My endless internet exploring has landed me on an instagram account which promotes breaking the taboo on breastfeeding through showing the act that has been a popular theme throughout Art History, thus trying to free the nipple on the internet. It's quite simply called Breastfeeding Art.
Although this might seem a progressive piece of protest against standard norms on social media, photographed (female) nipples are still banned on most sites such as Instagram and Facebook. This includes pictures of recent mothers feeding their babies. By publishing one of the most instinctive and natural acts of mothers in painted, or other historic media, (ceci n'est pas un nipple much?) this account manages to show how breasts have served a purpose far beyond the sexualised pleasures people might try and find on the internet; Instead we see love and beauty in the relationship between mothers feeding their children throughout history.
The ban on nipples seems most apparent on Facebook, where racist jokes however, are allowed. From my own experience, after reporting a racist post on their site, I received a message from the Facebook minions explaining that this post was not against their policies and I could only report a post that contained nudity/pornographic content, or if it was a direct threat against me or my family (Even though Facebook did claim to ban content containing hate speech as well as other topics, which were not found anywhere as a reason to report certain posts that seemed to go against Facebook's policies). Why can Facebook (with other social media) not accept the (female) body and the people and movements that mean to show all its purposes as an example to the younger generation, but let discriminating and hurtful posts and comments from an older, tradition-bound generation exist?
To some extent it seems like people are able to raise their voices and share opinions through these social media, but in this case some people should have had an extra barrier to think before they post, while posts that have been well-thought out and add to a progressive movement or discussion are shut down in the name of protecting innocent eyes.
Although this might seem a progressive piece of protest against standard norms on social media, photographed (female) nipples are still banned on most sites such as Instagram and Facebook. This includes pictures of recent mothers feeding their babies. By publishing one of the most instinctive and natural acts of mothers in painted, or other historic media, (ceci n'est pas un nipple much?) this account manages to show how breasts have served a purpose far beyond the sexualised pleasures people might try and find on the internet; Instead we see love and beauty in the relationship between mothers feeding their children throughout history.
The ban on nipples seems most apparent on Facebook, where racist jokes however, are allowed. From my own experience, after reporting a racist post on their site, I received a message from the Facebook minions explaining that this post was not against their policies and I could only report a post that contained nudity/pornographic content, or if it was a direct threat against me or my family (Even though Facebook did claim to ban content containing hate speech as well as other topics, which were not found anywhere as a reason to report certain posts that seemed to go against Facebook's policies). Why can Facebook (with other social media) not accept the (female) body and the people and movements that mean to show all its purposes as an example to the younger generation, but let discriminating and hurtful posts and comments from an older, tradition-bound generation exist?
To some extent it seems like people are able to raise their voices and share opinions through these social media, but in this case some people should have had an extra barrier to think before they post, while posts that have been well-thought out and add to a progressive movement or discussion are shut down in the name of protecting innocent eyes.
To put things into perspective some more: The Menstrual Revolution feed I've been following posted photographs that were banned for showing some (possibly fake) period blood, without any full nudity (or pornographic content for that matter) Anyone interested in this period-positive revolution and the photographs that were banned can read on by clicking this link. It just goes to show that women are still made to believe their bodies are disgusting, while in fact there should be no shame in having a healthy, functioning body.
When it comes to just nudity/pornographic content part, the breasts may be exposed, as long as there is no nipple visible, according to the Facebook policies.
I don't see how all the pornographic and arousing content lies in "the dark part of the skin which sticks out from the breast of a mammal and through which milk is supplied to the young", while "soft, rounded parts of a woman's chest" are accepted without the involved nipple that gives these rounded parts (or just skinbags of fat and mammary glands) their functionality. To me it looks like we are supposed to be ashamed of our nipples and the function they hold, while they are actually only a tiny, visible piece of evidence of a feeding device on the surface of the body. Male nipples are allowed to be shown, but how are those any different, if it's not the breast itself that is banned? Is the ability to lactate the problem here?
When it comes to just nudity/pornographic content part, the breasts may be exposed, as long as there is no nipple visible, according to the Facebook policies.
I don't see how all the pornographic and arousing content lies in "the dark part of the skin which sticks out from the breast of a mammal and through which milk is supplied to the young", while "soft, rounded parts of a woman's chest" are accepted without the involved nipple that gives these rounded parts (or just skinbags of fat and mammary glands) their functionality. To me it looks like we are supposed to be ashamed of our nipples and the function they hold, while they are actually only a tiny, visible piece of evidence of a feeding device on the surface of the body. Male nipples are allowed to be shown, but how are those any different, if it's not the breast itself that is banned? Is the ability to lactate the problem here?
Can't we just accept that breasts (as well as the rest of our naked human bodies, with the hair and fluids included) are functional entities to feed our offspring, that also hold the power to be aesthetically pleasing? There should be no shame in feeding your baby.
It was known through the history of art. Now I feel like this should be brought back into our generation, in which we seem to be detached from our own bodies through the shame enforced by social media and the manipulation of photographs.
Accept the naked body as a very functional piece of art and embrace the way it works.
It was known through the history of art. Now I feel like this should be brought back into our generation, in which we seem to be detached from our own bodies through the shame enforced by social media and the manipulation of photographs.
Accept the naked body as a very functional piece of art and embrace the way it works.