Etsy suspended a designer for “inappropriate” images showing period-themed jewellery
Not cool.
Lili Murphy-Johnson caught our attention a few months back, and for all the right reasons. The 23-year-old has become known for her beautifully bold period-themed jewellery.
Unfortunately, it seems not everyone is behind the idea. Over the weekend, Women’s Health reported Etsy had suspended the British designer’s account. The reasoning? The images on Murphy-Johnson’s store were “inappropriate”.
“Periods are stigmatized in our culture from a long history of superstition and inequality for women,” says Murphy-Johnson’s website. “There is an interesting conflict with the perception of the female body, being seen as so perfect, yet also as so grotesque and unclean.”
So it’s kind of ironic she’s been banned for the exact thing she’s trying to normalise.
In a statement to Teen Vogue, an Etsy spokesperson said the following:
“Etsy highly values artistic expression and we allow a very wide range of art, including art pertaining to menstruation. One can search our marketplace to see that there are many items pertaining to menstruation and related matters; we encourage you to explore the amazing diversity of items made by our community.
That said, all items on Etsy, including art, must make sure to follow our policies for mature content and prohibited items. In some cases, sellers who are unwilling to follow these policies may be removed from the marketplace. Additionally, here are examples of other Etsy sellers creating menstruation-themed artwork.”
We, and many others, are yet to understand how images reflecting the menstrual cycle can still be deemed inappropriate in 2016. As of 10am this morning, Murphy-Johnson’s Etsy account was still not accesible.
For now, you can view her full collection here.
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