Poster child
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The phrase poster child originally referred to a child afflicted by some disease or deformity whose picture is used on posters to raise money for charitable purposes; "she was the poster child for muscular dystrophy". However, the term is usually used metaphorically, meaning a shining example or model of its type.
Poster child is also the nom de plume of a street artist who is best known for his [Mario Blocks] project, the purpose of which is to install homemade Mario blocks in public spaces. After being featured on Boing Boing the project has expanded as others have made and hung their own blocks.
Examples
- Ryan White was considered a poster child for societal acceptance of AIDS, after he contracted the disease from a blood transfusion and was expelled from his school.
- Bobbi Campbell was considered an AIDS poster boy in the earliest years of the epidemic.
- An example of its metaphorical use by George Voinovich: "It is my opinion that John Bolton is the poster child of what someone in the diplomatic corps should not be". [link]
- "It's almost impossible to write about Rush Limbaugh's troubles — which make him the latest poster-boy for right-wing moralist hypocrisy right up there with Bill Bennett" [link].
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