With its #RunwayForAll campaign, Instagram made the statement that it’s all about inclusivity and diversity in the fashion world — which makes the following story all the more perplexing.
A few weeks ago, Aarti Olivia Dubey, a plus-size blogger and the founder of Curves Become Her, posted a picture of herself and two other curvy women showing off their bikinis. The snap was a behind-the-scenes look at the photo spread that would accompany Dubey’s article for Cleo Magazine, a Singapore-based publication. With said feature, Dubey would become the first plus-size woman to have her work appear in a Singaporean fashion glossy.
Dubey’s caption oozed with pride: “Do you know what we have in common?” she wrote. “The belief that any body deserves to look good in what they wear.” Despite the fact that it contained no lewd content, Instagram removed the photo a few hours later, having been flagged as inappropriate by multiple users.
An irate Dubey reposted the photo, calling out Instagram and any fat shamers in a new caption, which read, “HOW is this image being hateful, hurtful, abusive, trolling or obscene? Do three fat girls in swimsuits equate to gore, porn, racism, sexism? Or is it that people only want to see slim girls in swimsuits?” She went on to further describe her disappointment and threaten to take legal action if the social media channel deleted her picture again.
Hearing no response, Dubey continued to protest Instagram’s appalling lack of oversight. She demanded an apology and reinstatement of the post. She pointed out the sorts of users who should be banned from the channel. Finally, after two weeks, Instagram restored the photo and apologized for having “accidentally removed” it.
An incredulous Dubey uploaded a screenshot of Instagram’s belated apology email, writing, “Check your latent fatphobia. Check your guidelines and policies. Take better care of the people who use your services as a means of staying connected to oceans of people who just want to exist as people. Fat, brown, LGBT, disabled and many other intersections deserve RESPECT and not to be trolled by anonymous private accounts with no life,” underneath the post.
Instagram comprises, as Dubey put it, a vast ocean of users and its post removal system clearly does not always function as intended. The company needs to allocate more of its considerable resources toward developing better troll patrol mechanisms, although the faux follower purge of last year does suggest that the company is — to some extent — aware of these issues.
Personally, we’d have liked to see a more prompt and sincere apology. However, given Instagram’s progressive initiatives we’d hesitate to label it “fatphobic” — it’s #RunwayForAll campaign highlighted the story of plus-size model Clementine Desseaux, after all. Additionally, the social channel’s most recent movement, #PridePortraits, which will run throughout June, will shine the spotlight on “what makes the LGBTQ community on Instagram proud.” (Although true cynics could label both efforts PR stunts.)
That being said, Dubey’s underlying point is spot on. The pernicious effects of online bullying should not be diminished and we applaud her vocal defense of not only plus-size women, but all marginalized communities. We must learn to silence the prejudiced voices in our ears, because, as Dubey affirms, “Life is far too short to be worrying about what people might say.”
[ via Mic ]
