oscars rejects postpartum support ad: "too graphic"
frida mom says if it can't air an ad that shows a postpartum mom in mesh underwear, postpartum recovery will remain a hidden and taboo subject
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a postpartum commercial has been banned from being aired at the oscars for being deemed “too graphic” to be shown on television.postpartum, known as “the fourth trimester” can be an extremely difficult time for new mothers. not only does a new mother’s body go through a number of changes after birth, but there’s also a newborn baby to care for. postpartum is also referred to as “ghostpartum” as women often feel that they aren’t able to get the support or resources they need (i.e. sexual health) after giving birth.frida mom, a u.s. brand that specializes in products and support for postpartum recovery, produced a commercial that aimed to show a raw, no-filter look into what mothers go through after giving birth. the commercial hoped to raise awareness about the difficult and often overlooked period women go through during the 92nd academy awards on sunday.however, their commercial was apparently rejected by abc for being “too graphic with partial nudity and product demonstration,” according to a recent press release sent to health.according to the advertising guidelines for the academy of motion picture arts and sciences (ampas), commercials that show the likes of political candidates, religious or faith-based messages, guns, feminine hygiene, adult diapers or condoms among other things are forbidden.
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frida mom posted the ad on youtube, prefacing that, “it’s not violent, political or sexual in nature. our ad is not religious or lewd. and does not portray guns or ammunition.”“it’s just a new mom, home with her baby and her new body for the first time. and we wonder why new moms feel unprepared.”the 60-second commercial shows a new mom waking up after hearing her baby crying. she heads into the bathroom with her postpartum belly and mesh panties visible. shuffling to the toilet, she’s clearly in pain as she starts treating her postpartum symptoms (presumably hemorrhoids and vaginal tearing) with a squirt bottle and panty liners. while there’s no nudity, you do see her removing her underwear as she sits down on the toilet to treat her issues.at the end of the commercial, a sentence flashes across the screen, “postpartum doesn’t have to be this hard,” before panning to a number of frida mom products, aimed at simplifying the complicated process for new mothers.this isn’t the first time that the company has had an ad campaign rejected. in 2018, their billboards were rejected in cities across the u.s. for including the tagline “your vagina will thank you.” new york city was the only city that approved the ad.the company says that they want to raise awareness for both for the censorship and for mothers in postpartum recovery. frida mom wrote to health.com in a statement saying, “frida mom’s mission is to ensure women know what’s going to happen to their bodies and to prepare them.”they noted that if their company is unable to air an ad when they know women are watching, then postpartum recovery will remain a hidden and taboo subject, which is exactly the opposite of the company’s mission.
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