A printing error has forced the University of Sydney’s student newspaper to destroy thousands of covers that showed 18 women’s vaginas.

The vaginas were supposed to be covered by black bars, but the bars appeared transparent when printed.

The editors of the newspaper, Honi Soit, said the cover image was intended to make a stance about body ownership.

In a piece about the cover on the newspaper’s website, the editors said: “We are tired of society giving us a myriad of things to feel about our own bodies. We are tired of having to attach anxiety to our vaginas.”

The statement concludes: “Here they are, flaps and all. Don’t you dare tell me my body offends you.”