Such was the vociferous outcry in reaction to the above ad trying to encourage more young people to retrain and find employment in cyber security, that it was almost immediately withdrawn.
And it wasn't just the usual suspects in the arts taking offense on social media; even the Culture Secretary found it crass and a Downing Street spokesperson described it as inappropriate, although, actually, Fatima's next job might be in this field and, like many of us, she may very well be blissfully unaware of where life will eventually take her.
And so, we might ask, what's the problem here?
How many aspiring ballet dancers actually succeed and fulfil their ambition? I believe that the average figure for those who actively pursue a career and become full-time professionals is around ten percent. So nine-out-of-ten are probably going to be disappointed and have to earn their living some other way at some point - maybe even Fatima; and maybe even in cyber security!
And the same is true, of course, for all those would-be singers, actors, poets, and professional athletes out there. To succeed in the arts, or in showbiz, or in the world of sport, requires extraordinary talent, dedication, and a network of support. And probably a fair degree of luck.
Those critics who say that the CyberFirst programme is all about denigrating the arts and crushing the hopes and dreams of young people are, I'm afraid, overreacting. And this, tweeted from the shadow mental health minister, Rosena Allin-Khan, is just laughably absurd in all its wokery: "Fatima, you be you. Don't let anyone else tell you that you aren't good
enough because you don't conform to their preconceived social norms."
Interestingly, the ad is now being run with a picture of a baker and so far, there are no complaints ... What does that tell us about the world we live in? I mean it's true, man does not live by bread alone, but I don't see why the skilled artisan who makes my croissants in the morning should be valued less than a dancer pirouetting on stage to the delight of mostly wealthy spectators.
In the end, as someone once sang many years ago, we are all prostitutes ...
Note: the image of 'Fatima' is a detail from a photograph by Krys Alex featuring Desire'e
Kelley, a dancer at the Vibez in Motion Dance Studio, Atlanta, Georgia,
published on Instagram in July 2017.
