Who even approves them?","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/sexist-ads-who-even-approves-them\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]