A note from our publisher

We received some phone calls, emails and letters from our readers who were upset with an advertisement we ran in our San Diego LGBT Pride Guide, which was delivered with the July 13 issue of San Diego Uptown News.

It was in poor judgement that we ran this ad. The advertisement came in last minute and we requested new ad copy to no avail. We were under a tight deadline with our printer. With deadline pressure, sometimes newspapers make mistakes. We assure you this will not happen again next year, apologize for the situation and hope you will continue reading and engaging with San Diego Uptown News.

—David Mannis, publisher of SDCNN, parent company of San Diego Uptown News.

Disappointment with Hankey’s Toys

Dear publisher and editor of San Diego Uptown News,

I am a recently retired career K-12 educator. My husband and I are residents of San Diego in the North Park neighborhood and look forward to receiving your newspaper when it is delivered to our home. We find the articles and ads informative which keep us abreast of local happenings, restaurants, and people who live in our area. We love the diversity of our neighborhood, and support the rights of all people, including our friends and neighbors who are a part of the LGBTQ community.

This morning, while reading the San Diego LGBT Pride Guide, I was blindsided by the advertisement for Hankey’s Toys found on page A23 of this supplement. I am not prudish nor naive, however I found your inclusion of this full-page ad to be offensive, disgusting and completely unnecessary.

My feelings aside, your periodical is on the doorstep of thousands of homes which include those of many families with children. This vulgar graphic ad could be potentially damaging if seen by young viewers and can lead to negative emotional, psychological and physical health outcomes.

I am really disappointed in your newspaper. In the future, I hope you will choose advertisements instead from the many businesses, including those that cater to adults, that have good taste and consider all of their potential readers.

—Claudia Gallant, via email.