Online platforms provide a pivotal space for discussions around women’s health – discussions that de-stigmatise previously ‘taboo’ topics that have long been shrouded in shame. Yet, as important as these discussions are, it’s recently come to light that important women’s health information is being blocked by social media giants including Instagram and Facebook.
Recently, a survey of more than 50 organisations by the CensHERship campaign found that nine out of ten respondents that shared women’s health content said they had experienced some form of censorship in the past 12 months. Meanwhile, a 2022 US report surveying 60 businesses that serve the health of women and people of diverse genders found that every single one had an advert rejected by Facebook or Instagram. What's more, 50% of the businesses surveyed had had their entire account suspended for ‘inappropriate content’ at one time or another. But what exactly constitutes an ‘inappropriate’ post?
In 2023, social media muted a campaign from period products brand Bodyform, labelling it as ‘sexual content’, due to its use of anatomical terms (including vagina and vulva). The brand went on to highlight a list of 40 words relating to women’s health that are regularly censored – the list includes the phrases ‘menopause’, ‘miscarriage’ and ‘PCOS’. But it’s not just anatomical and medical terms that are classified as inappropriate.
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“The problem is that it could be anything, from a female nipple in a breast cancer campaign (not a male nipple, which was fine) to simply using words like period, vagina and vulva,” says Clio Wood, women's health advocate, author and co-founder of the CensHERship campaign. “One example shared with me today was a postnatal scar massage specialist who posted a picture of a C-section scar showing some pubic hair which was removed, while Joe Wicks showed his without impunity,” she continues.
Wood has also experienced censorship first-hand. Her Instagram account was flagged for ‘inappropriate content’ after she shared a video of herself dancing in a bikini to promote body positivity. It was this experience, and similar experiences shared by colleagues, that let Wood and Anna O'Sullivan – who runs the femtech newsletter FutureFemHealth – to launch the CensHERship campaign in January 2024.
“Of our survey of 54 participants, we found that nine in 10 of had experienced at least one incident of censorship over the past year. Four in 10 had experienced more than 10 incidents,” shares O’Sullivan. This is across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube. “We're keeping the survey open to continue collecting data.” From the responses so far, O’Sullivan says that it's clear women are experiencing this and seeing it everywhere, and they're fed up with being silenced, made to feel small and ashamed.
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"By silencing these conversations, we are perpetuating the stigma that surrounds gynaecological health,” says Jenny Halpern, co-founder of The Lady Garden Foundation. “Women should never feel embarrassed to talk about their vaginas, vulvas or any aspect of their reproductive health. Yet, the censorship on social media only reinforces this sense of shame. We must continue breaking these taboos and empowering women to advocate for their health," she continues.
Janet Lindsay, chief executive of the charity Wellbeing of Women, also told us: “Censoring women’s health content on social media perpetuates the idea that female anatomy is shameful and should be hidden away. Too many women are not talking about their debilitating gynaecological health conditions due to perceived shame and stigma and are thus deterred from seeking the help they need.
“Using anatomical terms to provide accurate health information is fundamental to helping women advocate for their health and get the care they need. Social media companies need to help empower women by ending this censorship.”
When GLAMOUR reached out to Meta following the results of the survey, it directed us to its Community Standards and ad review process, saying: “Advertisers can run ads that promote sexual health, wellness and reproductive products and services. However, as a global company, we need to take into account the wide array of people who see ads across our technologies to avoid potential negative experiences. That is why we have an Adult Products or Services Ads Policy, which places additional restrictions on these ads, including the requirement to target audiences 18 years or older.”
One study estimates that women with PCOS are roughly eight times more at risk of suicide.
Part of the problem, as Wood flags, is that social media algorithms are likely to be trained on male data due to the gender data gap.
“There are no clear guidelines or rules on what 'inappropriate' looks like, but women's health creators and brands are being punished for not following these non-existent rules, while 'dick pics', hyper-sexualised women's bodies and health and sexual wellbeing content for men is flying through unchecked. It's incredibly hypocritical,” says Wood.
It's now usual for women’s health campaigners to use numbers and symbols to disguise words such as sex, vagina and orgasm, or to bleep them out entirely when filming videos. “It’s ridiculous,” says Wood.
To help raise awareness and drive the CensHERship campaign forward, share it on social media, fill in the survey, and, as Wood says: “get angry about this!” Over the next year, Wood and O’Sullivan will be holding events and workshops, developing toolkits, haranguing the big platforms, and getting grass roots involvement. “This impacts all of us, not just creators. If we are being denied information and resources due to censorship, it impacts our own health. And that is unacceptable,” says Wood.
Abortion is healthcare.
GLAMOUR has reached out to TikTok and YouTube for comment.
