A postpartum ad created by the company known as Frida was rejected by the Oscars for being “too graphic.”
However, despite the claim that the ad was too much for cable television, ABC and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences have faced backlash for their decision not to air the minute-long commercial. Frida also publicly responded to the denial of their ad publicly.
The company took to YouTube, sharing the ad, along with a statement that read:
“The ad you’re about to watch was rejected by ABC & the Oscars from airing during this year’s award show. It’s not ‘violent, political’ or sexual in nature. Our ad is not ‘religious or lewd’ and does not portray ‘guns or ammunition’. ‘Feminine hygiene & hemorrhoid relief’ are also banned subjects. It’s just a new mom, home with her baby and her new body for the first time. Yet it was rejected.”
But perhaps the most powerful part of the statement was the end. The statement concluded, “And we wonder why new moms feel unprepared. We make products that help women prepare for postpartum recovery. We’re Frida Mom.”
Women Slam ABC and the Academy for Block Frida’s Postpartum Recovery Ad
And a lot of women agreed with Frida’s statement, including celebrity moms like Busy Philips, Bethany Joy Lenz, Elizabeth Banks, Hannah Simone, Michelle Monaghan, and many more. Just days before the Oscars were set to air, Philips took to Instagram in support of Frida’s ad. She wrote:
“This is an ad for new postpartum products for women. This ad was rejected from ABC. I legit teared up when I just watched it. Partially because this is clearly an ad made by women who have been there and get it and partially because I DO believe so strongly that the more we can NORMALIZE A WOMAN’S BODILY EXPERIENCE IN MEDIA, the better off our culture and society will be. AND YES THAT MEANS ADS TOO. You probably don’t even flinch when an Erectile Disfunction ad comes on but THIS AD IS REJECTED?!”
Philips then added, “I think this is an incredible piece of advertising that accurately represents something millions of women know intimately. And I’m so fucking sick of living in a society where the act of simply BEING A WOMAN is rejected by the gatekeepers of media. Well. Shame on them and NOT on us for simply being human women.”
Lenz wrote in the comments section of Philips post, “Wow. I didn’t know I needed this until I watched it. I remember all of this. Thank you.” Monaghan also commented, saying, “This is so important.” And so many more nodded in agreement.
RELATED: WATCH: This Postpartum Ad Keeps It Refreshingly, Almost Uncomfortably Real
Frida says their postpartum recovery products are “designed to prepare new moms for the raw, leaking, and swollen realities of the #fourthtrimester. After giving birth, you might not have your s%*t together yet, but your vagina sure will.”
According to E! News, neither ABC or the Academy have issued a response to the backlash their decision has received.
Mamas Uncut is THE online place for moms. We cover the latest about motherhood, parenting, and entertainment as well – all with a mom-focused twist. So if you're looking for parenting advice from real parents, we have plenty of it, all for moms from moms, and also experts. Because, at the end of the day, our mission is focused solely on empowering moms and moms-to-be with the knowledge and answers they’re looking for in one safe space.