May 1st, 2015: The day I uploaded my first Instagram post. It was a picture of all the books I intended on reading that summer. In hindsight, I think my accompanying caption could have been better.
Those familiar with Instagram from its nascent days will know that the application was a plain ol’ simple and straightforward photo-sharing platform. It allowed friends to connect and bond over memories captured in photographs, and…..well, that was pretty much all there was to it.
Fast forward a couple of years, and today, Instagram is SO much more! Over time, the app has advanced not only in terms of its tech and features but also in its content and “wokeness”. I like to picture Instagram as a polite, generous host who warmly welcomes unfiltered creativity and conversations that are perhaps, not as warmly welcomed in other avenues. From feminism and body positivity to sexuality and the LGBTQIA+ spectrum – let’s admit it – we have all learned a thing or two from Instagram.
Unfortunately, as with all good things, there is a flaw here too. You see, because, in the year 2019, Instagram rolled out a new Terms of Use. This policy involves banning nudity, sex, sexually explicit language, and any other content that the platform considers sexual. The censorship impacted not only sex-positivity accounts but also sex workers, artists, breastfeeding moms, and photographers with explicit content.
It came as no surprise that Instagram was following its counterpart Facebook’s footsteps with this ban. This policy is highly worrying not just globally but especially in a country like India, where information on sex and sexuality is already so marginal.
When rules are violated, the new “moderation” policies first warn users when their account is close to being deleted. Commit the mistake again? And your account is deleted. But deleting accounts isn’t the only way Instagram is clamping down on such content. Content deemed inappropriate by the platform will also be limited from being recommended on the Explore and hashtag pages. To be honest, when I had first come across these guidelines, they seemed entirely vague and cryptic. It is scary to imagine the kind of power these social media platforms possess to restrict speech and exercise control as to how THEY see fit. Almost as if Instagram were Thanos, and could dissolve everything it deems unfit with the simple click of a finger.
But then, it hit me. I began to think how terribly this policy could have impacted me a few years ago! My early to mid-twenties were spent on Instagram charting (at the time) unknown territories of sex and sexuality. Because come on, who are we kidding? Sex education in this country is scanty, and the societal taboos make it even more scarce. So much so that merely mentioning the word “sex” to a 20-year-old can make them uncomfortably squirm in their seat.
So, when I saw creators speak openly of the sexuality spectrum, their sexual desires, kinks, and sexual taboos – I realized that sex talk didn’t have to be uncomfortable at all! In fact, the more you know, the more positive an experience you’re likely to have. Nudity and sexuality are natural and key aspects of life – with social media, especially, playing an essential role in educating and creating awareness on consent, nudity, and sex.
However, when platforms like Instagram begin to draw down the curtains on them, it simply adds to the prevailing shame and stigma. The hard and earnest work put in over the years by sex workers, artists, and performers go for a complete toss. What’s worse, people now begin to rely on movies, pop culture, and mainstream porn for sexual knowledge, which is not only far from the truth but also just plain toxic. Banning sexual content is unfair and dangerous; it restricts freedom of speech, leaving no room for free expression, sex positivity, and progressive narratives.
Sadly, the accounts I followed earlier no longer exist on the platform (thanks to Instagram’s policy). However, here are some of my favorite Indian influencers and content creators who are doing a terrific job – Leeza Mangaldas, Indraja Devpriyam, and Neha Bhat. These women actively work towards normalizing conversations around sex, pleasure, female orgasms, sexual health, and more!
Instagram, if you are listening, I just want to thank you; thank you for the body activists who taught me to be comfortable and fall in love with my own body, thank you for the sex-positive accounts that enabled me to view sex and pleasure from a feminist eye, and finally, thank you for answering some silly FAQs that perhaps no school sex education class could ever have!