Instagram’s policy on women’s nipples has long irked some radical feminists, who claim the social media policy discriminates against them. Now, those #FreetheNipple activists are turning to jewelry to troll Instagram.
Right now, Instagram prohibits explicit sexual images. As part of that policy, it restricts images of female breasts that show the nipple, though it makes exceptions for women posting about breastfeeding, as well as photos depicting breasts after a mastectomy. Instagram also allows users to post photographs of nude paintings, sculptures and art.
“It is not always easy to find the right balance between enabling people to express themselves while maintaining a comfortable experience for our global and culturally diverse community of many different ages, but we try our best,” said a spokesperson for the company.
But #FreetheNipple activists have specifically sought out creative ways to mess with Instagram, challenging its policy on depictions of women’s breasts. For instance, one Instagram account, Genderless Nipples, posts photos of nipples taken from so close up that it’s impossible to tell whether they’re male or female. The account has garnered more than 74,000 followers.
Now, Pretty Ugly, a Lithuanian company, has begun selling #FreetheNipple brooches and shirts that women can wear over their clothing.
Originally, the website made the felt nipples as free gifts for colleagues and friends. But once online users saw them, they started asking if they could order them, so Pretty Ugly incorporated the decorative nipples into their product line, says Justė Vaškevičiūtė, the company’s producer and creative strategist.
“The collection itself spoke about negative impact of social media in young girls development as a personality,” Vaškevičiūtė told Heat Street. “Nipple brooches and shirts were made to show the problem of censorship and how girls are taught to be ashamed of their natural parts of body. Shaming a person for who he or she was born is not OK. We should be proud, confident and comfortable about our bodies.”
Vaškevičiūtė said Pretty Ugly’s biggest following is American, but they’ve also received many orders from Italy and France. “And, of course, our hometown Vilnius is starting to wear them proudly,” she said.
Pretty Ugly’s pink wool #FreetheNipple brooch retails for $16.45 on Etsy. Its Free the Nipple shirts have sold out there, but they’re available on the company’s website for €40, plus shipping.
Pretty Ugly isn’t the only retailer to come up with the idea of nipple jewelry. Another Etsy shop offers more realistic nipple brooches, including ones made “to imitate your personal nipp.”