Victorian morals

I read Luisa Tam's article headlined 'Empty minds, sexist advertising' (September 6) with two emotions: sorrow and disgust.

To reduce our culture to being 'empty' and 'sick', due in large part to the world of advertising, is beyond the pale, ill-informed and irresponsible. Thus my sorrow. The only comment in the column which I endorse is: 'Sexual discrimination should not be tolerated.'

She says: 'We all know that the most basic human desire is sex'. Thus my disgust. This is simply not true. It is a comment thrown in possibly to be provocative. It is well known that survival is the most basic desire.

Tam says that women are wrongly used and sexually portrayed in advertising because of men, who hold the authority. I take strong exception to this. I am a woman and one of authority in the advertising world as I have been for 17 years and have used and will continue to portray both men and women attractively. Tam calls this 'sexual exploitation'. It appears she, by innuendo, is advocating that we return to Victorian mores. If so, the statue of David and the sculpture of Venus de Milo should be destroyed or taken from public view.

Or possibly, she would have all women shrouded behind veils. Tam needs to step into year 2003 and recognise how physically lovely men and women are.

JOANNA HOR-WAI CHING BARNES, Mid-Levels