There was a protest outside Facebook’s office in New York, USA on Sunday, 2nd June 2019. Several unclad models gathered as part of an art protest against the company’s (Facebook) ban on ‘indecent exposure.’
The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) staged the demonstration. They tagged it #WeTheNipple. Artist Spencer Tunick photographed the demonstration.
This follows Facebook’s strict ban on n****y on its platforms. Artists also complained about the restrictions, which includes Instagram. They say it prevents them from sharing their works online, especially on the social networking sites.
Proud to have taken part in Spencer Tunick’s #wethenipple protest against censorship & misogyny early this morning. Social media must remedy their rules. They suppress art & freedom & beauty. pic.twitter.com/xO8ULxVN60
— Ullie Emigh (@ullieemigh) June 2, 2019
“When something is censored, we become savvy to what our culture does and does not find acceptable, or comfortable to exist alongside.”
Emerging artist Olivia Dwyer shares what @instagram‘s n****y ban says about society. https://t.co/9fi5HKQ53Q #WeTheNipple#censorship pic.twitter.com/ghp76ynf4M
— National Coalition Against Censorship (@ncacensorship) May 25, 2019
In a press release, the NCAC wrote,
“It particularly harms artists whose work focuses on their own bodies, including queer and gender-nonconforming artists, and the bodies of those in their communities. Museums and galleries are constrained when even promoting exhibitions featuring nudes.”
Some members of a women’s empowerment group in the US, called Grab Them By The Ballot, also took part in the demonstrations. The founder of the group, Dawn Robertson, in a statement said, “We are here to empower women around body positivity and encourage female voter turnout in 2020.”
According to Robertson, Facebook permanently put a ban on the group’s ad account. This followed them posting a n**e painting for Mother’s Day. The painting also had a poem that celebrated the day. She also said that the company had banned her account severally.
“This isn’t just about shock value and protesting it’s about reclaiming our bodies. Facebook and Instagram have missed this message entirely as they cling to negligent and blatantly misogynist policies that overlook the context of the artistic n****y being posted,” she added.
However, Facebook admitted its wrong for cancelling the accounts after her appeal. But she explained that this did not deter the company from banning her again.