Outrage as prisoners ‘forced’ to remove ‘hardcore’ posters – but gay inmates can keep theirs
David Beckham, Adam Peaty and Poldark will continue to adorn the walls of prison cells.
Outrage was caused across the UK today, after news broke that prison inmates will no longer be allowed to plaster their cell walls with hardcore porn.
Bosses at HMP High Down prison in Surry reportedly claim that some posters – featuring graphic images of naked women – had caused offence among other prisoners, prison staff and inspectors.
However, gay inmates will still be allowed to put up pictures of their favourite male stars – including footballing legend David Beckham and Sunday night favourite Poldark, played by Aidan Turner – leading to claims of “sexism”.
“Who decides what is distasteful?” Karl Linden – a former Lib Dem spokesman on LGBT issues wrote in prison mag The Insider.
“I have pictures of Olympian Adam Peaty in his trunks but apparently that’s fine.
“It is unfair on my fellow inmates to have their walls stripped bare whilst mine is left alone.”
Prison bosses argue their is a vast difference between the images and that straight inmates will still be allowed to put up pictures, as long as they do depict exposed breasts, vaginas or women in “compromising” positions.
“The stuff some prisoners have is hardcore and can’t be compared to Poldark with his shirt off,” one guard told the Metro.
Despite this, it seems the Metro agrees with Mr Linden – claiming the move favours gay inmates, rather than the women – referred to as “pin-ups” – objectified in such images.
“Ban on jail pin-ups but gay lags can drool over Poldark,” the paper wrote.
A similar headline was featured in the Daily Star, which wrote: “Prison boob ban: Straight lags’ walls stripped bare but gay hunk pics still allowed.”
Related: Journalism union condemns ‘out-dated homophobic tropes’ in PrEP coverage
