Facebook Police Ban Another Anti Circ Photo

Tate Wright, advocate for genital integrity, signed onto Facebook to find this note along with the realization a photo was removed depicting circumcision rituals that was meant as an anti-circ/pro-genital integrity message.

Here is the note that Facebook sent:

Hello,
You uploaded a photo that violates our Terms of Use, and this photo has been removed. Facebook does not allow photos that attack an individual or group, or that contain nudity, drug use, violence, or other violations of the Terms of Use. These policies are designed to ensure Facebook remains a safe, secure and trusted environment for all users, including the many children who use the site.
If you have any questions or concerns, you can visit our FAQ page at http://www.facebook.com/help/?topic=wphotos.
The Facebook Team

It's ironic Facebook would mention their intentions are to protect children, since this photo was uploaded just for that very reason ~ to protect children. These circumcision rituals are performed on minor, non consenting *children* all over the world, including the United States.

According to Facebook, it's quite alright to *do* this to children, but certainly not for them to *see* it in a picture. (I maintain they are condoning it because of the many circumcision pictures they allow to remain on the site, see below for one example.)

This is one of many intactivist pictures I've heard of being removed for violations of vague Facebook rules, along with other human rights issues being depicted in pictures. Most recently there was a picture of two men kissing which caused quite a stir in the Facebook community.

Apparently now Facebook is not allowing advocating for children's rights as seen in pictures.

Here is the photo in question:

And Tate's graphic, which was put together by someone who wants to see this barbaric ritual come to an end so no more children suffer, is removed, but the one below remained for many weeks, despite having been reported many times to Facebook for promoting violence *towards children*.

Clearly the children in these pictures are not happy about what's being done to them and you certainly get the sense that their human rights are being violated. Why is one allowed to remain on Facebook but the other violates the TOS?

Greg's perspective

I was born on the small Caribbean island of St. Maarten (formely part of the Netherlands Antilles), in 1992. I know that my father (who was born in Indonesia) is uncut, so I presume that's why I am too. At the age of 15, I moved to Tampa, Florida. That's the boring, background part of the story.

Fast forward to age 17, it's the summer after senior year of high school. Me and 6 guy friends go camping, and bring a lot of beer. During a game of "Never have I ever", I said "Never have I ever been circumcised." The general reaction was "Ohhhhh gross!!!" or "Weird!". Anyway, it becomes sort of a running joke to tell everyone (even girls who haven't seen it) that I am in possession of a foreskin. This doesn't bother me, because I think it's funny.

But ever since, I get comments from friends and people like "Why not just get it cut off?" and "In America, you should be circumcised." While these comments don't actually bother me, it made me realize a general undertone of non-acceptance. So I started a fan page on Facebook for Foreskins, and I generally post things that aren't very serious on it.

I do believe however, that a mutilation like this should be a man's choice. If, for whatever reason, he decides that he no longer wants a foreskin, he can undertake the simple procedure to remove it. It is unfair to force this on an infant who has no say in the matter, and will be affected by this non-reversible procedure for the rest of his life. That's why I say I'm Pro-Skin-Choice. I don't have any kids yet at the age of 19, but when I do, whether or not they get circumcised is a descision they can make later in life.

~Greg Rumeser

Greg can be found on facebook where he has a group that uses humor to help people accept foreskins as a natural part of the body.