Where do we draw the line between what is tasteful and offensive? Pacific peoples and their cultural values are often at odds with mainstream New Zealand where being politically correct is increasingly a turn-off. SPASIFIKmag.com investigates.
The Pacific community was recently at odds with offensive billboards promoting cures for sexual impotency. Signs with messages such as “Want Longer Lasting Sex” were explicitly displayed around south Auckland near highly populated areas and motorways. After several complaints from mainly church-going Pacific people, the billboards were pulled down.
The news this week that the emergency contraceptive “morning after” pill could soon be available free in Auckland pharmacies for teenage girls will likely reactivate the cultural sensitivity debate. The aim of this Auckland District Health Board proposal is to curb rising teenage pregnancy rates especially in "high-needs areas" - those of low income and/or high Maori or Pacific populations. The national abortion rate for girls under 15 has increased by half since the mid-1990s.
According to Ministry of Health statistics, 16% of Maori births were to mothers aged from 16-19, almost four times the rate for Europeans (4.4%) and over half the number of Pacific people (7.6%). Maori also led births for mothers aged under 16 over other ethnic groups.
The general pharmacy cost for the Morning After pill is $35. Many believe the move will leave out parents in decision making for their children.
And also in news this week, Publishers of the nation’s two most popular teen magazines ‘Dolly’ and ‘Girlfriend’ are also backing more sexual content (for educational purposes) in their publications arguing “that’s what teenagers want.”
There are also complaints about the sexual content in the recently released Grand Theft Auto IV video game which many youth have access to, even with the censor rating.
