Aquaman star Amber Heard in September shared to Instagram a photo taken for a shoot to accompany a piece in Interview. In the photo, Heard wears a blazer with nothing else covering her upper body, leaving one of her nipples in plain view. Instagram blocked the photo, claiming it breached the social network’s community guidelines against showing the female nipple. Heard took exception to the idea that the female nipple is off-limits while the male nipple remains unproblematic. To illustrate this point, she’s shared a photograph of her Aquaman co-star Jason Momoa. The photo is similar to the one that Instagram removed from her feed. Momoa is shown in black and white wearing a blazer with nothing underneath, his nipple visible. This photo does not breach Instagram’s community standards.
“In honor of IG’s rigorous and equitable Community Guidelines against showing the Female nipple ..and since mine enjoyed the brief privilege that’s afforded to my male counterparts.. I decided to pay homage by replacing it with a picture that DID meet IG’s strict nudity guidelines and such careful gender policies,” Heard writes in the new Instagram post. “See my stories to vote on which edit you prefer the most ..and thank you IG, here’s to 2019!”
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In the interview that accompanied the now-blocked photo, Heard reflected on what its like to live life in the public eye, either on the big screen or on social media. “It’s a weird thing for an artist to do, especially one from my generation who didn’t necessarily grow up with social media.” Heard told the magazine. “I’ve only had social media for two years. When you’re in the public eye, you become used to being fiercely protective of your image and your private life, and protecting that from being used against your best interest. And that creates a relationship with privacy and having to fight for said privacy. I think that’s why people are sometimes reluctant to join social media. But I have to say that since being a part of it, I realize that for all those years I missed out, I was just one of the only people not weighing in on my life.”
What do you think of Heard’s commentary on Instagram’s community guidelines? Let us know in the comments.
Upcoming DC Films movies include Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) on February 7, 2020, Wonder Woman 1984 on June 5, 2020, The Batman on June 25, 2021, The Suicide Squad on August 6, 2021, and Aquaman 2 on December 16, 2022.
