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Suspension riskPI-3 · Prohibited Items Policy

Items that promote, support, or glorify hatred or discriminatory ideology are prohibited

What this rule means

Etsy does not allow items or listings with violent or degrading language toward people based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, immigration status, or caste. The rule also covers items that support or commemorate hate groups or their leaders, and items or content that promote organizations with such views. Etsy reviews items with historical or educational value case by case.

What Etsy says

Etsy does not allow items or listings with violent or degrading language towards people based upon: race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, immigration status, or caste (collectively, "protected classes"). We also prohibit items or content that promote organizations with such views.
Read Etsy's full Prohibited Items Policy

Why Etsy has this rule

A marketplace is shared by buyers and sellers from many backgrounds. Items that demean people for who they are make it unsafe and unwelcome for many of them. Etsy's policy sets a clear standard so that sellers know the marketplace will not carry degrading language or merchandise tied to hate groups.

The rule is about the message an item carries, not about the difficult subjects themselves. History books, documentary prints, and educational materials deal with hard topics. What matters is whether the item glorifies hatred or helps someone teach and remember. Your wording and framing decide which way a listing reads.

Common mistakes

  • Using a slur in a title, tag, or description, even when it is a quote or a joke.
  • Selling a shirt, patch, or flag with a symbol linked to a hate group, and calling it historical.
  • Selling items that commemorate or celebrate a hate group, its leaders, or its events.
  • Listing a print or mug whose slogan demeans people because of their religion, race, gender, or disability.
  • Describing a historical item in a way that sounds admiring instead of critical or documentary.
  • Adding a symbol to a design without checking what it means to the people it was used against.
  • Assuming that a satirical item is allowed when the joke is aimed at a group of people.

Examples

  • AllowedYou sell a book about the history of the civil rights movement, described in clear educational terms.
  • AllowedYou sell a poster that supports equality and welcomes people of all backgrounds.
  • AllowedYou sell an archival print from a museum collection, described in a critical or documentary way.
  • AllowedYou review your old listings and remove a joke that targets a group of people.
  • Not allowedYou sell a shirt with a slur printed on it.
  • Not allowedYou sell a patch with a symbol linked to a known hate group.
  • Not allowedYou sell a mug that celebrates a hate group or its leaders.
  • Not allowedYou sell a print that degrades people because of their religion or disability.

How to stay compliant

  1. Delist any item that uses slurs, hate symbols, or imagery associated with designated hate groups.
  2. Review listings for items that could be interpreted as glorifying or commemorating hate group ideology or actions.
  3. If you sell historical or educational items, make the purpose clear and do not celebrate or glorify hatred. Etsy reviews these items case by case.

Effort: low · 15-30 minutes

If your suspension email cites this rule

Read the email and note which listing it names. Look at the title, the tags, the description, and every image. Then read it as someone from the group in question would. Does any word, symbol, or phrase demean people, or tie the item to a hate group? If so, the listing probably breaks the rule.

If the item does break the rule, remove it and check your shop for similar ones. If you sell historical or educational items, make sure the listing makes its purpose clear and does not glorify hatred. Rewrite the description if it reads as admiring. When you reply, explain what the item is, why it is not meant to demean anyone, and what you changed. Etsy makes the final decision, and you should not expect a particular result.

Suspended over this rule?

Generate a complete, ready-to-submit Etsy appeal for this exact violation.

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Common questions

Can I sell historical items that show hate symbols?

Etsy evaluates items with symbols or terms tied to hateful rhetoric case by case, in light of their educational, historical, or artistic value. The framing in your listing matters. Etsy makes the final decision on each item.

Does a joke or satire protect a listing?

Not by itself. Etsy's rule is about violent or degrading language toward people based on who they are. A joke aimed at a group can still break the rule.

What counts as a hate group item?

Etsy's policy lists items that support or commemorate current or historical hate groups or their leaders, including propaganda or collectibles. When in doubt, look up what a symbol means before you use it.

Can I quote a slur in a listing to explain it?

It is safer not to. Slurs in a title, tag, or description can trigger review. If your item is educational, you can describe it without repeating the word.

Can I list a book on a hard topic?

Books, documentaries, and educational items on difficult subjects can be sold when they do not glorify hatred. Keep the description factual and make the educational purpose clear.

Related prohibited items policy rules