Actress Clara Sanchis and director and playwright María Ruiz could hardly have imagined that ten years after premiering the production A Room of One’s Own, by Virginia Woolf, someone would dare to censor the author or the word feminism in an advertisement. But the day has come.
Read more A huge Georgian restaurant sets up in the former Bulevard Rosa
The Raval theater in Barcelona, where Woolf’s play opened the season on Tuesday, states in a press release: “A couple of days ago, as we have done with other shows, we prepared an Ad, an advertisement, to appear on social media, that is, on Instagram and Facebook, to promote the show we have on the bill.”
Meta’s Argument
“It seems you are publishing an ad about social issues, elections, or politics in the European Union. This violates our advertising policies”
And it continues: “But it turns out the platform censored our ad because, in Meta’s exact words: ‘It seems you are publishing an ad about social issues, elections, or politics in the European Union. This violates our advertising policies regarding ads about social issues, elections, or politics.’”
The Raval theater’s statement, led by Pep Tosar and Evelyn Arévalo, adds: “Both we and Clara Sanchis, actress and producer of the show, are dismayed at the impossibility of advertising the show on this medium, that is, making as many people as possible aware that this show exists and is being performed, because mentioning the original text’s author, Virginia Woolf, is grounds for rejection: ‘Specific actions that trigger this policy: Social issues: Mentioning civil rights, feminism, or social reforms (central themes in Woolf’s work) is usually classified as a “social issue” by our automated systems.’”
Read more Dozens of Ceutíes welcome Florentino Pérez with Madrid shirts: “Thank you for supporting us”
In statements to La Vanguardia, Clara Sanchis says: “For something like this to happen is to enter unknown territory. Or rather forgotten territory. We don’t know if the rejection is because the ad includes Virginia Woolf’s name or the word “feminism.” Or both together. But ultimately, it is a way of erasing from the map advances that have taken centuries. We have given social networks unlimited power… and we increasingly see clearly the danger they pose. Bias and manipulation.”
It is a way of erasing from the map advances that have taken centuries. We have given social networks unlimited power… and we increasingly see clearly the danger they pose
Clara Sanchis
It so happens that precisely yesterday, after the performance, in which actress Vicky Peña and journalist Cristina Fallarás also participated alongside the actress, the need for feminism in the face of fascist and patriarchal attitudes was discussed, and the debate focused on how far the power of macho imposition extends from the upper echelons and large corporations.
The Raval theater’s statement concludes: “We feel compelled to speak out against an injustice and a violation of our rights, that of not being able to advertise a show centered on feminism, and more specifically, on the figure of Virginia Woolf, born in 1882. So, like her, even if we have to walk the gravel path of Cambridge instead of the gardened path, we will not abandon the platforms from which we can reach as many people as possible to share, among other things, situations like this.”
Read more Warren Buffett retires from Berkshire Hathaway and passes the chairmanship to his son Howard
