Instagram’s new, updated Terms of Use have left sex workers, pole dancers, sex educators and erotic artists across different backgrounds, gender identities and walks of life very concerned about their place on the platform and the future of their profiles. A variety of users that depend on Instagram for their monthly income feel under threat and unwelcome. Sex workers and other users feel they are being erased and deplatformed. Particularly during a global pandemic that forced many people to work online, Instagram is both a platform to express themselves and their only way to make a living.

Instagram users who share content featuring some form of nudity - whether that’s through sex work, art, fitness or education - are concerned that they are being unfairly targeted while celebrities are allowed to share similar forms of sexual content. While abuse (verbal or image-based) continues to thrive on the platform, it seems that sexuality - a key aspect of people’s lives - is bearing the brunt of Instagram’s moderation. 

Instagram have recently stated that they do not allow or facilitate sexual encounters between adults on the platform. However, a lot of the nudity and sexual references Instagram ban - e.g. strip club shows, erotic dances, references to arousal or pointing users to other platforms such as OnlyFans - do not facilitate sexual encounters. They are merely self-expression, education or, sometimes, direction to take those encounters elsewhere. 

We ask the platform to be more inclusive of nudity and sexuality, to allow marginalised communities to still earn a living during the pandemic, to educate young people and to allow self-expression. 

Signed 

Carolina Are - online inequalities researcher, pole dance instructor, blogger, activist at @bloggeronpole

Ava Hennessy - stripper, show producer and dance instructor at @ava_henny & @taboopoleshow 

Elizabeth CY Rao - visual artist, life model and activist @femme.castratrice 

Rosanne Liu - pole dancer @unicornpower

Samantha Sun - stripper, showgirl, performer, artist, activist @samantha.ssun

On behalf of East London Strippers Collective @ethicalstripper and @lifedrawingwithelsc

Shannon Swift, a.k.a Betty Brown - body positive illustrator @thingsbybettyb

Sabrina McLeod, Beanie The Jet - Body Positive dancer @beanie_the_jet 

Kelechi Okafor - Actor, Director, Podcaster, Writer, @kelechnekoff

Radam Ridwan - Writer, Creator, Model @radamridwan

Florence Barkway - director, presenter, activist @florencebark @comecurious 

AM Davies - coordinator, instructor, podcaster, activist @thequeenofsexy @yesastripperpodcast @soldiers_of_pole_

Valentina Elise - artist, producer, director, dancer, writer, activist @susan.b.sketchy @dirty.slut.mouth @cool.cats.online 

Toni 'Misty' Mansell - ex-stripper, writer, pole artist @tonimisty, pole dance instructor and studio owner @flyingballerinas 

Exotic Cancer - Artist, stripper, activist, @exotic.cancer

Nicky Ninedoors - Performing artist, stripper, pole dance instructor, photographer, activist @the.nicky.ninedoors / @stripperwithacamera

Nova Caine - CEO of Nova CaIne Dances, Llc, IPIA Board Member, Erotic Movement Specialist, Thriving-Disabled Veteran, Stripper Advocate, and more. Find me on @novacainedances_llc. 

Rebecca Crow - Multi-field sex worker, performer, friendly local naked activist, protest organiser, deleted at 720,000 followers. @riotsandcrows.