Breaking News! The Nude Blogger Instagram account has been reactivated!!! A win for body-positivity and a win against Instagram!
YES!!!! The Nude Blogger’s original Instagram account @thenudeblogger has been reactivated! I still cannot believe it! We did it!
@thenudeblogger original account has been reactivated after three weeks!
This is a HUGE win for body positivity, and most definitely a step in the right direction for Instagram, social media and society! It is a reminder at just how powerful we are, even if we are just one voice. When it comes down to it, it is this collective effort and unity that inspires real change. This gives hope to us who are genuinely trying to make a difference and serves as a reminder to never give up on our message, even when we’re going up against Goliath. I am overcome with shock, happiness, confusion, ecstasy, fatigue, relief and a sense of fulfilment. Three weeks after having my account abruptly deactivated without any warning whatsoever. Three weeks without so much as a peep from Instagram. Three weeks of hard f*cking work, but three weeks of which my message about body positivity seems to have made more of an impact than ever. Instagram reinstating my account signifies reason for hope and provides us with a glimpse of possible changes to come.
NEVER DOUBT THAT A SMALL GROUP OF THOUGHTFUL, COMMITTED CITIZENS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD; INDEED, IT’S THE ONLY THING THAT EVER HAS.
I have been campaigning against the social media giant for over three weeks now. As many of you are aware, my original Instagram account for The Nude Blogger was abruptly, and without any warning whatsoever, deactivated over three weeks ago now. Not even a heads up. Not so much as a peep from the Instagram ‘support’ team within that time, even after countless attempts at making contact and reaching out. At that point, even after having followed protocol to restore my account, I wasn’t sure what would warrant a response from them. I decided that, in the meantime, I would set up a secondary account for the blog. This was just in the event that my account wouldn’t be restored, and because I was sick of waiting around for Instagram. My message is too damn important to put on hold!
This was the message that came up when my account was abruptly deactivated on 31 July.
@thenudeblogger for the last three weeks…no warning whatsoever
…after two weeks without a word from Instagram, I launched a new account @thenudeblogger_
When my account was deactivated, of course I was upset and disappointed. I was gutted, but I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. We attract, or even (unconsciously) create, certain situations from which we need to learn in order to stop engaging in unconscious habits, or from which we are called on to act consciously, with purpose, for the greater good. Some of us feel compelled to serve a higher calling if you must. I have learnt some important lessons from this experience, and if that’s all I was going to take from it all, I was okay with that. I have been reminded of just how aloof, pervasive, elusive and unpredictable social media can be. One day we’re made obsolete, the next we’re viral. All in all, I believe that if used with good intention, the media is a powerful friend. We just have to learn to overcome some of the hurdles that come along with befriending it.
In launching my new account, I stated in the post, “No, this does NOT mean I have given up on trying to get my message out there, not by any means! I am still working my ass off behind the scenes to shed light on this matter. Like I have said before, my efforts will not be in vain. I am doing my best to be heard loud and clear. This is all unchartered territory for me, so I am trying to work smart.” Almost two weeks without hearing a thing from Instagram, I decided to change tactic. As some of you know, I don’t do things half-assed, and so I decided to go in all guns blazing. I have since embarked on a crusade to spread awareness about the importance of body positivity and expose the contradictory nature of Instagram’s blurred guidelines, as well as the double standards that social media only tends to exacerbate. I quoted in a previous blog, “I am disheartened by the injustice, but I will continue to fight the good fight and stand up for the very message my nudity is there for.” I was ready to go into battle with the social media giant. With silence on the issue from Instagram’s end, I thought it best to attempt to make a little noise. Not knowing whether anyone would bite, I decided to reach out to some media outlets…well….
Fox News – USA
The Geelong Advertiser (my hometown!)
Daily Mail
Ekstra Bladet – Denmark
Gold Coast Bulletin (my current local paper)
The Sun – UK
…it went a little more viral than I had anticipated. Reaching places like the USA, UK, Denmark and all over Australia. The past week has been an absolute whirlwind! I’ve had my first time on radio and TV! I believe the story has spread like it has because body image is a matter that strongly resonates with most humans…as we ALL have a naked body beneath the layers. It is a topic that is relevant to each and every one of us (plus, nudity is still so taboo and scandalous when it really shouldn’t be). I also believe that the Universe has my back on this one. This cause is for something so much bigger than myself, and I truly believe that when your intentions align to serve the greater good and not just yourself, you’re capable of manifesting some pretty powerful stuff (I’ll try not to get too spiritual on you all right now!)!
Another first for me during this experience was that I decided to reveal my face. During the ten months’ existence of my blog, I chose not to reveal my face…until 20 August 2017. As hesitant as I was, I decided to show my face for my television interview. So just prior to it airing, I posted a pretty candid photo of myself (I mean, I couldn’t let someone else have that exclusive!). I won’t go on about it in this post, but I will be writing a post about why I chose not to reveal my face for so long.
This is the ‘coming out’ photo I posted…a rather candid shot with a clear message
With the unexpected amount of media coverage my story ended up receiving, of course I anticipated ill-informed judgements and criticism. Whilst I made the conscious effort not to read or engage in the comments, I did see a few. Some of which were appalling, and most of which were inspiring. Thank you to the warriors who stood up for me and my message. Your courage to stand up for an issue that most of society is plagued with, but most of which are still yet to understand, is what is making a difference.
I went up against Instagram, and I actually came out victorious. I feel such a sense of fulfillment. My determination to expose these hideous double standards and Instagram’s contradictory and blurred guidelines has kept me up…a lot. I have felt a sense of responsibility to speak out against the social media giants. For myself, for my brothers and sisters, for society and for humankind. To be honest, this was never about purely getting the account back (that would just be a bonus). I had come to terms with the possibility that it was permanently gone. This was about principle. My focus became about spreading awareness. If my account was going to be deactivated, it definitely wasn’t going to be without a fight (albeit a peaceful one) and a good reason. I wanted my account to, at least, have the legacy it deserves…and it looks like it’s done more than that!
IT WAS RATHER SURREAL.
When I found out about my account being reactivated, (after tears and talking to myself in shock) I laid down on my bed and was reminded that, whilst I am only one voice, my voice makes a difference, and a big one at that. We all have the capability to make a real difference, speak our truth and use our voice for the better. There is purpose to everything I do. I make the conscious effort to live out of intention rather than habit, so whilst it may have been easy enough for me to just accept that my account had been shut down, I would at least raise awareness out of the incident.
“WITH OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORT AND GENUINE INTEREST IN THE MATTER OF BODY POSITIVITY AND NATURISM, I KNOW WE WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE, RAISE AWARENESS AND HELP TO CHANGE PERCEPTIONS ON NUDITY FOR THE BETTER. UNITED WE STAND!“
The deactivation of my account proved to be one of the best things to happen for my message about body-positivity, and I’m sure many of the other profound matters I talk about in my blog that are aimed at raising consciousness and contributing toward a higher vibrational way of being. A way forward to usher in a ‘new earth’ where kindness prevails over hate and indifference. Where love prevails over fear. Where light prevails over dark, and where consciousness prevails over the ego. Where we can learn to return to our true nature of divinity to remember oneness. To find our way back home. That is what my message is really all about.
Like I have said throughout my blog, I am being the change I wish to see in the world. I am here to make a difference in my own unique way. It isn’t going to sit well with everyone, some of it is confronting. I am a truth seeker. This has all reminded me of just how important it is to follow our hearts. As challenging as it can be, I am reminded that I am on the right path and I am doing something good and really making a difference.
MAY THIS WIN INSPIRE HOPE AND IGNITE PASSION. MAY THIS WIN REMIND YOU OF THE POWER YOU HAVE. MAY THIS WIN BE OF BENEFIT TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
To those of you who have stood united with me, to those of you who believed in me, to those of you who helped me, to those of you who made this even more worthwhile, to each and every one of you who either shared or posted something on my behalf, to the individuals within the media who gave my story a chance and a way to gain traction and spread even further, to the people who didn’t just sit back on the issue, to the people who fought for something bigger than a following or popularity on Instagram, to the people who judged me, to the people who tried to tear me down…..THANK YOU…YOU have given body-positivity an even louder voice and a place well-deserved at the forefront of many more people’s minds…exactly where it needs to be.
And to the person, people, robot or reptilian who clicked the button to reactivate my account…YOU have also just made more of a difference than you will ever know…so thank you. You’ve just helped to show the world that body-positivity and non-sexual nudity are ok. So yes, thank you too Instagram…it’s been good.
And as I always say, LET’S START A DAMN REVOLUTION!