Voices
PETRA
COLLINS
HUFFINGTON
11.03.13
PETRA COLLINS
Why Instagram
Censored My Body
I WASN’T SHOCKED at the reaction I received from my t-shirt for
American Apparel. I’m used to
being told by society that I must
regulate my body to fit the norm.
I’m used to the fact that images
of unaltered women are seen as
unacceptable. I’ve taught myself
to ignore it (as much as I can) and
through the Internet (via sites
like ROOKIE) and social media
platforms (like Instagram and
Facebook) I’ve been able to freely
share images and start discussions about these issues. Recently,
I had my Instagram account deleted. I did nothing that violated the
terms of use. No nudity, violence,
pornography, unlawful, hateful
or infringing imagery. What I did
have was an image of MY body
that didn’t meet society’s stan-
dard of “femininity.” The image B