An open letter calling for an end to the censorship of women’s health content online has been co-signed by more than 190 organisations, founders, health professionals and campaigners.
The letter has been published by CensHERship and The Case For Her, calling for social media platforms to update content moderation policies to better reflect medical context and gender equity.
On Instagram, a health coach had her posts repeatedly flagged for using the word “vagina,” despite the content being educational and not sexual.
Meanwhile, a TikTok creator’s videos about endometriosis were hidden from feeds and search results without explanation, even though they received strong engagement, whilst LinkedIn removed posts from a FemTech founder promoting a menopause product, citing violations of adult content policies.
Facebook and Instagram also rejected ads for fertility tracking apps, misclassifying them as adult or sexual content.
The letter has been signed by high-profile figures from businesses including Essity (Bodyform), Love Honey and Fertility.
“We will not replace vagina with ‘V-word’ or refer to menopause as ‘the change’,” it states.
“We will not avoid topics like libido, discharge, prolapse, or periods – because we need to talk about real bodies, real experiences, and real health concerns.”
Clio Wood and Anna O’Sullivan, co-founders of CensHERship, added: “It’s time to level the playing field for women’s health content.
“This isn’t about isolated errors. It’s about an entire digital ecosystem that treats women’s health as inappropriate.
“This censorship isn’t just frustrating – it’s economically damaging and, in some cases, can cost lives.”
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