This NSW Music Festival Is Banning “Demeaning”, “Misogynistic” Wicked Camper Vans
"If ANY Wicked Camper turns up at the fest they won’t be welcome."
The organisers of the Wollombi Music Festival in NSW have banned all Wicked Campers vans from their 2019 event, slamming the van hire company’s “pathetically unfunny and misogynistic slogans”.
“We’re great believers in embracing inclusivity and diversity at Wollombi and creating a space where everyone can feel comfortable, safe and enjoy themselves,” said festival organisers in a statement. “For years we’ve had concerns about any Wicked Campers turning up at the festival with some of their pathetically unfunny and misogynistic slogans splattered across its panels.
“We’ve actively discouraged people from hiring them and encouraged patrons to look elsewhere, but this year we’ve decided to ban them full-stop. Not just if a van has a demeaning slogan. If ANY Wicked Camper turns up at the fest they won’t be welcome.”
“We know other events like Splendour have voiced their opposition, but we’re not sure if any other festival has banned them outright,” the statement continued. “We know we’re small, but any impact we can have on changing the culture of demeaning and abusing women disguised as good fun or an example of free speech we will.”
Wicked Campers have repeatedly been criticised for the explicit and sexually demeaning slogans and graphics featured on some of their vans. Earlier this month, one of their vans was deregistered after the Advertising Standards Bureau found that the slogan “you’re not a woman until humans come out of your vagina and trample on your dreams” was offensive to transgender women.
h/t scenestr. Feature image via Rob and Stephanie Levy/Flickr, used under Creative Commons