BBC Homepage
  • Skip to content
  • Accessibility Help
  • Your account
  • Notifications
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
  • More menu
More menu
Search BBC
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
Close menu
BBC News
Menu
  • Home
  • InDepth
  • Israel-Gaza war
  • War in Ukraine
  • Climate
  • UK
  • World
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Culture
More
  • Tech
  • Science
  • Health
  • Family & Education
  • In Pictures
  • Newsbeat
  • BBC Verify
  • Disability
  • BBC Trending

Knitting website bans support for Trump

  • Published
    24 June 2019
Share page
About sharing
Women knittingImage source, Getty Images
Patrick Evans
BBC News

The popular knitting website Ravelry, external is banning users from expressing support for the US President Donald Trump and his administration on its platform.

On Sunday night, a tweet, which has now been shared almost 10,000 times and attracted 13,000 comments, said: "We cannot provide a space that is inclusive of all and also allow support for open white supremacy. Support of the Trump administration is undeniably support for white supremacy."

This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post by Ravelry

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post by Ravelry

You may also like:

  • Protests against jail for Russian teenage 'abuse victims'

  • Gay Hell: US town re-named to protest LGBT flag ban

  • One Scottish man's idea to fix the broken world of online debate

In a statement on its website, Ravelry said supporters of the president could still use the site but could not express their support in its forum or knitting patterns.

A pro Donald Trump knitting pattern which has now been taken down from the siteImage source, Deplorableknitter
Image caption,

This Trump 2020 knitting pattern has been removed from the site

"We are not endorsing Democrats nor banning Republicans," it said.

"We are definitely not banning conservative politics.

"Hate groups and intolerance are different from political position."

Ravelry said its policy was largely based on one adopted in October 2018 by the role-playing game website RPG.Net, external

At the time, RPG said the Trump administration was so incompatible with its values "that formal political neutrality is not tenable".

Donald Trump is yet to commentImage source, SAUL LOEB
Image caption,

Donald Trump is yet to comment

Since Ravelry's ban, it has been the subject of more than 30,000 tweets.

Joyce Alene tweeted, external she was "proud" to be a Ravelry member and it was the "same folks who knit hats for the women's march taking the lead on calling out hate", alluding to the Pussyhat project, where thousands of women donned pink woolly hats to protest against the president.

A woman wearing a Pussy Hat during the 2018 Womens March in New York City.Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

A woman wearing a pussyhat during the 2018 Women's March in New York City

But fellow Ravelry user Shelly Caldwell tweeted: "I will be cancelling my account #Maga [make America great again]."

This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post 2 by Shelly Caldwell

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post 2 by Shelly Caldwell

Though not a Ravelry user, Keith Barrett tweeted, external: "You cannot claim to be inclusive while banning or censoring half the country for supporting its president."

But lawyer Tiffany Li said as a private company, Ravelry was under no obligation to allow all viewpoints on its platform.

This X post cannot be displayed in your browser. Please enable Javascript or try a different browser.View original content on X
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
Skip X post 3 by Tiffany C. Li

Allow X content?

This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.
End of X post 3 by Tiffany C. Li

Top stories

  • Trump orders India tariff hike to 50% for buying Russian oil

    • Published
      1 hour ago
  • Trump says 'good prospect' of summit with Putin and Zelensky after envoy's Russia visit

    • Published
      1 hour ago
  • 'I live in a peaceful corner of Bristol. But the house next door is empty and full of rats'

    • Published
      43 minutes ago

More to explore

  • 'I live in a peaceful corner of Bristol. But the house next door is empty and full of rats'

    Ann Devereaux stands beside the derelict property next door - a large building now overtaken by decay. Graffiti covers the walls, weeds and shrubs grow unchecked from cracks in the brickwork, and gaping holes expose the interior to the elements.
  • On Ukraine's front line, twisted wreckage shows sanctions haven't yet stopped Russia

    Dymtro Chubenko stands in front of a pile of Russian missile and drone parts
  • Oceangate's Titan whistleblower: 'People were sold a lie'

    David Lochridge in a submersible looking out at an underwater reef
  • Debt, delays & desperation - how Sheff Wed crisis impacts fans

    • Attribution
      Sport
    Sheffield Wednesday fan Gaz Robinson talks to the BBC
  • Carol Kirkwood: Why weather forecasters (like me) often appear to get it wrong

    Carol Kirkwood presents the weather forecast
  • Hiroshima: Ceremony marks 80th anniversary of atomic bombing

    Attendees offer flowers during the Peace Memorial Ceremony on the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima
  • Violent Channel smuggling gang's French and UK network exposed by undercover BBC investigation

    A composite image of two men involved in the people-smuggling gang. On the left is a colourful picture of Abdullah in France, holding a phone to his ear and wearing a body warmer and baseball cap. On the right is a young man wearing a green sweatshirt, filmed on a UK train station concourse.
  • Russian attacks on Ukraine double since Trump inauguration

    Donald Trump imposed over the BBC Verify colours and branding. Beside him is a cut out of a strike on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
  • Future Earth newsletter: Get exclusive insight on the latest climate news from Justin Rowlatt

    Future Earth promo
loading elsewhere stories

Most read

  1. 1

    'I live in a peaceful corner of Bristol. But the house next door is empty and full of rats'

  2. 2

    British man accused of trying to drown daughter-in-law in US pool

  3. 3

    Bank of England expected to cut interest rates

  4. 4

    Trump orders India tariff hike to 50% for buying Russian oil

  5. 5

    Airport runway reopens after emergency landing

  6. 6

    MasterChef returns with sacked hosts but without their jokes

  7. 7

    The secret system Hamas uses to pay government salaries

  8. 8

    Trump says 'good prospect' of summit with Putin and Zelensky after envoy's Russia visit

  9. 9

    People returned to live in Pompeii's ruins, archaeologists say

  10. 10

    More teens to get their choice of uni even if they miss their grades, says Ucas

BBC News Services

  • On your mobile
  • On smart speakers
  • Get news alerts
  • Contact BBC News

Destination X

  • Your latest reality TV obsession has landed on iPlayer

    • Attribution
      iPlayer
    Destination X
  • Rob Brydon welcomes you to Destination X

    • Attribution
      iPlayer
    Destination X
  • Get on board and play along at home

    • Attribution
      Game
    Destination X Game
  • Where the X are they off to next?

    • Attribution
      iPlayer
    Destination X
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • iPlayer
  • Sounds
  • Bitesize
  • CBBC
  • CBeebies
  • Food
  • Terms of Use
  • About the BBC
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies
  • Accessibility Help
  • Parental Guidance
  • Contact the BBC
  • Make an editorial complaint
  • BBC emails for you

Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.