Thursday 8 March 2012

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY & FACEBOOK'S MISOGYNY!!

        Today, I awoke to a blocked Facebook account - on INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY! The irony is palpable.
Because, after a day of international protest, a vast amount of publicity, a media spat with The Guardian, and further coverage regarding their unsavoury outsourcing practices, Facebook are unrepentant. They are still removing breastfeeding content as offensive and obscene, they are still upholding complaints with regard to breastfeeding pictures, and they continue to block and suspend accounts of those who dare to post images of breastfeeding women.

Facebook has suspended my ability to post at all, following my adding of a beautiful Amazonian nursing dyad. This IMAGE is both beautiful and educational; it shows a powerful, proud, strong woman nurturing her child. This is exactly the kind of image that women need to see, when faced with the crazy onslaught of hyper-sexualised breasts, nursing covers, and formula advertisements. This image, and images like it can redress the balance.
However, why we want to share this image is irrelevant, whether it is to consider the beauty and nature of the body adornment presented, or to mull over the shape of the nipple, or to marvel at the robust health of this dyad, or - whatever! It doesn't matter. The fact and principle is that this picture is neither offensive, nor obscene. If someone deems it as such, then Facebook ought to be reminding them of this fact - not reprimanding me for obscenity!

The fact is that Facebook has appointed itself prime censor - censorship that includes children pretending to feed their dollies, fully covered breastfeeding women, images of active nursing...
....inoffensive and natural mammalian life.

The Mummy demographic is BIG, Facebook, and we are not going to stand for this.

NOT!!

I apologise to all of those people with which I cannot converse, regarding breastfeeding chat, information, education, or advice.
Please register your displeasure by sharing this picture, by posting support on my Facebook page, and by sharing any breastfeeding image from my account.


Facebook's actions are misogynist, harassing, discriminatory, bullying, and singular - they have removed pictures that have appeared in international newspapers, in galleries - they have even removed images of statues that adorn cities across the globe!

For a moment, I would like to consider how Facebook makes people feel when they do this.......well, it is almost a kind of adult "time-out", isn't it? It is a shaming, a shunning, and an isolating; it is a cutting off of community and support. I dread to think what a new mother, proudly posting her new breastfeeding baby might think. Her enthusiasm, pride, elation, happiness may be seriously dented by this kind of action - which both breaks my heart and angers me immensely!


When Facebook decide to reinstate my right to use their facility, I will be continuing my work, my sharing of information and imagery.
And, well .... their office is only a couple of tube stops away - I could always pay them a visit to attempt to discuss breastfeeding imagery in-depth!

Lastly, here is evidence of Facebook's bullying that causes women to "self-censor" - since when did society become so afraid of nipples??
This shows the hesitant thoughts and worries engendered by facebook policy....


"
... ♥ ...I actually edited that photo so that the child's hand was over the mother's nipple because I knew FB would go nuts if I posted it. "

 
This problem is far from resolved.

2 comments:

  1. Very nicely communicated. Can't wait to see you back :)

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  2. I'm sorry this happened to you :( I was taken by surprise when my breastfeeding picture was removed and then my account was disabled permanently when I protested by posting more breastfeeding photos. I now boycott facebook, but I really do miss the community I had there. I won't be using facebook until they change their policy about breastfeeding photos. Good Luck to you :) I completely support your choice to breastfeed and to share your experiences as you see appropriate!

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