# Kiwibank Sheep Mascot Sexualization Debate

> New Zealand bank tries to remove horny memes of its green sheep mascot, sparking free speech fight.
- Title: Kiwibank Sheep Mascot Sexualization Debate · VICE | Shortify
- Summary: New Zealand bank tries to remove horny memes of its green sheep mascot, sparking free speech fight. Kiwibank's attempt to censor sexually explicit memes of…
- Keywords: kiwibank, buck the sheep, free speech, copyright law, new zealand, internet memes, news, culture, Sheep, Mascot, Sexualization, Debate
- Source: VICE — https://vice.com/en/article/the-internet-wont-stop-sexualizing-this-banks-sheep-mascot-and-the-bank-is-making-it-worse
- Author: Luis Prada
- Published: 2026-10-18T02:20:12+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: kiwibank, buck the sheep, free speech, copyright law, new zealand, internet memes, news, culture
## Kiwibank's New Mascot Buck
A New Zealand bank introduced a cute green wool sheep mascot named Buck, which the internet quickly sexualized.
## Internet Sexualizes Buck
Users posted sexually explicit memes and fan art about Buck, prompting Kiwibank to issue copyright takedown notices.
## Kiwibank Censors Content
The bank scrubbed Buck from social media, leaving messages that this media has been disabled due to copyright reports.
## Free Speech Debate Intensifies
Kiwibank’s censorship efforts backfired, drawing attention from John Oliver and New Zealand’s Free Speech Union.
## Key takeaway

Kiwibank's attempt to censor sexually explicit memes of its mascot Buck the Sheep has intensified free speech debates in New Zealand.