Waihi-based gay photographer Xavier Radic has branded TradeMe 'discriminatory' after the popular trading website removed an image of a homoerotic nude artwork he was selling. Art by Xavier Radic: Too much for TradeMe TradeMe emailed Radic explaining that the auction listing containing the image (shown at right) was removed since it contained "full or partial nudity". Radic argues that the image had been up on TradeMe for quite some time - and has been on public exhibition both locally and in New York - with no complaints. "The images have been treated in such a simplistic way so as not to offend," he explains. "I find the actions of TradeMe offensive and discriminating. "It is very difficult to produce effective and challenging art in New Zealand without this crass knee-jerk reaction from such plebeian moralists," he adds. Radic says the artwork - one image in a calendar called Nudus has been on public exhibition in New York for the last month. The artist wrote a letter of protest to TradeMe, and also alerted several media organisations to his concerns. TradeMe spokesperson Stephanie Welch dismisses as "rubbish" the suggestion that the website discriminates against homoerotic imagery. Welch tells GayNZ.com that TradeMe received complaints about the image, which resulted in the website's compliance team reviewing the auction and deciding to remove it. While TradeMe has strict rules against pornography in its listings, Welsh says nudity in art can be a grey area - no pun intended. "But the line is drawn with full frontal nudity. There is more flexibility with paintings and sculptures than with photography due to them not being as graphic." But could it somehow be possible to preface image with a 'content may offend' warning? "The only way to do that is have a human being look at every photograph that is loaded onto TradeMe before the listing goes live," responds Welch. "We have about four million photographs uploaded a week, so it's really not very practical. "Plus, Trade Me is a family website. We don't want to have to preface listings with 'offensive content' warnings."