AN AUSTRALIAN MEN’S magazine has been forced to apologised after running a competition for the country’s “hottest asylum seeker”.
Zoo Weekly ran the feature as part of an article called “Sexiest Boat People”, The Racket reports. The piece featured pictures of bikini-clad girls on yachts and the tagline “If the government can’t stop the boats, make sure these girls are on them.”
‘Boat people’ is the term used to describe asylum seekers arriving in Australia by sea, often in dangerous conditions.
The competition last week was titled “Are You Australia’s Hottest Asylum Seeker?” and read:
Are you a refugee not even the immigration minister could refuse? Then we want to see you! [...] If you’ve swapped persecution for sexiness, we want to shoot you (with a camera – relax!) Send your pics and a short story about your tragic past to enterme@zooweekly.com.au
After the article sparked anger, Zoo Weekly published an apology at the weekend.
