MIAMI — Representatives of the gay hookup site Squirt.org have confirmed that the company's ads were removed from phone kiosks throughout Miami. Squirt.org said that the ads "were removed after pushback from conservative city officials due to allegations of community backlash" but also said that "the only complaint came from a single resident, Michael Rajner, on Mar. 8 during a commission meeting."
"Unfortunately, we learned all of our ads were required by the city to be removed by the city on Mar. 14 due to apparent complaints by community members," said Attila Szatmari, digital business director for Pink Triangle Press, Squirt's parent company. "However, upon further investigation, we learned of only a single complaint on record. Having used similar campaigns successfully around the world, we're extremely disappointed at the decision to cave under the most minimal pressure. This reeks of discrimination and prejudice."
The ads in question feature a man in a tank top with the slogan "real guys, real hookups" and additional text promoting Squirt.org.
"Our ads promote gay cruising and casual hookups, but we always take great lengths to ensure our ads meet community standards before they are ever posted," Szatmari said.
Squirt.org has conducted successful advertising campaigns around the world, including Australia, United Kingdom, Canada and the Netherlands as well as in cities across the United States. Its ads have also been the source of controversy, such as with incidents in Toronto and Miami.
For more information on Squirt.org, visit their official website or follow them on Twitter.