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| Facebook blocks promotion of feminist classic 'Damned Whores and God's Police' because of 'profane' book title | Facebook blocks promotion of feminist classic 'Damned Whores and God's Police' because of 'profane' book title |
| (4 months later) | |
| Facebook has reportedly refused to publicise a post for a feminist author’s conference discussing her influential book because of its “profane” title. | Facebook has reportedly refused to publicise a post for a feminist author’s conference discussing her influential book because of its “profane” title. |
| Anne Summers wrote on her personal Facebook account the social media behemoth had “denied permission” to boost a post promoting a conference discussing her 1975 book Damned Whores and God’s Police. | Anne Summers wrote on her personal Facebook account the social media behemoth had “denied permission” to boost a post promoting a conference discussing her 1975 book Damned Whores and God’s Police. |
| The book explored the persistence of Australian settlers’ stereotypes that separated women into convicted “whores” or carefully guarded “respectable” females. | The book explored the persistence of Australian settlers’ stereotypes that separated women into convicted “whores” or carefully guarded “respectable” females. |
| The controversy centres around a Facebook tool which users can pay for to “boost” posts, enabling them to reach more peoples’ feeds - subject to higher standards than normal posts. | The controversy centres around a Facebook tool which users can pay for to “boost” posts, enabling them to reach more peoples’ feeds - subject to higher standards than normal posts. |
| Ms Summers claims she attempted to boost the original post on Monday, but Facebook reportedly responded by saying: “We don’t allow ads that use profanity. Such language can offend viewers and doesn’t reflect the product being advertised.” | Ms Summers claims she attempted to boost the original post on Monday, but Facebook reportedly responded by saying: “We don’t allow ads that use profanity. Such language can offend viewers and doesn’t reflect the product being advertised.” |
| The author and campaigner told The Guardian she was “flabbergasted” by the reaction. | The author and campaigner told The Guardian she was “flabbergasted” by the reaction. |
| She suggested that the offending “profanity” may have been the inclusion of a quote by former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on her public reception. | She suggested that the offending “profanity” may have been the inclusion of a quote by former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard on her public reception. |
| “As a woman wielding power, with all the complexities of modern politics, I was never going to be portrayed as a good woman,” Ms Gillard wrote in her memoir, My Story. | “As a woman wielding power, with all the complexities of modern politics, I was never going to be portrayed as a good woman,” Ms Gillard wrote in her memoir, My Story. |
| “So I must be the bad woman, a scheming shrew, a heartless harridan or a lying bitch.” | “So I must be the bad woman, a scheming shrew, a heartless harridan or a lying bitch.” |
| On Wednesday morning, Ms Summers’ original post had received more than 8,000 shares and 4,000 likes – far in excess of what she expected had she paid for the post to be ‘boosted’. | On Wednesday morning, Ms Summers’ original post had received more than 8,000 shares and 4,000 likes – far in excess of what she expected had she paid for the post to be ‘boosted’. |
| Facebook has been contacted for comment. | Facebook has been contacted for comment. |