Birth is a remarkable and transformative event, yet not everyone appreciates its beauty. This sentiment was expressed by one photographer who recently faced frustration when Instagram removed her captivating home birth photo not once, but twice, claiming it violated their “community guidelines.”
Photographer Mia Reynolds, from Little Life Photography, shared an extraordinary image taken during a home birth in Tasmania a few years back. The photo depicted a birthing mother on all fours, with her baby’s head emerging—a moment she aimed to showcase as a celebration of the “authentic, raw” experience of childbirth. However, to avoid potential censorship, she cropped the photo to feature just the baby’s face and the midwife’s hands.
“I posted the image four weeks ago with the caption, ‘Witness this beautiful, squishy baby entering the world, with amniotic fluid glistening on his nose (this has been flipped and cropped to minimize offense),’” Reynolds shared with Home Insemination Kit. The post quickly garnered hundreds of likes and encouraging comments, with some even saying they shared it with their children. Nonetheless, it was reported and deemed too graphic, leading to her account being locked. She received a message stating, “We removed your post as it doesn’t align with our community guidelines. Please review our guidelines to understand what content is permissible.”
“I was outraged,” Reynolds recalled. “It was infuriating and disheartening. How could anyone find this image offensive? Why would someone report it? It was challenging not to take it personally.” Having become a mother at a young age, Reynolds emphasizes the importance of sharing birth photography to empower women. “As a teenager, I was terrified of giving birth. I had only seen dramatized portrayals in movies, which are far from reality. I want people to witness genuine images of birth that convey strength and the normalcy of the experience.”
With that motivation, Reynolds uploaded the image again, but after amassing over 800 likes, it faced another removal. She firmly believes that there’s “no justification” for the image violating Instagram’s rules and has reached out for clarification, yet has not received a response two weeks later.
“My photo was mine, containing no sexual elements, no nudity, and no violence,” she stated. “It encouraged meaningful interactions and was a respectful representation. Sharing images like mine is vital for dismantling the negative stigma surrounding birth in our culture.” After a third attempt to share the image, it remained online for a week without issues. However, the future of its availability is uncertain. Reynolds is not the first photographer to encounter censorship regarding birth images. This raises the question: why does society stigmatize images of childbirth?
As Reynolds pointed out, birth photos are not inherently sexual and usually don’t depict anything inappropriate. Yet, public figures like Kim Kardashian can share nude images on Instagram without consequence, while empowering depictions of childbirth are flagged. If some find birth images unsettling, that’s their choice, but it shouldn’t restrict others from sharing wholesome content on their social media. This situation illustrates the enduring misconceptions surrounding women’s bodies and reproductive processes, highlighting the need for a cultural shift to embrace the beauty of birth and motherhood.
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Summary
Photographer Mia Reynolds faced frustration when Instagram removed her home birth photo twice for violating community guidelines. Despite her efforts to share a genuine representation of childbirth, the image was deemed inappropriate, raising questions about societal perceptions of birth and women’s bodies. This incident highlights the need for a cultural shift towards embracing the beauty of motherhood and birth experiences.