“Of our survey of 54 contributors, we discovered that 9 in 10 of had skilled at the least one incident of censorship over the previous yr. 4 in 10 had skilled greater than 10 incidents,” shares O’Sullivan. That is throughout Instagram, Fb, TikTok and YouTube.  “We’re retaining the survey open to proceed amassing information.” From the responses to this point, O’Sullivan says that it is clear girls are experiencing this and seeing it in every single place, and so they’re fed up with being silenced, made to really feel small and ashamed.

“By silencing these conversations, we’re perpetuating the stigma that surrounds gynaecological well being,” says Jenny Halpern, co-founder of The Girl Backyard Basis. “Girls ought to by no means really feel embarrassed to speak about their vaginas, vulvas or any side of their reproductive well being. But, the censorship on social media solely reinforces this sense of disgrace. We should proceed breaking these taboos and empowering girls to advocate for his or her well being,” she continues.

Janet Lindsay, chief government of the charity Wellbeing of Girls, additionally advised us: “Censoring girls’s well being content material on social media perpetuates the concept that feminine anatomy is shameful and needs to be hidden away. Too many ladies usually are not speaking about their debilitating gynaecological well being situations as a result of perceived disgrace and stigma and are thus deterred from looking for the assistance they want.

“Utilizing anatomical phrases to offer correct well being data is key to serving to girls advocate for his or her well being and get the care they want. Social media corporations want to assist empower girls by ending this censorship.”

When GLAMOUR reached out to Meta following the outcomes of the survey, it directed us to its Group Requirements and advert assessment course of, saying: “Advertisers can run adverts that promote sexual well being, wellness and reproductive services. Nevertheless, as a worldwide firm, we have to keep in mind the big selection of people that see adverts throughout our applied sciences to keep away from potential unfavourable experiences. That’s the reason now we have an Grownup Merchandise or Companies Advertisements Coverage, which locations extra restrictions on these adverts, together with the requirement to focus on audiences 18 years or older.”

A part of the issue, as Wooden flags, is that social media algorithms are more likely to be skilled on male information as a result of gender information hole.

“There are not any clear tips or guidelines on what ‘inappropriate’ seems like, however girls’s well being creators and types are being punished for not following these non-existent guidelines, whereas ‘dick pics‘, hyper-sexualised girls’s our bodies and well being and sexual wellbeing content material for males is flying by unchecked.  It is extremely hypocritical,” says Wooden.

It is now traditional for girls’s well being campaigners to make use of numbers and symbols to disguise phrases comparable to intercourse, vagina and orgasm, or to bleep them out fully when filming movies. “It’s ridiculous,” says Wooden.

To assist increase consciousness and drive the CensHERship marketing campaign ahead, share it on social media, fill within the survey, and, as Wooden says: “get indignant about this!” Over the subsequent yr, Wooden and O’Sullivan can be holding occasions and workshops, creating toolkits, haranguing the large platforms, and getting grass roots involvement. “This impacts all of us, not simply creators. If we’re being denied data and assets as a result of censorship, it impacts our personal well being.  And that’s unacceptable,” says Wooden.

GLAMOUR has reached out to TikTok and YouTube for remark.