Shine bright

Scientists want to ban this quintessential gay accessory

There are many reasons a person might want to ban glitter. Like, they happened to brush against a drag queen at a party one night, and now their bed is covered in glitter, they keep finding it in their eyebrows, and bits of it continue cropping up for weeks despite serious efforts to eradicate the sparkle infestation.

Now, an environmental anthropologist at Massey University is calling for all the glamour to be gone: She wants glitter to go the way of the Dodo and Dorian Corey.

“I think all glitter should be banned,” Dr. Trisia Farrelly tells The Independent. “Because it’s microplastic.”

The small size of its plastic particulars makes it a “potential ecological hazard,” The Independent reports.

A ban on microbeads will begin in the UK next year since plastic waste puts “marine wildlife under serious threat,” says Environmental Secretary Michael Gove.

Related: Inspiring ‘Glitterboy’ photo project challenges notions of black masculinity and sexuality

“When people think about glitter they think of party and dress-up glitter,” Dr. Farrelly says. “But glitter includes cosmetic glitters as well, the more everyday kind that people don’t think about as much.”

“No one knows that glitter is made of plastic,” says Noemi Lamma, a co-founder of Eco Glitter Fun, an “eco-friendly glitter distributor.

“We were heartbroken when we found out.”

Banning cosmetic glitter and microbeads is a “no-brainer,” according to Dr. Ferrelly.

“I’m sick and tired of consumers being held responsible for trying to avoid this stuff,” she says. “I mean it’s literally impossible to. Producers need to be responsible. They need to use safer, non-toxic, durable alternatives.”

What’s your take on glitter? Should it be banned for good, or does that mean the party’s over? Sound off in the comments below!

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