The UFC, in partnership with the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada is launching an HIV prevention awareness program entitled, “Protect Yourself at All Times” according to a company press release.
UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin and women’s bantamweight Liz Carmouche will serve as spokespeople for the campaign.
Via UFC press release:
The on-going Protect Yourself At All Times campaign will be rolled out during the lead-up to World AIDS Day on December 1 and will include:
· The UFC will fully support The Center’s LGBTQ+ programme, which offers free HIV tests to the wider Las Vegas community
· UFC athletes and personalities visiting centers nationwide who offer free HIV tests and educational initiatives
· The UFC will be creating public service announcements which will be distributed across its powerful media platforms
· The UFC will also be donating promotional inventory to the campaign, beginning with a full-page ad in next month’s UFC 360magazine, and ask its partners to donate similar space to raise issue awareness.
Payout Perspective:
The UFC has partnered with the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Southern Nevada in the past. As you may recall, Griffin had received criticism for twitting about rape but has since made amends. Carmouche, who is openly gay, has been a great ambassador for the UFC since her debut against Ronda Rousey. The awareness campaign is a good example of the UFC striving to make inroads with social issues within the Las Vegas community and the broader group of fans in its target demo. Certainly, this is a chance for good public relations outside of the normal MMA media.
puke! I feel this may be very counter productive to the demographic the UFC already reaches. In a sport with lets say “awkward” positions for the uninitiated. It can be difficult to watch. A big argument people would use against people who felt it was “gay” is that their mind was in the gutter and there is nothing sexual about it. Now the UFC is going to bring sex into the mix by supporting these groups. Now I don’t support discrimination. But not supporting them is not discrimination. Its just not good business imo.
As I have said before; BS is payout’s resident bigot.