Wizards of the Coast has removed Magic: The Gathering content creator Lizbeth Eden from the game’s creator program, accusing her of “distributing Magic content that is against our Code of Conduct.”
Eden announced her removal from the program on July 1st.
She stated that “wotc kicked me out of the creator program because I apparently sexualized magic: the gathering.”
wotc kicked me out of the creator program because i apparently sexualized magic: the gathering and that’s not allowed
okay so how about the artists who’ve posted the same things?? it’s cool because they are drawings? very nice y’all!
— Lizbeth Eden (@LizbethEden) July 1, 2020
Speculating on the reason for her removal, Eden provided a list of her content which could have led to her removal, all of which were far from explicitly graphic:
would just like to add the only things i’ve done are make a fake magic card that isn’t real in any way (my mythic woman card that was a joke) and posted a photo of myself with two colossal dreadmaw cards stuck in my top. oh and i made a carnage tyrant pun “heaux proof.”
— Lizbeth Eden (@LizbethEden) July 1, 2020
Providing a list of her content which she believes could have led to her removal, all of which were far from explicitly graphic, Eden asserted that the reason for her removal was “because there are photos of me with cleavage.”
it’s amazing to me that i am consistently positive in the mtg community, am SIGNIFICANTLY less vulgar and controversial than lots of sponsored creators, but because there are photos of me with cleavage i am not allowed to even be part of the creator program.
— Lizbeth Eden (@LizbethEden) July 1, 2020
According to the email sent to Eden from Wizards of the Coast regarding her removal, they provided no specific examples of her violating content, instead merely stating that she had “been distributing Magic content that is against our Code of Conduct, including photos featuring adult nudity and sexualized posting,” an allegation which Eden fervently refutes.
here’s the email i got.
i haven’t actually done what i’m being accused of. the card i made doesn’t “feature adult nudity,” and i’ve posted zero explicit content related to mtg. pic.twitter.com/3U4GckPzZ9
— Lizbeth Eden (@LizbethEden) July 1, 2020
As you can see in the photo above, the email begins, “It has come to our attention that you have been distributing Magic content that is against our Code of Conduct, including photos featuring adult nudity and sexualized posting.”
It adds, “This is a violation of your participation in the Magic Creator Program and Magic sponsored. As a result you will be removed from the program in accordance with Section 3 of the Wizards Creator Program Terms and Conditions.”
They then state the Code of Conduct, Section 2, which reads, “Do not use, post, distribute or link to obscene, pornographic, sexually explicit, graphically or gratuitously violent, derogatory, demeaning, malicious, defamatory, abusive, offensive, hateful or discriminatory language or content. This includes “masking” language by using alternative characters/spelling /spacing to get around profanity filters or claims of profanity filter “testing.”
Receiving no response from Wizards of the Coast after asking for further details regarding the action taken against her, Eden speculated that a fake Magic: The Gathering card featuring a pin-up style photograph of herself was “why I was kicked out of the mtg creator program.”
i assume this is what wotc would point to if anyone were to officially say why i was kicked out of the mtg creator program
several months ago @TheProxyGuy was kind enough to work with me and make my meme dreams real lol 💙🖤 pic.twitter.com/r7Cyn77aQ1
— Lizbeth Eden (@LizbethEden) July 3, 2020
You can see the card below:
Twitter user MTGO Lifehacks shared the photos Eden mentioned that could have resulted in her removal from the program.
I guess these are the supposedly problematic content? Third is titled “Mythic Honeypot,” fourth titled “Are you heaux proof?” There’s also an “OnlyFans” account for subscribers.
To be clear: No judgment, but was not sure what Wizards might even be talking about. pic.twitter.com/fb6uCb9cyt
— MTGO Lifehacks (@mtgoLifehacks) July 1, 2020
Barring any production of concrete examples of more blatant policy violations that could have led to her removal, Wizards of the Coast’s actions ring hypocritical, as the company has produced cards with similarly ‘sexualized’ male characters as recently as last year.
We regret to inform you that Oko, Thief Of Crowns, has been kicked out of the content creator program. pic.twitter.com/nFZpyOOUWP
— Tolarian Community College (@TolarianCollege) July 1, 2020
They also produce their own female characters similar to Eden’s mock card as a number of Twitter users pointed out including Earthbind and Red-Hot Hottie.
https://t.co/yS8MFbXDFz good to know WotC also isn’t able to be a member of their own
creator’s program— Zephyr@Home (@zephyrmoth) July 1, 2020
not to mention https://t.co/OqfKWzyJ9y
joke card, maybe, but still is there— Pidge (@PidgeMidge64) July 1, 2020
But yet they allow cards like this. pic.twitter.com/dM21twGJrF
— Noire- Where do I belong? (@Noire_Labyrinth) July 2, 2020
As of writing, it appears that Eden has not indicated that she has received any further communication from Wizards of the Coast.