Words social media censors in health reporting: vagina, vulva, discharge, clitoris, cervix, nipples, puberty, labia minora and labia majora.

[IwantToRetire]

According to research by Bodyform, there are 40 words surrounding women’s health and bodies that are being censored across social media platforms. These include vagina (which is one of the most flagged terms on Facebook), vulva, discharge, clitoris, cervix, nipples, puberty, labia minora and labia majora.

Health conditions like endometriosis which affects 1 in 10 women, PCOS, which has a global prevalence of 20%, adenomyosis which also affects 1 in 10 women, PMDD, which affects between 5-8% of women and vaginismus which is thought to affect 6% of women.

These conditions can cause a range of difficult symptoms like chronic pain, heavy periods, fatigue, pain during sex, pain passing stools, depression, and infertility (another censored word!). These are all everyday experiences for millions of women around the world.

Even the words menopause and miscarriage are banned from some social media platforms.

It’s hard to see how we can improve women’s health conditions when we can’t even speak about them on the platforms that many of us rely on for communication, education, and community.

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/sigh-social-media-platforms-are-censoring-these-words-around-womens-health_uk_647a0ab1e4b045ce24885850

I wonder how many male connected words are similarly policed?

My body is censored? We all knew it would come to this

Even the words menopause and miscarriage are banned from some social media platforms.

😡

Well done Bodyform for highlighting this. And we all know why we're not allowed to mention our female body parts don't we.

Well, suicide, something that affects many men, is censored. Current advice is to talk openly about whether someone has thoughts of it - but it's been censored (along with death/dead/dying) into the frankly ridiculous 'unaliving'. Rape and sexual (fucks sake, they use 'seggs' instead) abuse - and the word abuse - also affect mem but can't be used.

Slavery, Nazis, genocide, racism and many other things relating to human rights are also censored.

It's not just female health that's harmed by this, it's all knowledge. But it's a marketing campaign for a multinational brand, this 'research'. So they don't actually care, anyhow.

Well, suicide, something that affects many men, is censored.

Suicide isn't male specific the way miscarriage is female specific

So female parts and functions and some general "human condition" things but no specifically male language? Not one.

Not looking for something isn't the same as it not being there.

Anything relating to male health also gets censored, demonetised and shadowbanned - like benign prostate enlargement, testicular lump (full phrases), torsion.

Are we all clapping the advertising agency because they've said something useful or because of confirmation bias?

https://www.bodyform.co.uk/women-disclaimer/

This has nothing to do with the trans issue. These words have been censored on social media since it's inception decades ago due to general squeamishness and the idea that women's bodily functions are not fit for conversation or polite company.

MSN is the worst for this, it's like it's been censored by a Victorian vicar. Even starting a post with something as anodyne as 'tell me...' is hate speech and bullying, apparently.

Anyone with access to Chatgpt want to try to get it to write an article using all those ‘banned’ words? It’d be interesting to see what it came up with. Given that the model trained with using text databases from the internet, would it or wouldn’t it be free in using these words?

It just spat out a basic article about female reproductive anatomy:

Understanding Female Reproductive Anatomy

When it comes to female reproductive anatomy, there are many terms that can be confusing or misunderstood. Here, we will break down the different parts of the female genitalia and their functions.

Vulva
The vulva is the external part of the female genitalia and encompasses the labia majora and labia minora, clitoris, vaginal opening, and the urethral opening. The labia majora are the outer, fleshy lips while the labia minora are the inner, more delicate lips that encase the clitoris and vaginal opening.

Clitoris
The clitoris is a highly sensitive organ that is located at the top of the vulva where the labia minora meet. It contains thousands of nerve endings and plays a crucial role in female sexual arousal and orgasm.

Vagina
The vagina is a muscular canal that connects the cervix (the lower part of the uterus) to the outside of the body. It is capable of expanding to accommodate penetration during sexual intercourse and childbirth.

Cervix
The cervix is a narrow passage at the lower end of the uterus that opens into the vagina. It plays a vital role in menstruation and childbirth by allowing blood to pass through during menstruation and by dilating during childbirth to allow the baby to pass through.

Nipples
Although not directly related to the female reproductive system, nipples are part of the female anatomy and are important for breastfeeding.

Puberty
Puberty is the process by which a girl's body begins to develop into a woman's body. This includes the growth of breasts, the onset of menstruation, and other physical changes.

Discharge
Vaginal discharge is a normal and healthy occurrence in females. It helps to keep the vagina clean and lubricated. However, changes in discharge can indicate an infection or other health issue.

In conclusion, understanding female reproductive anatomy is important for maintaining good reproductive and sexual health. Knowing the functions of the vagina, vulva, clitoris, cervix, nipples, and the different changes that occur during puberty is beneficial for overall female health and wellbeing.

Good Lord, it's positively Victorian. And yet porn seems to flourish on many social media platforms.

The article is about women's health and the ability to discuss it openly.

And ironically although SM should allow this to happen more freely it is in fact more "Victorian" than a published book which would quite happily have used these words.

I suspect that part of this is the dominance of young males working in the SM industry who are probably clueless and / or embarassed about it all. Its part of the problem of having a sophisticated system being controlled by young, unknowledgeable people, with little real life experience

Its a shame that even in the 21st Century we cant talk naturally, and in the case, clearly about women's health issues.

Not forgetting that Bodyform products are adverised on TV as showing women need to take care of blue fluids being discharged. How many young girls are looking about for traces of blue!

You need to check again. Bodyform is as far as I know the only one which doesn't use blue liquid.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41666280

You need to check again. Bodyform is as far as I know the only one which doesn't use blue liquid.

Goodness gracious - have there been no complaints?

Wasn't aware as I record everything and fast forward through ads.

They certainly used to use blue liquid. I'm glad they have changed.

I’ll br impressed if they have one with a great big clot slithering off the side…

maybe I’m grumpy today.

@amplette well it used all the words and referenced girls, women and female so that’s something even if it was rather blunt. Thanks for checking.

That's ok, still made me cackle. There's something satisfying about the idea of horrifying others with the total crime scene my period turns into, the frantic sheet washing in the middle of the night, years of stressing out over uniforms with tucked shirts and khakis, and bleach stains on those fun little underpants with giraffes or sasquatches on them. Kinda like a man cold, where you simultaneously want pity, and for nobody to address how fucking prickly I get for a few days.