Instagram suspended more than 100 LGBTQ+ and sexual health accounts in April, says watchdog
Repro Uncensored said many of the accounts it tracked were tied to queer communities, sexual health advocacy, art and culture
By Callum Wells
Meta is facing renewed criticism over the moderation of LGBTQ+ and sexual health content on Instagram.
Watchdog group Repro Uncensored claim more than 100 queer and creative accounts were suspended in April alone.
The renewed backlash follows the removal of toy retailer Bellesa Boutique’s Instagram account. The company had amassed more than 700,000 followers and regularly shared content centred on sexual wellness and health, with much of its audience made up of women and LGBTQ+ users.
Meta says accounts breached Instagram policies
Meta defended the decision in a statement to Mashable, saying the account repeatedly violated its policies around sexual solicitation.
“Every organization and individual on our platforms is subject to the same set of rules, and any claims of enforcement based on group affiliation or advocacy are baseless. We also give people the opportunity to appeal decisions if they think we’ve got it wrong,” a Meta spokesperson told the outlet.
Bellesa CEO Michelle Shnaidman disputed the claim, saying the company was not given clear examples of content that allegedly breached Instagram’s policies before the account was disabled. The company later alleged online that the account had been penalised for using the word “clitoris”.
Repro Uncensored said many of the accounts it tracked were tied to queer communities, sexual health advocacy, art and culture.
Watchdog warns of wider impact on queer communities
“These cases demonstrate a broader pattern affecting queer communities, women’s and sexual health content, artists, cultural spaces, and even music festivals,” the organisation said in a statement.
“These accounts function as arteries of community and infrastructure. They are spaces where people share vital healthcare and sexual information, organize, create, and stay connected, and where communities actively shape participatory democracies.”
Meta told Mashable that many of the accounts highlighted by Repro Uncensored had since been restored. The company also said some suspensions had been issued in error and later reversed following reviews or appeals.
Meta faces ongoing criticism over LGBTQ+ moderation
The controversy arrives months after Meta’s independent Oversight Board ruled that Instagram had wrongly removed a post from a Brazil-based account celebrating lesbian visibility.
Attitude reported yesterday (7 May) that Sydney Sauna claims Meta had permanently suspended its Instagram account without warning.
And, in December, more than 50 queer advocacy, abortion access and reproductive health organisations accused the company of restricting or removing accounts across Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp in what campaigners described as “one of the biggest waves of censorship” on Meta’s platforms.