Dear Facebook, boobs are made for feeding.

You’ve probably heard a story here or there about Facebook removing a breastfeeding photo because it’s against their terms of use–because it’s inappropriate. Last night I got an email from Mama Melinda from Earth Mama Angel Baby–a company I love and respect. She said that facebook removed a breastfeeding photo from their fan page. Frustrating and annoying, yes. And then I continue reading to see that they had TWO breastfeeding photos on their page, but facebook only removed ONE of them. Let’s take a look:


Beautiful photos, right? Now…. I want you to guess which one was removed. I looked at these photos and thought… okay, the first one shows both boobs, but really only cleavage. You see that in photos of girls in swimsuits (which don’t get reported and removed, by the way). The second photo, however, actually shows some nipple area. If I had to guess, I’d say the 2nd one was flagged and removed.

Nope.

That one remains. The first photo, however, was taken down. Now I get that facebook probably wasn’t out on the hunt for nursing photos. I get that SOMEONE must have reported or flagged the photo. But why the first one and not both? Because the baby is actually latched (ie it’s definitely breastfeeding)? Because it’s a black mom and a mixed baby? WHO KNOWS.

But what I DO KNOW, is that facebook has some freaking issues. They need to get this straightened out NOW. They’ve publicly stated they aren’t attacking breastfeeding photos, but they have NOTHING in their customer service/employee training to PROTECT breastfeeding moms and babies?

Not only are these pictures beautiful, they’re NORMAL. Breastfeeding is NORMAL. Boobs are made for feeding. GASP! We need society to realize that breastfeeding IS the norm. It’s OKAY, it’s natural, it’s beautiful. And by removing these photos, we’re hiding. Because we’re uncomfortable? Grow up.

Why does society say it’s okay to objective women and that suggestive photographs with partial nudity are okay – and that beautiful, natural nursing photographs are NOT?!

Have you seen some of the filth and trash on Facebook? The photos they AREN’T removing??? There is page after page after page after page (get the point?) of young women in underwear–with photo captions basically begging men to friend them and find them.

Photos taken from Facebook. THIS IS OKAY AND FEEDING A CHILD ISN’T? IS THIS REAL LIFE?!

I’m disgusted that I have to raise a son in this environment. I’ve often thought about how to raise him so he is respectful of women [and breastfeeding]. And he will be.

Please check out the Earth Mama Angel Baby blog for their story: Breastfeeding photos deleted by facebook and the more recent post: Much Ado About A Baby’s Lunch, which features Mama M herself breastfeeding in 1974. It’s a great pic!

What can you do? Tell Facebook that breastfeeding is normal and beautiful and NOT obscene. Put them on the spot and ask them WHY photos like the ones I posted above are okay, but nursing photos are not. Ask them WHEN they will add a “rule” that protects moms from ignorant asshats that just go around “liking” pages to find nursing photos and report them because they can’t grow up. CLICK HERE TO TELL THEM.

AND? I would loooooooooove to see your breastfeeding photos. If you have one (or 10) email it to me: erdickey at gmail dot com and I’ll collect them and put up a post! You can see a bunch of my breastfeeding photos too.

16 comments to Dear Facebook, boobs are made for feeding.

  • Stuff like this makes me sick. I am so tired of the world looking at breastfeeding pics as sexual.

    [Reply]

    babydickey Reply:

    I know πŸ™ Can you blame them when the world has sexualized every part of our bodies and every aspect of our lives?! Sex is everywhere. You grow up learning about boobs and sex and these images of swimsuits and suggestive Victoria’s Secret models on commercials (way before a child’s bedtime)… you don’t grow up learning about breastfeeding and nutrition for a child. It’s SAD.

    [Reply]

  • I’m actually working with this company right now, so I’m glad to hear you like them!

    It seems like every single day, I hear about FB taking down a breastfeeding photo. I have teens on my friends list with cleavage showing like whoah & they are underage! Yet, their photos are still up.

    I don’t have a BFing photos, but I definitely need to take some. I have very few photos of myself because I’m always behind the camera. I guess I could take a few myself.

    Greta post!

    [Reply]

    babydickey Reply:

    Yes, love love love EMAB! Take a photo and email it to me so I can share it πŸ™‚ I know what you mean though, I’m always behind the camera too! Nearly all photos of me breastfeeding were taken by myself- not the best angle!

    [Reply]

  • I can’t comprehend why any of the breastfeeding pictures continue to be taken down. It’s exactly what you said. There are girls when who are UNDERAGE half naked on Facebook ALL THE TIME. That’s way more offensive to me than a breastfeeding mother!

    [Reply]

  • Facebook does have some freaking issues! I agree with you about the outright vulgarity of some images that are allowed and others, of breastfeeding, that are removed. Facebook needs a swift kick in the behind and their policies revamped.

    [Reply]

  • It’s the fact that there is a baby sucking on a breast, not the breast itself.

    I have a tattoo of a woman breastfeeding. I posted the picture of the tattoo and it was removed. A tattoo!!! Not even a real baby breastfeeding on a real woman!!!

    [Reply]

    babydickey Reply:

    omgosh, ridiculous!!! Would love if you emailed me the photo so I can share it here with other breastfeeding pics!

    [Reply]

  • Beth

    Okay – I contacted them. You are so very right. I am glad that when you and Jeff were younger, TV commercials were not as bad as they are now. I would be flipping mad if I had to raise a son right now and try to explain every time a sexually portrayed commercial comes on. It was bad enough when you got a little older and something “inappropriate” came on a PG movie and I had to go stand in front of the TV…lolol. Remember that? I know….you were a teenager, but still! Mama is old fashioned…or am I just old? πŸ™‚

    [Reply]

  • Well said! This battle needs to stop…… I will never understand why FaceBook needs to start a battle over something so natural……but leaves other topics alone. The only way to help stop this is to spread the word! Boobs are made for feeding! Great line!

    http://www.mummiesnummies.com/2011/04/earth-mama-angel-baby-photos-deleted-by.html

    Jacky
    Mummies Nummies

    [Reply]

  • Thanks for speaking up about this. i wish I knew why people were such disgusting hypocrites when it comes to breasts. i think it is an American thing and it is so shameful.

    [Reply]

  • Haywood

    People, the pictures are getting removed because someone is FLAGGING them, then someone from facebook checks, and yes, they are violating the terms and services.
    The bar-trash pictures, half naked models etc etc are not getting flagged, because the majority of people that come across those photos are seeking that kind of material out.
    Facebook owes you NOTHING. If they wanted they could delete your whole damn profile and you could do NOTHING. Stop acting like facebook is not a private company, because it is. And it can remove and allow what ever it wants, the only thing you can really do, is continue to use it or not.
    Again, facebook doesn’t owe you people “the right” to post your breastfeeding pictures on THEIR site,
    stop acting like they’re telling you to go to the washroom to feed you child.

    [Reply]

  • Carley

    I love seeing how beautiful breastfeeding pictures are, and I honestly will never understand how females can get away with slutting it up but moms feeding are offensive. Smh.

    [Reply]

  • […] Facebook should delete but remember someone has to β€œflag” the photo to alert Facebook. Baby Dickey so wonderfully points out how there are many offensive sexual photos on Facebook currently that […]

Leave a Reply

You can use these HTML tags

<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>