A CAMPAIGNER on women’s health has slammed Facebook after an advert for a menopause support workshop was banned for being an ‘adult product’.

Diane Danzebrink is running the event with GP and Menopause Expert, Dr Louise Newson, at Westonbirt Arboretum near Tetbury in October.

But when trying to apply for a Facebook ad over the weekend, she was horrified to receive a message from the social media site that the ad ‘did not follow the advertising policies’.

The message said: “We don’t allow adverts that promote adult products such as genital surgery, non-surgical breast enhancement or libido-enhancing products” according to the statement.”

A response by Facebook to an appeal later clarified that the advert was considered to promote “libido-enhancing products or services” even though the post itself did not make any mention of 'libido'.

The company explained: “Adverts like these are sensitive in nature and hence are not allowed.” They recommended that the advert is edited to follow policy guidelines.

Diane said: “Loss of libido is a very real and distressing symptom of menopause for many women and a legitimate subject for discussion in a workshop of this kind.

“There is such a double standard going on here as if I type the word libido into Facebook, I get all sorts of pages come up and they don't appear to have a problem with those.

“It would seem menopause really is the last taboo for Facebook, and I’m disgusted by their response to what is an important subject, educating women about the menopause and what it can mean to their lives.

“This is a subject that affects every woman at some stage in their lives and I feel this arbitrary ‘ban’ is totally unjustified.

“Hardly a day goes by that we are not subjected to images of horrifying cruelty on Facebook, but the platform apparently does nothing to police them, while at the same time making arbitrary and ridiculous decisions such as this.”

Diane, who suffered serious menopause symptoms as a result of hysterectomy surgery in her mid-forties is a campaigner on the issue and runs the menopausesupport.co.uk website.

She is a member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) Women’s Voices Involvement Panel, lay spokesperson on menopause for the RCOG, and an ambassador for the British Menopause Society.

Update: As of July 24, Facebook has reversed its decision and allowed the advert