 |
| This birth painting by Lucy Peirce was NOT banned by FB but was shared here so that people could share this post without being banned by Fb as well. |
I was asked recently by the Online Hate Prevention Institute to issue my comments after another teen girl attempted suicide after extensive Facebook bullying.
Facebook is notorious for censoring women’s non-sexualized bodies in everyday use. If empowering images of women’s bodies can be meticulously pulled down in the name of “Community Standards”, there is no reason in the world that Facebook cannot better monitor the use of their site to bully children. Mark Zuckerberg wrote a rather public birth announcement for his daughter Max last year:
“Max, we love you and feel a great responsibility to leave the world a better place for you and all children. We wish you a life filled with the same love, hope and joy you give us. We can’t wait to see what you bring to this world.” It is time for him to put his money where his mouth is. Our children’s lives depend on it.
Read my full statement and the story that led up to it here.
After posting my commentary, my scheduled posts stopped worked for several days on Facebook. When I reported this to Facebook, they eventually fixed it, but then I was notified the next day that I had been banned for 3 days for the following birth post.
“This was motherhood without mystification, maternity ‘without its make up on’, a movement that has alternatively been praised and criticised by the medical community, feminists and politicians for its insistence upon the primacy of the mother figure in a child’s life and of the child in the mother’s life” … it is “part and parcel of the feminist movement, and is based on the premise that if a woman is to be strong, she must take responsibility for her childbearing and child-rearing functions herself rather than remain dependent upon male authorities for guidance” -Nancy Rubin, The Mother Mirror
 |
| Photo via Positive Birth Movement |
I am not sure why this suddenly violates Facebook's "community standards" as I have posted this same photo multiple times for well over a year, including here and here.
Facebook's ban is an annoying waste of my time; however they have made my point for me, again. I have said this many times, but females need another social network.
I have appealed Facebook's decision but have not heard back. Meanwhile, Facebook is filled with pages about incest and other disgusting pages.
You go girl! Please don't stop! I just received Jesus, Muhammad and the Goddess and read your introduction a few nights ago. It made me want to find your email so I can thank you...thank you for all your efforts for women. My wild woman is screaming to be set free so I am beginning to do the work. I am very grateful I have found you to help me. Carry on bravely!
ReplyDeletePeace and blessings,
Lila
Thanks so much for letting me know! lol they can slow me down but they can't shut me up!
DeletePeace and blessings to you as well!
Lila, just finished reading that book myself! And yes, I agree, that all sorts of disgusting pages are allowed to flourish on Facebook, (not to mention highly racist), but if one woman's nipple is being shown (unless it's a playboy model), then it's labeled indecent. Stupid. We need a social media that is feminist-friendly.
DeleteThe pages I've reported for promoting sexual and physical abuse are all covered under free speech I'm told, by Facebook. (Real nice.) Yet photos of nursing moms, laboring moms, and even pregnant women are banned as filthy. It's insane. Keep up your amazing work, I love that I have found you and your page, a place where I can always feel comfortable in who I am. Love, light, and blessings!
ReplyDeleteExactly. Thanks so much for your support. Love, light and blessings to you!
DeleteBravo for your bravery, intelligence and perseverence!I have enjoyed your postings for well over a year now, and I am so glad that women have an advocate; one that encourages us to be our own authentic selves; to not be afraid of being who they really are; and for raising the consciousness in us all, so that we are not ignorant of the suffering of our sisters around the globe. I totally support you and all that you stand for! This issue of childbirth/nursing photos being offensive, when all sorts of pornography-inspired photos, and rhetoric, and ideology are supported all over FB, is simply ridiculous and downright oppressive and misogynistic!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much - I hope to be back tomorrow!
DeleteKeep it up sistar. Google even warned me about the content of this blog and I had to agree that I might want to see whatever inappropriate things lay inside before seeing this page. Thank you for all you do. Xx
ReplyDeleteYes, when I started this blog, I was cataloging very violent rape and violence against women and girls on Facebook here. I didn't even post the worst of it. I think I still have some trauma from that. Men were posting women and girls actually being raped on our Rapebook page as a warning to us....so that's why that's there. That content is still up, further back. Thanks for your support sister! xx
DeleteI posted a rather lengthy comment on this particular post and think this response from Farcebook is yet another example of the patriarchal bs this culture is steeped in. I do think a parallel network or women, by women - with room or both men and women if they are whole humans. I am constantly reminded how ridiculous the misogynistic/patriarchal/Christian western culture is and that many women have bought into it too - as many as men who have not. Count me in when Girl God moves to its own platform.
ReplyDeleteThank you - I hope we will see that day soon!
DeleteEven got a warning before entering this! Grrrr! We love you sister!
ReplyDeleteLove you also beloved sister. When I started this blog, I was cataloging very violent rape and violence against women and girls on Facebook here. I didn't even post the worst of it. Men were posting women and girls actually being raped on our Rapebook page as a warning to us....so that's why the warning is there because some of it is trauma-inducing. Thanks for your support sister! xx
DeleteWhy does this day and age fear woman's power so much. Bring back our sacred Goddess ♡♡♡
ReplyDeleteShe is coming - that's why they're so scared! xo
DeleteTake care my dear sister. I shared this along with many others. You are a beacon to so many. I long for a women's only site run by women.
ReplyDeleteThank you beloved sister so much for your continued support. I long for that too - one day, soon! xxoo
DeleteKeep up your fierceness Sister. These images show what a real woman's body can do!!!Not the stylized nonsense and fake sexualized female images insisted on by men!!!
ReplyDeleteyes!! Thank you for your support sister. xxoo
DeleteI can't believe they are not allowing this, which is a completely natural image of a child being born and yet when I reported a disgusting video of a poor little dog who had obviously been deliberately put before a hungry snake to then be grabbed and devoured by it on film, they messaged me back said it didn't violate their community standards!!!! Animal abuse and cruelty is apparently okay, but giving birth is not. What kind of a world am I living in??? You keep fighting your corner..good for you!
ReplyDeleteI did not read the article just scaned it then got to the pic of the birth of the child. Cleanest birth I have ever seen! My kids deliveries were so messy! Also complications, I wish I could have given birth in a pool floating and someone catching my kiddos, I probably would not have had any back labor, or at least not 7 hours of it. Bottom line, I am happy to promote your page. Happy to support any woman's choice in how they wish to give birth, as long as the child is safe, (as I said I had many complications)
ReplyDeleteYes, I thought the same thing. We do need better information and images out there for women and girls to see. I was also on my back for both births - I wish I knew then what I know now. Thanks for your support!
DeleteThank you for your forthrightness and willingness to share. I am appalled at the people who think mothering ought to be censored, but cleavage and near nudity that is sexy is great and not censored.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your support. I agree!
DeleteAgreed we need somewhere women (not 'uterus bearers') can congregate. So so tired of Facebook banning women while letting men carry on as usual. I've received 6 bans ranging from 4 hours to 4 days since September. Two days ago I was disappeared, 'deactivated', all mention of me scrubbed, Likes, Comments, Pages, Groups, all gone.
ReplyDeleteI've heard this from many women and activists. We really need to make sure we are connected and organized OFF Facebook too - people take it for granted - but they have the power to shut us off/up without notice at any time.
DeleteI have reported death threats and rape threats that I found to be a plausible danger, and when fb got back to me (one was two weeks later) I was told that they didn't violate community standards. *sighs*
ReplyDeleteMe too - even against my own children. Solidarity.
DeleteDamn Trista!
ReplyDeleteSo now the beauty of childbirth is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
SCARY - it "violates" FB's "Community standards".
I guess FB's "standards" DONT INCLUDE giving BIRTH valuable....
That says WAY MORE ABOUT FB THAN IT DOES YOU!
Ugh!
lol Desi - love you - thank you always for your support and sisterhood. xxoo
Deletei have been a 33 year feminist activist for natural home birthing, Feminism, a performance artist and writer. Its so sickening that the most natural things that the Goddess intended should be shut down by ignorant scared people, when porn and violence against woman and children is allowed everywhere. Shame on Mark Zuckerberg.
ReplyDeleteSupport womens freedom to be beautiful bloody, natural birthers without medical intervention and to nurse on demand anywhere they please. To say FUCk YOU woman haters. This is a totally mysogynist culture.enough is enough.
We are with you!
ReplyDeletePerhaps we should create a new type of "facebook" Fembook (of course we can't call it that since we'd likely get sued but you get the idea. ;)
ReplyDelete