reported for censoring breastfeeding again

Yes. We agree that breastfeeding is natural and beautiful and we’re glad to know that it’s important for mothers to share their experiences with others on Facebook.”

Businesses slide by with ads with breasts all the time but when it’s a woman trying to make an ad for breastfeeding portrait sessions, she’s shut down?

Why is Facebook sexualizing breastfeeding and censoring women? Our female skin, our breasts, our cleavage, our nipples, are not offensive merely because they are exposed to the sun and air or in an advertisement. Everyone has skin. Everyone has nipples. What’s the fuss? Breasts are the reason our species exists, because children are nourished and comforted by them. Women should be revered, not shamed. If this had been an ad with a man holding his child, would it have been censored? No, certainly not.

Breastfeeding mom Kayla Robinson Miller chimed in with her thoughts, “I didn’t realize I was being “suggestive” while FEEDING my baby. But Victoria’s Secret pictures can be blasted all over face book and nobody bats an eye. It’s a sad world we are living in.”

I agree. It is a sad world. What are we teaching our children with all of this discriminatory, sexist censorship of women? Grow up, Facebook. Stop policing women for using their bodies how they see fit.

How does this censorship make you feel?

Join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, or comment below.

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Facebook has been called out again for the pointless shaming and censorship of women. This time they censored Indigenous Australian women who were taking part in a traditional ceremony because they were topless and painted in ochre. Facebook labeled them offensive and banned them for nudity.

[ABC TV’s 8MMM program depicting Australian Aboriginal women taking part in a traditional ceremony. (ABC/YouTube)]

Frankly, I’m tired of it. Enough is enough. When is Facebook going to stop banning women for being female and having female nipples? Would this image have been banned if it was topless men this photo? Of course not.

Fiona West‎ shared her disappointment with me, stating, “As an Australian woman with lots of Aboriginal friends and family I find this very upsetting. It’s not only we breastfeeding mothers and their families who are harmed by western society’s illogical intolerance of women’s torsos, but also traditional people in Australia practicing their culture.“

I agree with Fiona. Banning women, these images of traditional culture, is damaging in ways that Facebook should be ashamed of. I don’t care if they’ve got bots banning female nipples. I’m not giving them a pass because they’re blaming the flagging on other users. They’ve had years to address this problem. It’s time to stop it.

I’ll say it again. Our female breasts, our nipples, are not offensive merely because they are exposed to the sun and air. It’s just a pair of breasts. And everyone has nipples. What’s the fuss? Breasts are the reason our species exists, because children are nourished and comforted by them. Women should be revered, not shamed.

Have they never seen a National Geographic? Was NG put on a shelf with nudie mags and hidden away? No. Women were topless. People were nude. It was all good. People need to see these images. Children need to see these traditional cultures and their ceremonies in person, in documentaries, online, and in print to expand their world view, to accept women as actual people instead of sexual objects or women that should be ashamed of their bodies. We all have bodies. It’s just a bit of flesh, bones, skin. That’s all we have.

So, grow up, Facebook, and everyone else offended by breasts. Just because a woman is topless doesn’t mean you can criminalize her body, deem her body indecent. She shouldn’t have to have a baby hanging on one side for you to allow her to be topless. Stop policing women for using their bodies how they see fit.

#FreeTheNipple #EverydaySexism

How does this censorship make you feel?

Join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, or comment below.

The story of Facebook banning a French museum for 24 hours over a 1940s photograph of a women half nude has exploded all over the internet in the last couple of days so I thought I’d put my two cents in.

What happened? According to Jeu de Paume’s post on facebook, this was the message they received and their note on it (translated from French to English):

What did the original boobs look like? For the love of all that is holy, prepare yourself for the antichrist. Heck, maybe you should just cover your eyes or close your laptop or turn your phone around if you don’t want to grow hair on your palms and go straight to hell. This lady’s breasts are that glorious.

Here they are.

Laure Albin Guillot, Titled “L’Étude de nu” (Nude Study) – 1940

This is it??! What a let down. And no, that isn’t a breastfeeding mother’s joke. This is clearly a beautiful, artistic photograph. When I first saw it, shared with me by my husband who is on the look out for all things ridiculous when it comes to boob harassment, I didn’t think about shielding it from my children. No. My three year old was sitting on my lap looking at the computer while my 19-month-old was nursing. My little one popped off and said, “Mama?” as if she was asking if she was a mama. I mean, look at those breasts. Surely, she could feed a couple kids with those beauties.

We know what breasts are for in my house. So no, I don’t think this photo breaks community standards. Instead of being shocked by the female form, I find myself wondering what the story is behind the sketched squares.

Just to poke fun at Facebook a little, I made my own poster of the image.

Why do people think that female nipples need to be covered up with black squares or x’s or pasties or my little red hearts to be considered acceptable? There is nothing wrong with female nipples.

Women love our nipples.

Babies sure as shit love them.

Men can’t get enough of them.

What’s not to love? Women’s breasts and nipples sustain our species. They are the very reason we are all alive. Nipples are nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to hide. Our breasts should be revered, not relegated to realm of pornography in every instance in which they are exposed. But then maybe we’d sell less beer here in the US if they became less taboo.

Facebook has been a notorious boob about, well, boobs. Breastfeeding mothers are treated as exhibitionists and banished. People who post comics that include nipples, even the New York Times sharing one about Adam and Eve, are censored. Famous paintings, sculptures, and statues of the female nude or breastfeeding mothers have been deemed indecent on Facebook and blocked. But type in “ass and boob” in the search box on Facebook and you’ll see dozens of pornography pages.

These tacky pages are okay but one artistic photograph posted by a museum isn’t?

Facebook, quit being an asshole. Stop shaming women.

PS – If you are in Paris anytime from February 26th to May 12th this year, you can go see the exhibition of Guillot’s work at the Jeu de Paume.

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Yet again, another breastfeeding photo has been censored from Facebook. According to Breastfeeding, a support page, Facebook removed this photo from their wall.

Take a look.

What do you think is offensive and violates Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities?

Perhaps the delicious looking birthday cake (that made me go out and buy a chocolate cupcake today after I wrote this post) was too treacherous for public consumption? Were they confused about the number of candles on the cake? (Who is the cake for? Is there a 5 year old child off frame?) Were the flames too big and someone thought it was a fire hazard? Or maybe they were they disgusted by the joyous mother who may or may not be breastfeeding her sweet chunky thighed baby? Did someone find the breastfeeding part offensive and flag it for removal and it was removed before being examined? What if that baby is just sucking it’s thumb? Were the boobs on the screen behind the cake too much for Facebook? Shame on TLC for flashing porn! Or, I got it. I know. Is it the unfolded laundry in the rocking chair? OH THE HORROR!! Don’t look!

Here is the thread where this image came from. I’m not sure how long the link will be active though.

Well, I can’t figure it out. Images like these of Pamela Anderson and Tamara Ecclestone in the headlines today show more breast than a breastfeeding mother usually does, and certainly the mother above. And even the cleavage on the screen.

And they are purely for sexual consumption and the male gaze, am I right?

What about breastfeeding images? Who are those for? The mother. The baby when they grow up. The father. Anyone who finds breastfeeding a beautiful, natural act. For educational purposes. For children. They show the love of the mother, the dedication, the pride. Breastfeeding images show the normal, biological function of our mammary glands.

Even if a nursing mother is not covered and is showing some breast tissue, it is perfectly acceptable.

Despite Facebook taking down this image of the Leaky Boob’s a few months back.

If someone can’t handle this image, they should just unlike the page or unsubscribe from a friend who posts things that are not to their taste. Period.

Most states have specifically passed laws to allow breastfeeding in public, regardless of the mother being covered or not, nipple exposed during nursing or not. Why? To protect nursing mothers and babies from rude, uninformed people who think nursing is lewd or sexual. Breastfeeding and seeing breastfeeding online and in public benefits everyone. Facebook agrees. They also say they fully support breastfeeding and images are not to be removed. But it keeps happening.

When I saw this photo on my news feed this morning, it made me happy to see that dimpled hand and the smile on that mama’s face. I am thankful that the majority of breastfeeding images stay on Facebook without removal. But when they are removed, it makes me angry. Because it is sending the wrong message to the people they block. It is shaming them.

Breastfeeding is beautiful. Nurse with pride, mamas!

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Want to subscribe? Click here. Or follow me on my facebook page, Paa.la

I just came across these lovely supportive breastfeeding posters and had to share.

These posters are part of a series of breastfeeding education posters from UK charity Best Beginnings. One of the series was banned from Facebook. Read more about the series here in The Independent.

via FB! Stop harassing Emma Kwasnica over her breastfeeding pics

This poster, part of a series of breastfeeding education posters from UK charity Best Beginnings, has been removed from Facebook. Justin Everette Stout, who runs a breastfeeding page for dads, has been banned for 30 days for sharing this image.

Facebook has yet again, proven itself unable to follow their own community rules and standards, which allows breastfeeding photos.

Want to subscribe? Click here. Or follow me on my facebook page, Paa.la

Happy Friday!

How was your week? Any fun plans for the weekend? I want to eat this peanut butter cream pie RIGHT NOW. But since I just got home from Whole Foods with a blueberry pie, I’ll eat that instead. Next week I will be out of town visiting my family in Texas for 7 short days (or long, depending on how I do sleeping with both girls in bed with me). Because I will be busy, I thought I’d share my Sweet Links before next week. Lucky you, right?! Two Sweet Links posts in one week!! (Because you already don’t have enough time to read all of my posts anyway.) Here are some things I’ve read this past week that I felt were worth sharing.

Want more? Click here to check out my other recent Sweet Links posts.

Enjoy!

Pregnancy

Guess who is on my latest envy list? Megan Fox. Could she be ANY cuter with a pregnant belly?? (I know I said I don’t envy pregnancy right now but I wish I looked that beautiful when I was pregnant.)Super-fit: Megan is still impossibly toned despite her bump

via Daily Mail

Post partum

I’m thinking about what birth control options are best for me, now that my cycle is back. Check out this sweet list from Planned Parenthood. What would I do without them?

Birth Control – Planned Parenthood

Birth Control Options

Have you seen Alessandra Ambrosio’s new son Noah? I love seeing newborn photos. But I am just going to say it, even though I know it sounds bitchy, but come on. Pampers logos everywhere?! Tacky. Is she at a photo shoot for them or what? I guess she probably is. I doubt she would litter her own house with these photos with their logo everywhere.

via Daily Mail

Sleeping beauty: The stunning Victoria's Secret model showed that her little boy is already a natural in front of the cameras, despite being just a month oldA kiss for my baby: Alessandra tenderly kisses the top of Noah's head in another shot

And they claim she’s already back to her old self, only 8 weeks postpartum. Lucky lady!

Look how fab Kate Hudson looks. She’s had how many now, three? She looks great! And I want that bikini.

How flat is her stomach! Kate Hudson was seen showing off her toned shape in a black bikini as she soaked up the sunshine in Greece How flat is her stomach! Kate Hudson was seen showing off her toned shape in a black bikini as she soaked up the sunshine in Greece

via Daily Mail

Breastfeeding

Yay for breastfeeding in the news!

Thora Arnorsdottir (on left), a young mother eyeing Iceland presidency, plans to continue breastfeeding if she wins: http://wires.univision.com/english/article/2012-06-28/thora-arnorsdottir-a-young-mother

Þóra Arnórsdóttir‘s photo

And look at her beautiful family!

Just came across this article about keeping your boobs from going saggy and it is nice to see that they specifically say that breastfeeding DOES NOT cause extra sag.

Why Mayor Bloomberg Wants New York Mothers To Breastfeed – The Business Insider

Check out the subway and hospital campaign poster. There are a TON more benefits than just those few things but it is a nice start.

“Human breast milk is best for babies and mothers,” said Commissioner Farley. “When babies receive supplementary formula in the hospital or mothers receive promotional baby formula on hospital discharge it can impede the establishment of an adequate milk supply and can undermine women’s confidence in breastfeeding. With this initiative the New York City health community is joining together to support mothers who choose to breastfeed.”

Poster & quote from NYC Dept of Health and Mental Hygiene

Another one about Facebook deleting another breastfeeding photo…

Breastfeeding moms in the Facebook community – The Leaky Boob

I think breastfeeding photos on Facebook are not a big deal. By that I mean, keeping them from being wrongfully spammed, reported, and deleted IS a big deal. They are not porn and they can actually be quite beautiful. Facebook says they allow them but time and time again, they keep deleting them. They say it is other users flagging them. Well, perhaps if they actually looked at flagged photos before deleting them, they wouldn’t keep deleting them. All I know is they need to get their shit straight. Why are seeing and sharing these types of photos important, in my opinion? I know that seeing breastfeeding photos and seeing the photos of mothers nursing in public is really helpful for other more shy mothers to see, to help them gain confidence, and for everyone to realize that breasts can be functional. Breastfeeding is in no way shameful and it shouldn’t be hidden away from whatever groups of people think shouldn’t see them, like children, men, or the elderly. Please. People who are offended just need to get over themselves and stop flagging them or posting rude comments. Babies at a breast are just eating. That’s all. Mothers who are showing a little breast are just nursing, not being exhibitionists or nudist or trying to steal someone else’s husband or make anyone toss their cookies.

Here was the Leaky Boob’s latest deletion. LOOK AWAY! OH THE HORROR!!!!! ; )

If that was a bottle in that baby’s mouth, would anyone report it? No.

Parenting

How do you capture your children’s every day moments? I just saw these sketches by Angie Stevens, who has been drawing her children every.single.day. Seriously. Why am I not drawing my kids every day? These are wonderful!

Drawing by Angie Stevens – more at Daily Mail

Window lickers: Angie captures the funny momentsWaterbabies: The children taking a bath togetherBottoms up: A fun moment captured on paper

I do take a million photos though. It is quicker and easier and gets the job done. But still. Those drawings are awesome.

Check out these tips for how to take good photos of your kiddos.

Motherhood Mondays: 5 tips for taking great photos of kids - Cup of Jo

Love this one!

Helping A Friend Through The Loss Of A Parent – Alpha Mom

Interesting reading another point of view and seeing what other people find comforting. The 2 year anniversary of my mother’s death is less than a week away now and I still don’t know how and why I handled things the way I did or how I am doing now. Loss is unavoidable and painful, and how each individual handles it is unpredictable.

On the happier things…

Did you go to the Pride parade last month? I wish I could have gone last weekend to the one in SF but since I was unable, I was happy to see these photos of the supportive posters and people having a great time.

32 Gay Pride Pictures Everyone Should See – Buzzfeed

Some of the comments are horrid though. Trolls are saying that being gay is still a sill, regardless. What is terrible about treating people with equality? People should be able to live and love without fear of harassment and even fear of death.

I saw this photo floating around Facebook today, from Cowboy Way, and it makes perfect sense.

My Recent Posts:

Rosie…the Breastfeeding Mama

Movie: Vaccine Nation

Did you know that a nipple exposed in a painting or photo on Facebook is prohibited but not a “lactating” nipple on a fountain or exposed nipple on a statue? I find that very interesting.

If statues and paintings are both considered fine art, why are they on some sort of different screening or qualification level on Facebook? Why did they draw the line at one and not the other?

I just saw this Facebook photo album, Breastfeeding Sculpture by Beautiful Breastfeeding, full of statues of nursing women and lactating fountains. None of these images were banned! Not one!

The woman behind Beautiful Breastfeeding was suspended for 30 days for posting a breastfeeding painting of a woman that had a nipple exposed. Oh my! Someone painted breasts being used for their purpose? And the painting was over a hundred years old by a (now) widely accepted artist, Cezanne, but Facebook deemed it obscene? Shocking! (I kid.)

Beautiful Breastfeeding fought back. She posted a photo, this lovely lactating fountain, and commented on their censorship:

“I dedicate this post to the beauty of breastfeeding in art, that should never be censored, and remain free for all to see…”

And because not everyone has a Facebook account, I’ve posted it where everyone can truly see.

Where is this lovely fountain, you ask? I believe it is The Neptune Fountain (Fontana di Nettuno), located in Bologna, Italy, in Piazza del Nettuna, next to Piazza Maggiore, and is one of it’s most famous landmarks. (More info, angles, and lactating statues on Dr. Momma.)

What I love about this statue is that not only is it beautiful, it is educational. If you were anything like me the first time your milk came in with your first child, you had no idea that milk would come out that way. Why did I think it would only dribble out of one hole per nipple?? I guess I hadn’t seen this statue! Milk sprays in all directions. Hopefully most of it makes it into your baby’s mouth. Sharing the image of this fountain and other lactating fountains serves the global community. I sincerely hope Facebook doesn’t decide to ban these types of images too.

What do you think about Facebook’s ban on paintings of breastfeeding nipples but not on statues and fountains? Shouldn’t they allow both or neither?

One last thing, for some reason, fighting back by spraying Facebook in the face with “milk” reminded me of the news story of the woman spraying a cop in the face with her breast milk. It isn’t the same thing of course, but still.

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Banned From FaceBook

reported for censoring breastfeeding again

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