Safeguards Now Required for Graphic Images on Flyers

Safeguards now required for graphic images of fetuses on flyers

Today, City Council voted unanimously to approve an amendment to the Calgary Community Standards Bylaw that will help protect people from viewing graphic images of fetuses when delivered to their homes.

This means that effective immediately, flyers that have graphic images of fetuses must be concealed in an opaque envelope, with a graphic content warning, and include the name and address of the sender, when delivered to homes.

The amendment introduces a layer of protection against individual family members being inadvertently exposed to graphic content when collecting flyers with the family mail. Images of aborted fetuses can be deeply traumatizing and harmful for some individuals when viewed unexpectedly. These pamphlets can traumatize the children, women and families in the community who had suffered pregnancy loss.

As a society, we accept that not all content is appropriate for everyone, which is why we have R-ratings for disturbing or mature films, for example. These pamphlets fall under that same category and it's reasonable to ask that they come with a content warning.

While we want to uphold the freedom of advocacy groups to express their opinions, we need to also balance our responsibility to protect communities.

The three requirements of the bylaw amendment carry separate fines of $1000 if violated.

If Calgarians receive a flyer with a graphic image of a fetus that is not enclosed in an envelope, with both a warning label and sender’s address, they may call 311 to report it.