Prudish L.A. nixes 'Hooters for Neuters'
Some of L.A.'s most buxom babes will strut their stuff next month to benefit stray animals, but the city of Los Angeles said Tuesday it is pulling out of the controversial "Hooters for Neuters" bikini contest. After an outcry from women's groups, female city employees and pressure by City Controller Laura Chick, the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services announced that it would disassociate itself from the July 13 event, which Hooters says will still be held.
"It's become controversial and offensive to enough people that we're at a tipping point," Ed Boks, general manager of animal services, said late Tuesday. "We're done with the event.
"This was my decision to go into it, and my decision to get out."Boks originally supported the contest as a way to encourage more men to spay and neuter their pets.
Critics say that the city of Los Angeles - with strict standards of equality in the workplace - should never have associated itself with a contest that they say stereotypes and objectifies women.
On Monday, Los Angeles Animal Services Commissioners objected to the contest. Chick asked Boks on Tuesday to withdraw from the the event.
"This has crossed a line ... This isn't funny," said Chick just prior to animal services' decision not to accept any funds from the contest. The money was set to go to city animal shelters."We are not that desperate for money that we have to (raise) it in a way that exploits women in skimpy outfits to attract men." The city's decision surprised Hooters' management.
"I'm shocked," said Evan Seals, manager of Hooters of Hollywood. "There's a lot of manpower working on this right now."The event is still going to take place," he said, with proceeds likely to go to another animal cause.
The Hooters of Hollywood Charity Benefit Bikini Contest at the Highlands nightclub is to feature "hot babes" from four Los Angeles Hooters restaurants.
The club approached Boks a month ago with an offer to donate proceeds of the live band and bikini event near the Kodak Theatre to city shelter spay and neuter programs. Tickets were to cost $20 at the door.
Chic said Boks told her it was difficult to convince men to fix their animals.
Boks said he hoped to raise another $1 million a year to spay and neuter the pets of needy residents to make Los Angeles a no-kill city. For the first time, Boks said the city euthanasia rate dropped below 20,000 in the past 12 months.
"We are not a well-funded department," said Boks, a former evangelical preacher, before the decision. "The thing I've been preaching from the beginning is that ending euthanasia in Los Angeles is a community effort.
"It was not our intention to offend. As a general manager, I personally apologize to anyone who was offended."
Controversy erupted as soon as a titillating link to the Hooters bikini contest was posted Friday on a Los Angeles Animal Services Web site, then later removed.
The Hooters of Hollywood ads, on its Web site and on Craigslist.com, feature city Animal Services logos next to bikini-clad women.Boks said Budweiser designed the ads without consulting Animal Services officials.
"The commissioners support raising money for the animals, but not at the expense of offending and demeaning humans," said Animal Services Commissioner Deborah A. Knaan. "The department logo should never have been placed in an ad for a bikini contest."
"What were they thinking? I can't even imagine," added Kathy Spillar, executive vice president of the Feminist Majority Foundation, an advocate of women's equality.
"This is such a throwback - a city agency using stereotypes of women, exploiting women, to get men to bring in their pets."
Others said Los Angeles has always made money on exploiting sexual images. Some pointed to political donations from Playboy Enterprises Inc. to elected officials.
Last weekend, the Los Angeles Convention Center hosted Erotica LA 2006, a three-day expo featuring booths selling pornography and sex toys.
A spokesman for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa did not return calls seeking comment.
Some animal supporters did not object to the contest.
"There's no better way to get the attention of a male to be interested in animal abuse issues," said Sky Valencia, founder of St. Martin's Animal Foundation in Acton and of the Vegan Vixens, a group of barely clad women who promote vegetarianism and animal welfare.
"There's nothing wrong with a bikini contest - Miss America has a bikini contest and everybody watches it."
"It's become controversial and offensive to enough people that we're at a tipping point," Ed Boks, general manager of animal services, said late Tuesday. "We're done with the event.
"This was my decision to go into it, and my decision to get out."Boks originally supported the contest as a way to encourage more men to spay and neuter their pets.
Critics say that the city of Los Angeles - with strict standards of equality in the workplace - should never have associated itself with a contest that they say stereotypes and objectifies women.
On Monday, Los Angeles Animal Services Commissioners objected to the contest. Chick asked Boks on Tuesday to withdraw from the the event.
"This has crossed a line ... This isn't funny," said Chick just prior to animal services' decision not to accept any funds from the contest. The money was set to go to city animal shelters."We are not that desperate for money that we have to (raise) it in a way that exploits women in skimpy outfits to attract men." The city's decision surprised Hooters' management.
"I'm shocked," said Evan Seals, manager of Hooters of Hollywood. "There's a lot of manpower working on this right now."The event is still going to take place," he said, with proceeds likely to go to another animal cause.
The Hooters of Hollywood Charity Benefit Bikini Contest at the Highlands nightclub is to feature "hot babes" from four Los Angeles Hooters restaurants.
The club approached Boks a month ago with an offer to donate proceeds of the live band and bikini event near the Kodak Theatre to city shelter spay and neuter programs. Tickets were to cost $20 at the door.
Chic said Boks told her it was difficult to convince men to fix their animals.
Boks said he hoped to raise another $1 million a year to spay and neuter the pets of needy residents to make Los Angeles a no-kill city. For the first time, Boks said the city euthanasia rate dropped below 20,000 in the past 12 months.
"We are not a well-funded department," said Boks, a former evangelical preacher, before the decision. "The thing I've been preaching from the beginning is that ending euthanasia in Los Angeles is a community effort.
"It was not our intention to offend. As a general manager, I personally apologize to anyone who was offended."
Controversy erupted as soon as a titillating link to the Hooters bikini contest was posted Friday on a Los Angeles Animal Services Web site, then later removed.
The Hooters of Hollywood ads, on its Web site and on Craigslist.com, feature city Animal Services logos next to bikini-clad women.Boks said Budweiser designed the ads without consulting Animal Services officials.
"The commissioners support raising money for the animals, but not at the expense of offending and demeaning humans," said Animal Services Commissioner Deborah A. Knaan. "The department logo should never have been placed in an ad for a bikini contest."
"What were they thinking? I can't even imagine," added Kathy Spillar, executive vice president of the Feminist Majority Foundation, an advocate of women's equality.
"This is such a throwback - a city agency using stereotypes of women, exploiting women, to get men to bring in their pets."
Others said Los Angeles has always made money on exploiting sexual images. Some pointed to political donations from Playboy Enterprises Inc. to elected officials.
Last weekend, the Los Angeles Convention Center hosted Erotica LA 2006, a three-day expo featuring booths selling pornography and sex toys.
A spokesman for Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa did not return calls seeking comment.
Some animal supporters did not object to the contest.
"There's no better way to get the attention of a male to be interested in animal abuse issues," said Sky Valencia, founder of St. Martin's Animal Foundation in Acton and of the Vegan Vixens, a group of barely clad women who promote vegetarianism and animal welfare.
"There's nothing wrong with a bikini contest - Miss America has a bikini contest and everybody watches it."
posted by Mr Farnham at
7:22 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home