Freaky Friday: Morality Police

I did something yesterday that did not think I ever would: I reported a post to the Facebook Morality Police.

Shocking, right? But this one was clearly a porn video. And not even a good one at that. Skinny girl doggy style…faking orgasms…and the guy did not even have the sense to spank that ass while he was hitting it.

No, it was not that I found the video itself offensive. If it had been at one of the porn sites I occasionally visit (and like some other writers, I am NOT even going to pretend it is for research purposes) it would not have even piqued my curiosity enough to check out the preview.

No, the problem was it clearly violated not just the letter of the law with Facebook, but its intent.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with setting REASONABLE standards of behavior. Facebook wants to create an environment that is appropriate for family  and work, I get that. I can even respect it…most of the time.

What does bother me is some of its arbitrary interpretations of those rules…and specifically its presumed guilty until proven innocent policy. The fact that the moment someone reports you it automatically triggers a suspension of your account..until the Morality Police have the time to investigate.

And those arbitrary interpretations?

• Breastfeeding – tops my list…and while they USUALLY rule in favor of photos and restore accounts it bothers me nonetheless.
• Art – I have a friend who had her account blocked for classical paintings that hang in museums. Come on, folks, isn’t that the height of ridiculous? If it is a famous artwork that has survived centuries of censorship by religion and fascists, how can a painted nipple here or there be ‘offensive’ but Game of Thrones and Vikings not?
• Mastectomy scars – Like this one (yes, this blog feeds directly to my Facebook…so I am risking another block. I did say respect…MOST of the time, not always). It makes a powerful statement about survival and accepting yourself. One that needs to be promoted and not censored.

No, there is plenty that offends me every single day on Facebook that do not trigger its morality police:

• The political memes are driving this Transcendentalist nuts. I have friends on BOTH or at this point I should say ALL sides of it so I get them all. You know what? I even agree with some of them…often from different view points. Hell, I think I may have even shared one or two of them that made profound sense.
• Religious ones are even worse. Of course, my Christian friends (and believe it or not I do have a few of those) probably find my ‘goddess bless’ just as offensive. It is called Freedom of Speech and Religion. And I would not have it any other way. Again I find a grain of truth in all of them.
• Stupidity…oh so much stupid shit…too much. People have even died trying to get their stupid asses viral on social media. Don’t you just love Darwin sometimes?
• Body shamers…a personal pet peeve of mine. Fat, skinny, shaved, hairy, purple and green…there is beauty to be found in all of it. Oh, how boring this world would be if we all looked alike.

Like I said…most of the time I do understand the need for standards of appropriate and inappropriate behavior. Hell, even I know better than to wear my corset and pleather mini-skirt if I ever met the Queen.

BUT there are times when open protest is necessary. I remember one Subday (that is a Sunday when there is a fetish fair or alternative market…lol). I was going to one with my then dom and a ‘baby’ Dom friend. We had to change buses in Trafalgar Square and I was wearing that miniskirt and corset under my coat.

There were these people preaching there…on Jezebel nonetheless. Ironically, on women submitting…ha-ha. It was the same misogynistic bull shit that religion has pedalled for eons to subjugate and enslave women, making them asexual and second class citizens.

This former Pentecostal preacher’s wife stripped off her coat…and it was chilly. I stood at the very front of that line and quoted Jesus and Paul to that woman. ‘Judge not lest you be judged.’ ‘He who is without sin may cast the first stone.’ I reminded her that in her beloved Jesus’s genealogy was not one, but two ‘whores.’

Yes, there are moments when it is right and appropriate to challenge all rules…that seems to be this girl’s mission in life. BUT there are also times when it is important to follow not just the letter of the law but its intent…Jesus was a big one on that too.

Honestly, even if that video was meant as a protest against Facebook’s Morality Police (and there was no indication it was…more like a commercial attempt to draw people to a porn website), it probably went too far. Just like I would have that Subday if I had stripped naked in Trafalgar Square.

As hard as it is for this girl…sometimes we have rules for a reason. Knowing when to challenge them and when to respect them is about wisdom and prudence.