Perfume Genius Album Trailer Banned

Google has banned a YouTube advertisement  for Perfume Genius’ new record, ‘Put Your Back N 2 It’.

Perfume Genius’ label, Matador made a 16 second trailer featuring two men in a topless embrace, available to watch above, which was quickly removed by Google.

In response to Matador querying the removal of the video, Google/ YouTube issued the following statement:

“The ad has been disapproved because it violates our Adult Image/Video Content policy. Per this policy, video content, audio, static imagery, and site content must be family safe. Any ads that contain non family safe material are disapproved.  I noted to the team that the people in the video are not entirely unclothed, but the overall feeling of the video is one of a more adult nature, including promoting mature sexual themes and what appears to be nude content. As such, the video is non family safe.  In order to have this video ad approved, you will need to bring it into compliance with our policy.”

Matador asked twice for clarification about which part(s) were problematic and the editing they would require to bring the video into compliance, and have not yet received a response.

Former REM singer Michael Stipe reacted angrily to the news, saying: “For YouTube to deem this advertisement as ‘non family safe’ is dumbheaded discrimination. I find their actions in doing so disgraceful and cowardly. YouTube, shame on you. You were born of the 21st Century, now act like it.”

The song featured in the video, ‘All Waters’, focuses on internalized homophobia and is based on Mike Hadreas’, aka Perfume Genius, own experiences.

The video features Hadreas and porn star Arpad Miklos, both of whom are in the full video for ‘All Waters’.

Perfume Genius is set to release ‘Put Your Back N 2 It’ in February.