One of our pro-breastfeeding stories, which featured an image of a nursing mother, was recently banned and blocked from a social media site. What was the reason?
Well, according to the social media site's guidelines, the story featured "inappropriate" content.
THE 'INAPPROPRIATE' ARTICLE: THE HISTORY OF PUBLIC BREASTFEEDING IN PICTURES
The article, all about the history of breastfeeding and the "new phenomenon" of people seeing nursing as a taboo issue, included several historical images of breastfeeding mothers.
We were informed that, as the article included "nudity", it had to be taken down.
We know that many of our readers are firm advocates of breastfeeding in public - but it seems as if many people cannot see a difference between nudity for sexual gratification, such as Page Three girls, and nudity for natural purposes, such as nursing.
It seems as if, when people are forced to see breasts as a functional part of motherhood, they're subsequently forced to obscure the line between motherhood and sexuality. Women are forced to be more discreet about nursing our infants than we are about using our breasts as objects of allure.
And it doesn't just apply to breastfeeding.
Recently a female cancer survivor came under fire for sharing photos of her mastectomy scars on Facebook. She was unfriended by over 100 people, many of whom commented that the images of her post-surgery body did not belong on social media.
"I personally do not agree with posting confronting pictures on a site where people do not get a choice whether they wish to view it, as happened to me when scrolling through my news feed.
"This may also occur to children scrolling through their feed."
BRAVE CANCER SURVIVOR COMES UNDER FIRE FOR SHARING PHOTOS OF HER SCARS ON FACEBOOK
Women's bodies are in the press almost constantly. Whether we're looking at a celebrity showing off her bikini body on holiday, watching a music video - such as those recently made by Miley Cyrus and Beyonce - which shows women in a state of undress, staring at the shower scenes on a reality TV show or trying to ignore Kim Kardashian's latest selfie, female bodies are there for the public to scrutinise.
So why is it any different when a photograph of a breastfeeding mother appears on social media sites? Or when a mother-of-four wants to raise cancer awareness by baring her scars? Why is it more acceptable to stare at breasts in a triangle top bikini than the breasts of a nursing mother or the post-surgery body of a brave cancer survivor?
The only difference is, it seems, that these women are not using their breasts for sexual purposes. And, as young people are exposed to sexualised images of female bodies in social media and popular culture constantly, it seems as if they are going to become more and more conditioned to feel that there is only one appropriate way for women to show off their bodies.
Why shouldn't women show off their bodies for natural purposes?
Why, if we are going to allow videos and images of half-naked celebrities in the press, will we shame a cancer survivor for baring her post-surgery breasts?
Why are nursing mothers continued to be shamed for breastfeeding in public, when they are constantly pressured to feed their babies with breast instead of bottle?
Breasts have become so sexualised that they have lost their original purpose in the public mind. It is now acceptable to wear bikinis that cover less, but taboo to feed your child. Is this just another way to shame women back into roles that were relevant 50 years ago?
Overall, this recent ban on breastfeeding pictures by social media is a good thing.
Why?
Because it will serve as a reminder as to how far we still have to go regarding the normalisation of breastfeeding in this country; whether you breast or bottle feed, it is important for mothers to be confident in their choices and to stand up for themselves and their children.
Do you think breastfeeding images should be censored on social media? Why / why not? Let us know your thoughts via the Comments Box below now.