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An Irish public service announcement from a government-funded group that urged grandparents to get consent before hugging their grandkids was yanked after fierce backlash and pleas from politicians for “a bit of common sense.”
The advert released by the group We-Consent — a project of the Dublin Rape Crisis Center — was axed after it was deemed “inappropriate and demeaning to grandparents,” Jim O’Callaghan, Minister for Justice of Ireland, announced on Thursday.
“The video produced by the DRCC involving grandparents does not represent the views of the Government,” O’Callaghan, whose department was a source of funding for the campaign, wrote in a post on X.
“It was both inappropriate and demeaning to grandparents and has been removed by DRCC following my officials’ engagement with them,” O’Callaghan said.
“It goes without saying that having loving grandparents in a child’s life is an incredibly positive thing to be cherished and not something to be campaigned against.”
The 25-second ad featured one grandchild happily hugging their grandparents, while another appears uncomfortable as her grandparents lean in for an embrace.
“Not everyone wants a hug. Even from the people who love them,” the video declared.
“Awkward? Maybe. Important? Absolutely,” the campaign added.
We-Consent, supported by Ireland’s Department of Justice and Department of Children, Disability, and Equality, is a national program that aims to inform and engage all members of society about consent.
“While it is vital to ensure that people understand the concept of consent when it comes to sexual relationships, this video did not advance that aim and, in many ways, was counterproductive,” O’Callaghan added of the choice to remove the ad.
The advert, one of three in the group’s campaign, drew fierce backlash from politicians and on social media following its release.
Irish Councilor Gavin Pepper slammed both the “Government and [non-governmental organizations]” for “losing the run of ourselves.”
“Of course children should be taught about boundaries and nobody should ever be forced into physical contact they don’t want,” the pol wrote on Facebook alongside the video ad.
“But we also need a bit of common sense,” he said.
Some social media users called for an investigation into how the video campaign received funding.
“How exactly did it happen, and how was it funded? I’m sick of these attacks on the Irish family, once the absolute bedrock of our culture,” wrote Irish singer Róisín Murphy.
Other users supported the campaign’s choice to highlight consent issues among family members and teaching children how to set boundaries.
“You can dislike the ad (I do), but consent is not just about sexual relationships. It is actually healthy to teach children that they are entitled to physical boundaries & pointing out they are not obliged to embrace anyone (including grandparents) is good,” one X user said.
“The ad is highlighting differences in childrens needs and the imp of consent. It is not campaigning against grandparents. Dear god in heaven!!!,” another wrote.