social media is scared of female nipples
nsfw warning, i turned a few heads writing this piece in public.
In the real world, when women struggle to breastfeed in public, men can wander around shirtless with no problem.
On social media, female nipples are a sexually explosive and invitingly dangerous weapon that can get your pictures taken off and your account banned. No one gives a fuck if you post male nipples.
It’s been a long debate on when, where, and what type of female nipples are allowed to exist in a post. A medical picture that has a nipple on it? No problem. A woman breastfeeding her baby? Maybe. An artistic nude? Very unlikely. Outside of these scenarios? No way! But no one gives a fuck if you post male nipples.
Tech companies are afraid of female nipples.
female nipple censorship in cultures
Across many cultures, exposed female nipples are seen as taboo, indecent, and sometimes even illegal. In contrast, men with muscular chests and six-packs and taut ornamental nipples adorn fashion magazines, advertise products, and are emblazoned across billboards. These practices are not always viewed as sexualized, despite the fact that many advertisements are produced with this aim.
In many cultures, exposing a woman's nipples is frowned upon, deemed impolite, and sometimes even against the law. However, the faces of fashion magazines, product ads, and billboards are filled with men having large chests, six-packs, and staring-to-the-soul nipples. These acts are not always viewed as sexualized, even though this is the goal of many commercials.
This brings up the subject of whether or not female nipples are inherently sexual. There are people who assert that the male gaze is inherently focused on particular female body parts, like the breasts and especially the nipples. The definition of an erotic bodily component, however, has evolved over time and across cultural boundaries.
What is deemed acceptable is heavily influenced by both religion and cultural norms.
ancient china
In ancient China, attitudes towards nudity and the display of female nipples were influenced by Confucian values, which emphasized modesty, propriety, and social hierarchy. While nudity was generally not socially acceptable in public spaces, artistic representations and cultural practices offered some exceptions.
During certain periods of Chinese history, such as the Tang dynasty (7th to 10th centuries) and the Song dynasty (10th to 13th centuries), there was a flourishing of arts and literature that depicted scenes of daily life, including romantic and erotic themes.
Paintings, poetry, and literature from these periods often explored themes of love, desire, and beauty, occasionally featuring nudity and the portrayal of female nipples. However, such depictions were typically reserved for private or elite audiences and were not widely accessible to the general public.
One notable aspect of ancient Chinese culture that intersected with the display of female nudity was the practice of foot binding, particularly prevalent among elite women during the Song dynasty and later periods. Foot binding involved tightly wrapping the feet of young girls to prevent normal growth, resulting in a deformed and tiny foot known as "lotus feet."
Foot binding was seen as a symbol of beauty, refinement, and social status, and the delicate, bound feet were often admired and fetishized as erotic objects. While foot binding did not directly involve the display of female nipples, it represented a cultural practice that intersected with notions of beauty and sexuality in ancient Chinese society.
ancient japan
In ancient Japan, particularly during the Edo period (17th to 19th centuries), attitudes towards nudity and the display of female nipples differed significantly from those in Western societies. While Japanese society was governed by strict social hierarchies and moral codes, the depiction of nudity, including female nipples, was more culturally accepted and even celebrated in certain contexts.
During the Edo period, Japan experienced a flourishing of arts and culture, including the development of woodblock prints (ukiyo-e) and erotic literature (shunga). These artistic genres often depict nudity and sexuality in a frank and explicit manner, including the portrayal of female nipples.
Ukiyo-e prints featured courtesans, kabuki actors, and scenes from daily life, where nudity was depicted without the same moralistic censorship found in Western art of the same period.
In addition to artistic representations, public bathing was a common practice in Japan, with communal bathhouses (sento) and natural hot springs (onsen) serving as social gathering places. Mixed-gender bathing was not uncommon, and nudity was generally accepted as a natural part of the bathing experience.
Female bathers would often expose their breasts without shame or modesty, reflecting a more relaxed attitude towards nudity and the human body.
Furthermore, the culture of the geisha and courtesans played a significant role in Edo-period society. Geishas and courtesans were skilled entertainers trained in various arts, including music, dance, and conversation. Their performances often involved wearing elaborate kimono with low-cut necklines, exposing the neckline and cleavage, and occasionally revealing the nipples.
While the sexualization of the geisha and courtesans was intertwined with their roles as entertainers, their nudity and the display of female nipples were not necessarily considered scandalous or taboo within the context of their profession and the broader cultural milieu of the time.
western culture
In ancient Greece, for example, nudity was celebrated in certain contexts, particularly in athletic competitions and artistic representations. Statues and pottery from ancient Greece often depicted both male and female figures in the nude, including exposed female breasts and nipples.
Similarly, in ancient Rome, nudity was prevalent in public baths, sports, and artistic depictions. However, societal attitudes towards nudity varied depending on factors such as social class, gender, and the specific context of the situation. While nudity was more accepted in certain settings, there were still social norms and taboos surrounding public nudity, particularly for women.
During the Middle Ages in Europe, influenced by Christian morality and values, attitudes towards nudity became more conservative. Public nudity, including the display of female breasts and nipples, was generally frowned upon and associated with sinfulness and indecency. Clothing became more modest and served as a symbol of social status and morality.
The Renaissance period saw a revival of interest in classical antiquity, leading to a renewed appreciation for the human body in art. Artists such as Michelangelo and Botticelli depicted nude figures in their works, including female breasts and nipples, often imbuing them with idealized beauty and symbolic meaning.
However, despite occasional instances of nudity in art and cultural expressions, Western societies remained largely conservative regarding public nudity, particularly for women, well into the modern era. The Victorian era, in particular, was characterized by strict moral codes and modesty standards, with the female body, including nipples, heavily covered and concealed in public spaces.
In the early 20th century, the advent of photography and cinema brought new challenges to regulating depictions of female nudity and sexuality. Film censorship boards, such as the Hays Code in the United States, imposed strict guidelines on the portrayal of nudity and sexuality in movies, often prohibiting the display of female nipples.
The mid-20th century saw a relaxation of censorship norms in some areas, particularly with the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, which challenged traditional attitudes towards nudity and sexuality. However, female nipples remained a contentious issue, and their display continued to be regulated in many public spaces and media platforms.
The discussion surrounding the public or social media display of female nipples raises the possibility that this sexualization of women's bodies is a societal phenomenon that gives men the right to make disparaging remarks about them.
migrating to social media
For years, social media platforms have faced criticism for their biased censorship practices, particularly regarding the ban on displaying bare breasts, which disproportionately affects women.
Despite ongoing campaigns spanning over a decade, platforms like Facebook and Instagram still strictly enforce community guidelines prohibiting the sharing of images featuring female nipples, unless they are digitally altered or not real.
Consequently, users have resorted to being creative to circumvent these rules, such as using paint, glitter, or hair to obscure nipples, or employing digital editing techniques like black bars, blurring, or skin-colored patches. However, most are frustrated.
In 2023, the call for more inclusive policies on adult nudity by Meta's Oversight Board has brought attention to the discriminatory practices that hinder freedom of expression for women, transgender, and nonbinary individuals on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
This move follows Meta's controversial decision to remove two posts by a couple identifying as trans and nonbinary, discussing gender-affirming surgery and fundraising for the procedure.
Despite neither post showing nipples, Meta deemed them as "sexual solicitation," sparking backlash from the LGBTQ+ community and activists advocating for nipple freedom.
The Oversight Board's examination revealed that Meta's policies are based on a binary view of gender, leading to unclear guidelines regarding nudity for intersex, nonbinary, and transgender users. As a result, the Board recommended Meta establish clear, objective, rights-respecting criteria for moderating nudity, ensuring all individuals are treated in accordance with international human rights standards.
This signifies a shift in addressing gender and sex-based discrimination beyond mere advocacy for women's topless rights.
While the case of this couple has prompted action from Meta, it serves as a reminder that there is still a long road ahead. Facebook and Instagram contend with millions of daily uploads, making content moderation to prevent the distribution of pornography, indecent images of children, and violence a challenging and costly endeavor. Algorithms offer a cheaper alternative to solely relying on human evaluation, but they are less discerning in distinguishing nuanced content.
Still in 2024, female nipples are a sensitive topic on most social media. Will they be free ever? Only time will tell.