“Kegel” Ads on LIRR Trains Raise Eyebrows

An advertisement for a health-based television channel is raising eyebrows among commuters on the Long Island Rail Road.

The bright yellow posters on the LIRR trains proclaim, "Ladies, admit it. You're doing Kegels right now."

Kegels are vaginal tightening exercises generally recommended after giving birth. 

“I think it’s offensive,” said one female college student upon seeing the ad for the first time.

WATCH: LIRR Riders React to Seeing Ad

The posters are part of a commuter ad campaign for Veria Living, a health-based channel launching in New York. The series includes other flippant messages like, “Running to catch the train in heels actually counts as exercise," and are appearing in 200 train cars.

“They’re fun. They’re tongue-in-cheek. They're meant to be lighthearted and I think they were meant to start these kinds of conversations,” said Elizabeth Browde, a senior vice president for Veria and the head of programming.

“It would get my attention and make me smile,” said one female advertising executive, referring to the Kegel ad.

The MTA said these posters fall within its guidelines and that “New Yorkers are exposed to far worse every single day.“

When asked how a parent might answer a 9-year-old who may see the poster and ask what a Kegel is, an MTA spokesperson suggested responding with, “It’s a type of exercise. I don’t know much more about it.”

Certainly some commuters don’t. When a male musician headed for the train was shown the ad, he read it and asked, ”Kegels, what is that?"

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