Will the nipple finally be freed?
Activists who protested censorship while nude outside Facebook and Instagram headquarters this week say that the social media platform has agreed to a meeting, in which they will consider their policy on nudity.
A statement from the National Coalition Against Censorship – which organised the original protest against the current policy that restricts artistic nudity – confirmed the move. The group says that Facebook will hold a meeting with Facebook will convene a “group of stakeholders including artists, art educators, museum curators, activists, as well as Facebook employees” in which they will “discuss the issue of nude photographic art and the harm done to artists, provide insights into the challenges Facebook has faced in developing its nudity policies, and explore ideas for a path forward.”
As Artnet News reports, the meeting has no official date yet, but has been set for some time this summer.
This week’s protest saw 125 people stripped naked in the anti-censorship demonstration. The action, organised by NCAC and photographer Spencer Tunick, brought together nude protesters who lay down on the road, covering their genitals with large images of male nipples. An open letter signed by over 250 art advocates and organisations, historians, curators, and artists, proposed outlines for a more artist-friendly nudity policy similar to that of YouTube’s.
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
The #WeTheNipple campaign was launched by the NCAC in April to specifically call for a change in Facebook and Instagram’s policies. The group believes that the current ban “imposes the beliefs of some Facebook users on the entire world, stifles artistic expression, and enforces gender discrimination by permitting images of male nipples while prohibiting female nipples”.
Instagram’s community guidelines currently ban naked pictures. “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.
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”.
Facebook restricts “the display of nudity or sexual activity because some people in our community may be sensitive to this type of content.” Its community standards read: “Our nudity policies have become more nuanced over time. We understand that nudity can be shared for a variety of reasons, including as a form of protest, to raise awareness about a cause, or for educational or medical reasons. Where such intent is clear, we make allowances for the content.”
Last year, the social media network updated its nudity policy to allow for nude figures in sculpture and painting to be allowed onsite, though fine art photography nudes are still banned.
“NCAC looks forward to working with Facebook to tackle the challenges of serving diverse communities and develop policies that recognize the value of one of their core communities: creative artists,” a statement from the group says.