Visual literacy and censorship

Spot the obscenity!

This image from the poster for the play Tender napalm recently caused controversy here in Perth and was banned by the Public Transport Authority:

I find this poster for the film Friends with benefits is far more obscene (take a look at their fingers!):

but didn’t appear to attract controversy.  I saw it recently at Darling Harbour in Sydney, (can anyone confirm if it was used in Perth?  I assume so as it’s the poster on Sony Pictures Australia’s site.)

Is it just me or is there something out of kilter in the way we define obscenity?  Or are the censorious not visually literate?

(And just in case you are wondering, I wouldn’t call for the banning of either poster)

Tags: censorship, controversy, film, films, Friends with Benefits, Movie, movies, obscenity, Perth, play, plays, poster, posters, Sydney, Tender Napalm, theatre, visual literacy