The goal of this petition  is to have Instagram adjust their Community Guidelines in order to stop discriminating individuals who have scars and to stop deleting their posts. Instagram recently changed their guidelines and in doing so have begun deleting all photos relating to or showing self-harm. However in doing so, user's who do not glorify, encourage,or promote self-harm and post images simply showing old HEALED scars, are having their personal posts deleted too. 

Of the users that the guideline is affecting, some actually promote seeking treatment for mental illness, educate on different topics and share experiences in hopes to help another struggling sufferer. By deleting images off pages, Instagram is telling these users that what they look like goes against policy, that as a company they need to stop others from viewing the marks on your body, and telling them the left over marks of a battle they fought to get to a place of healing must disappear. 

Many of these affected users have struggled with self-harm being a symptom of mental illness and are now being discriminated. Instagram's discrimination over a symptom of a mental illness and the sheer censoring of it needs fixed. We have never promoted self harm or suicide, why would we choose to promote a harsh reality that has caused such suffering in our lives? 

Putting it simply Instagram needs to Stop body shaming a valid symptom of mental illness and find a solution that both alleviates their initial concern and that allows non-guidelines breaking users to post freely. 

 Please use the following hashtags when posting this petition, about its contents or any of said related topics:

#MyScarsMyStory

#YouCantCensorMySkin

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