Plus-Sized Blogger's 'Belfie' Removed From Instagram, Later Restored; Woman Upset Over Negative Reaction
Seflies, whether we like it or not, have become a part of our culture. More recently, “belfies” have gained popularity as women have started posting photos of their backsides and sharing them on Instagram. A lot of the photos are from fashion models, fitness experts, and overall toned women who have no qualms about showing off their derrière.
However, one plus-size video blogger, Meghan Tonjes, decided that she, too, would post a picture of her backside for the world to see. Unfortunately, Instagram decided that the picture was not appropriate for its users — violating the terms of service, it said. Tonjes was shocked because the photo she posted was covered mostly by underwear.
Tonjes then decided to share her frustrations with another social media platform, YouTube. "Instagram, we've gotta talk," she began her over eight-minute rant. She tells the viewers that she received a letter from Instagram stating that she violated their community guidelines because of the mature content her picture contained.
"Let me tell you personally why I find it annoying that all of these photos are on your site and don't get taken down, and this one does,” said Tonjes. "I want you to think of how many big girls you see on the Internet, on television, in magazines, wearing bathing suits, lingerie, shorts, dresses, tight-fitting clothing, who aren’t openly mocked, who aren’t torn apart as being disgusting," she said.
Tonjes suggested that Instagram update its terms of service to clearly define what constitutes as mature content.
After her video venting her frustrations with Instagram went viral on YouTube, the company offered an apology in a statement, TODAY.com reported:
We try hard to find a good balance between allowing people to express themselves creatively and keeping Instagram a fun and safe place. Our guidelines put limitations on nudity and mature content, but we recognize that we don’t always get it right. In this case, we made a mistake and have since restored the content.
Tonjes was ecstatic about the decision. "That's awesome," she told TODAY. "That makes me so happy. I didn't blame Instagram for taking it down. My issue was the reporting system. They send an email because someone flagged it, so they figure, oh, there's probably something wrong. And there's no way to appeal, and no human eyes to check it out."
Many people have shown their support for Tonjes and her efforts to break down body barriers. Some women have even decided to post photos of their own rear ends to show solidarity.