Please get behind the campaign #FreeFoobs. It is not ok to censor breast cancer prevention in the name of sexual activity and nudity.
Dear Instagram,
It is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You have just removed an image of my mastectomy due to “sexual activity and nudity”. It was an image of the side of my chest, with my hand on top of my reconstruction (Foob). As a women’s health advocate I have an issue with this, for many reasons.
I no longer have breasts. I no longer have nipples. I no longer have sensation. The decision to have a preventative mastectomy was a difficult one. Not because I would never be able to breast feed, but because society has sexualised women’s bodies so much that we feel our worth comes from our body parts.
As an avenue for expression, you further feed this sexualisation, Instagram. You promote and sponsor beauty. You use women’s bodies as part of your advertisement campaign. You sell products through the aesthetics of women. You have created a platform that nurtures the insecurities of young people through a culture of comparison.
This said, I found solace in Instagram before I had my mastectomy. It introduced me to others like me. It enabled me to see what others looked like post op. Without Instagram I would have been going into my operation blind. An operation that would alter the way I looked for life. I wouldn’t have had a clue what I would see in the mirror when I woke up.
I am an advocate. I believe that womens’ lives are about more than just beauty. Having breasts removed is NOT the end of femininity. I share images to help reassure others, give them confidence that they still have value as a woman and provide them with hope. Women show my images to their surgeons and say “I want this operation please!”. Many women thanked me for sharing this particular image, women who were otherwise terrified of having a mastectomy. This fills me with joy. My trauma of having my breasts amputated can help others.
The image you removed shows the reality of an implant underneath the skin. This is not a breast. It is an implant. It’s an implant that I can stick my fingers right underneath. It is more prominent on one side and doesn’t sit flush with my body. Before my operation I was ignorant that there would be a visible outline of an implant under my armpit. Post-mastectomy reconstruction is imperfect – and that’s OK.
My hand covers nothing, only a scar. I placed it there because society dictates a topless photo of a women is offensive (unless it’s selling car parts). Would a topless picture of a man covering his chest have been banned? Is a woman showing her mastectomy to raise awareness less acceptable than a sweat-drenched, topless male posing provocatively on a beach?
The objectification of our bodies needs to stop. I have been objectified to a point where I was told my mastectomy is a turn-off and not attractive and now, I am being told I am too sexual. Where does it end? When do I get the power to decide what my body is worth? You, and other social media companies, play a major role in perpetuating this toxic behaviour.
So Instagram, for Breast Cancer Awareness month: Free my Foobs. Let me continue to educate and reassure others who are awaiting a mastectomy. For women who have been diagnosed with cancer, for women who have inherited a genetic mutation: Free my damn Foobs. You have the power to use your platform to do some good, raise awareness and challenge antiquated views on female sexualisation.
This is breast cancer prevention, not sexual activity.
Kindest Regards
Christen Williams
If you have had similar experiences, please re-post your images and #FreeFoobs. Leave a a comment below and share away. x
