Page 47 - Essence of Beauty April May 2021

share their vulnerability and be flagged or shut down and it is the more opportunity we realize
honest about their experiences. really classist and prudish. I also there is and more ways for us to
find it interesting that violent, help the community and make a
EOB: What do you think of racist posts are left alone under meaningful difference. In 5 years
the sex/nudity censorship the guise of “free speech”, but if we’d like to have a range of
issues that are plaguing social you show a body you are going accessible toys for sale, have
media right now?
extended our line of products to
Heather: Oh, it’s infuriating on “I think the censorship include accessible accessories like
so many levels. Beyond the fact is silly and really unfair. personal lubricants, condoms
that it’s really limiting our ability Disabled people use and lingerie, making headway in
to grow our business, it's also these platforms to the real world of sex-ed and
wrong and hypocritical. You can disability. And have a fully
talk about sexual health and express their functioning publishing platform
wellness but only if you’re experiences, and guess so that we can continue to create
speaking about prevention, what, sometimes their inclusive, disability-driven
abuse or abstinence. Why are we experiences involve sex content that's run with and by
more comfortable as a society and nudity.” the community we serve. Given
talking about and showing the amount of items on our
torment than we are pleasure? against some arbitrary standard, roadmap, its fair to say we're in it
When did pleasure become a bad but racism is totally fine. Ugh. for the long haul.
thing? The moment you mention EOB: Where do you see EOB: How has COVID
sexual pleasure you're in yourselves (and the company) impacted your lives in the last
violation of guidelines and get in five years? year?
taken down. But you can talk all
you want about rape culture, Heather: We’re a small start up Heather: From a business point
condoms and Viagra. These big with big dreams. The more time of view, we had just kicked off
platforms are only perpetuating we spend working in this space, an accelerator program
the taboos that we are working
hard to tear down. And so you
you're constantly caught between
trying to find a way to force
Facebook & Instagram to take
your money, and never wanting
to give them a dime.
Andrew: I think the censorship
is silly and really unfair.
Disabled people use these
platforms to express their
experiences, and guess what,
sometimes their experiences
involve sex and nudity. We can
have big stars and influencers do
it, but if you do it to make a
point or be educational you get

47