Thursday, March 14, 2013

Facebook Takes a Dig at TMM



This week has been a busy one for Breastfeeding Photo removals, including right here on This Milk Matters. Monday Morning, TMM received a report from a mom whose Aunt had verbally attacked a pumping photo of hers, which was later removed. Our team reposted her banned notice, only to have it removed from our page as well. We reached out to advocate Jodine Chase for support. 




Unfortunately, this story only gets more annoying. That morning, Jodine Chase received a 30 day ban for sharing a side by side image of two photos found on facebook. The photo of the nude body, Facebook claimed did not violate their policy. The photo of the nursing mother, apparently had. Here at TMM we shared the BLOG detailing her removal with the following statement: “Facebook strikes again. TMM has had pumping photos removed, and Jodine Chase was recently banned for publicizing the clear bias against Motherhood and breastfeeding on Facebook.” 





Does the mere act of speaking out against Facebook’s obvious screening discrepancies warrant the banning of 5 TMM admins, and warnings of 8 more? We don’t believe so.

So here’s what we need to ask ourselves, are we going to continue to take the runaround from Facebook? That this is all an error, a random act that has no real consequence to our community? Facebook is taking a hit at our freedom of speech with this recent removal, our dignity by not making a lasting change that could fix this unfortunately common occurrence and finally; a dig at our patience. This ban effects more than just me at TMM, it effects all 13,000 of you. You expect us here 24/7, because thats what we've promised you, support when you need it. If we are constantly battling error, we aren't doing that. This matters.

Please take a moment to view the photos we have shared here, the blogs we have linked to, and sign this petition for facebook to amend their breastfeeding policy. Your help is imperative, until we are an united voice, one that is relentless in holding Facebook accountable, nothing is going to change.

12 comments:

  1. Is there a link to the facebook petition? I will gladly sign it.

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  2. http://www.avaaz.org/en/petition/Facebook_to_amend_breastfeedingphoto_guidelines/

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  3. I agree that Facebook takes it too far most times when it comes to the breast feeding issue. There is NOTHING offensive about a mother feeding her baby. Maybe Facebook should look at all the half naked pictures of men that the ladies post. However, that photo that is posted above even I find a little offensive. There is a HUGE difference in posting a picture of yourself nursing your baby, and posing for a picture holding breast shields to your chest and smiling coyly like that.

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  4. Shawna - the picture you commented on is of a woman expressing breastmilk. Nothing coy or offensive about it.

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  6. You are entitled to your opinion. But to be more clear. Pics of breastfeeding are not about the breast itself but the bond between mother and child and the pride one has in doing something good for her child. To compare breastfeeding pics to strippers is ridiculous. And all day I see women showing off their breast that they are s proud of.. Tight shirts barely there bikinis. And all this is acceptable because why?? Is it socially acceptable to look at a women in her tight clothes and almost not there bathing suits, but not at a mother feeding her child??

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  7. You cannot compare breastfeeding to anything sexual, ever, because breastfeeding is not a sexual act. @amy

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  8. We live in a very sexist society. Even women (Amy) are participating in this patriarcal, male dominated paradigm. Some women are the worst at shaming other woman into believing that their body is a mostly sexual thing for men to look at and to always cover up due to so called "self respect". If it is exposed at all for other reasons like breastfeeding, sun bathing, or just being comfortable with oneself we are taught that we are degrading ourselves. Men do not own our bodies. Our bodies are not sex toys. Breasts are sacred. Our bodies are sacred. Shame of showing our bodies is taught in this society. We all have breasts, men and women, they are just different; but men are aloud to freely walk around in public with their breasts exposed no matter how large they are. The domineering male mentality still rules many of us. But, there are some intelligent, courageous women (and men) who truly respect the truth about our sacred selves and the love we have for our own bodies and their true purpose such as beautiful breasts to feed a child not please a horny, un-evolved male. The more we normalize healthy, loving attitudes towards our bodies the more free and peaceful our society will be. I hope for love and respect overshadowing shame and anger in the future. I think it is glorious to be a proud, breast feeding mother. I am certainly proud of my breasts and the miraculous milk which comes from them. It has nourished my daughter for 9 months now and she is one healthy girl! And I can tell you if breastfeeding was more normalized in this society maybe I wouldn't have had such difficulty with getting the hang of breastfeeding when my daughter was first born. It is such a big deal. We should all be so proud of breastfeeding!

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  9. Anne Smith, IBCLC
    www.breastfeedingbasics.com

    I was a LLLLeader for over 20 years, and an IBCLC since 1990. I have 6 kids, and practiced AP before there was a name for it. Only one of my kids was born in a hospital. They all co-slept,delayed solids, self weaned, etc.

    Those are my quick credentials. My website has been up for over 10 years, and currently gets over 5 million visits a year. The Badass Breastfeeder and Our Muddy Boots are guest bloggers.

    About a year and a half ago, I had my Breastfeeding Basics FB page completely deleted - not blocked temporarily, but DELETED - along with my profile page, my family photos, all my friends, and my animal rescue page - all because of 'obscene' FB photos of nursing mothers. FB never responded to polite requests that my account be reinstated, and I have never recovered a single thing from my profile or any of my pages.

    I wrote about what happened and posted it on the BFB site. Jodine Chase wrote about it in her blog, and I was interviewed by a reporter at The Guardian.

    FB's policies are FUBAR. Read about it and see some of the pix they found 'objectionable'in "Facebook's War on Nipples".

    http://www.breastfeedingbasics.com/facebook/why-im-not-on-facebook

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  11. Ok I have to disagree with the people who are saying that is a seductive look on her face... That is an "i'm so proud i'm pumping, and yay it's working!" look. I know, i'm pretty sure that's my face when I get more than an ounce & a half at a time. She was proud of her milkies for doing their job. Nothin' wrong with that! I think Facebook is going way too far. The very first pic I posted of my daughter on fb, she was nursing. I'll sign the petition!

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  12. Where is FB based out of and what are the public breast feeding laws in that state? I live in MN and here you have the right to feed anywhere you can legally be... I wonder (IF the laws in FB's home state are the same or similar) if this could be brought to the attention of the law? I may be reaching here, but if you are allowed on FB shouldn't you be allowed to "virtually breast feed" on FB? I understand they have rules on nudity, but if there is no nipple showing, is it really nudity? I, for one, show a lot less while feeding my babe than quite a few people do on their very public pages...

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