When I post historical photos or illustrations featuring Igorot women in states of undress, I censor/cover them. I also often get comments and messages from readers calling me out for doing it. Like the one I included in this post. I've received a good number of these comments/messages so I think it merits a public explanation.
First of all, I agree with the readers who keep on calling me out on this. They are right. I shouldn't be censoring or covering these for the reasons they mention.
My explanation is simple: I'm only adhering to Facebook's rules and policies. If Facebook allows me to post these photos uncensored, I'll do it. But that's not the case.
In the past, I've posted photos like these uncensored. But Facebook keeps flagging and penalizing my page for it. When this happens, the post gets deleted. Also, they decrease the reach of the page. I already incurred several strikes from them. Who knows, they might delete this page altogether if I keep breaking their rules.
This is the only reason why I censor photos I post here. It's to play by the rules of the platform. There is no intention to desecrate or disrespect a people or a culture.
Here's an analogy. You are free to post undressed photos of yourself on Facebook. But Facebook has rules and policies against it. They'll flag you, suspend you, or even ban you altogether.
That's the harsh reality. We all have ideals and principles we want to adhere to. But at the end of the day, Facebook has rules and policies. If we want to use their platform, we have to follow their rules.
