@alinenilsson via InstagramArts+Culture / NewsWomen are using male nipples to protest Instagram censorshipWe all know it – they’re pretty much identical. So why are female nipples so much more taboo than male ones?ShareLink copied ✔️July 7, 2015Arts+CultureNewsText Helena Horton If you were presented with two cut out pictures of nipples, one male and one female, it’s unlikely that you’d bet your life on which was which. So if male nipples are inoffensive, then by proxy so are female ones, right? What is the difference? A lot, apparently – men are free to post shirtless snaps as they see fit, but women aren’t allowed. To that end, some women are proving how ridiculous the rules are by covering up their nipples in their phots with cut out male ones. Instagram says in its community guidelines that female nipples, except in some circumstances, are banned. “We know that there are times when people might want to share nude images that are artistic or creative in nature, but for a variety of reasons, we don’t allow nudity on Instagram," it says. "This includes photos, videos, and some digitally-created content that show sexual intercourse, genitals, and close-ups of fully-nude buttocks. It also includes some photos of female nipples, but photos of post-mastectomy scarring and women actively breastfeeding are allowed. Nudity in photos of paintings and sculptures is OK, too.” Artist Micol Hebron created a template of a male nipple last year to make a statement about the online censorship rules that have bothered people from Cara Delevingne to Willow Smith. Now, women are putting the template over their own nipples in protest against the rules and to demonstrate how pointless it is to differentiate between the male and female form when it comes to censorship. Check out examples below and download Hebron’s nipple if you want to get involved. Micol HebronEscape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.Trending10 of the hottest Instagram accounts fusing art, sex and eroticaManaging to (mostly) slip under the radar of Instagram’s notorious censorship rules, these are the flesh-baring accounts you need to followBeautyFilm & TV7 sex worker-approved films about sex work PumaEventWhat Went Down at Puma x Salehe Bembury launch in LAArt & PhotographyTender portraits of Vietnamese youth in BerlinArt & PhotographyDressing for a ball: Dazed serves football couture for summerFashionAre you ready for furry fashion influencers? Nike FashionNike celebrates the culture of U.S. soccerMusicWhat Drain Gang’s Thaiboy Digital did nextMusicOlivia Rodrigo: ‘A breakup can be an opportunity to redirect your life’Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy