An Italian Vanity Fair cover was apparently too hot for Instagram, but not all of Instagram, just the story feature.
The nude, black-and-white image on the magazine’s latest issue features Eurovision stars Mahmood and Blanco. The pair will represent Italy in the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest in May.
Mahmood shared the cover on his Instagram story, and alleges it was removed by the app and cited as a violation of guidelines.
That prompted the @vanityfairitalia account to share a censored version of the photo and defend its use of “artistic” and “symbolic” nudity, as opposed to something obscene.
“We portrayed them like this because their stories are like a blank page, full of tattoos and dreams, of youth, something strong enough to shake us all,” said Vanity Fair Italia’s director-in-chief Simone Marchetti. Well OK then!
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Either way, the original cover remains on the @vanityfairitalia account, so perhaps the algorithm was just a bit trigger-happy in the moment Mahmood’s story was removed.
The song that Mahmood and Blanco will perform is called “Brividi” (Shivers). Many interpreted it as an anthem of gay love, but the singers say its more universal than that.
“We want to bring the universal freedom to feel free to be able to express any kind of love. In general, in totality. We don’t want to pigeonhole love, we want to give it 100% free rein,” Mahmood said.
Here’s the song, with english translations:
jax florida
Somebody better run up to Bellas Artes in Florence and put a fig leaf on David.
Polaro
Instagram will protect us from the male body, but has no problem helping to destroy democracy. I stopped using Facebook when Trump won. I grudgingly still use Instagram, but will give it up given an alternative. I certainly never buy anything I see on Instagram using the Instagram link. My small act of defiance.
EdHusky
I agree 100% with you, but I did stop using Instagram as well as Facebook (many yrs ago). I wish others were as smart.
barryaksarben
Insta is jsut practicing blanking out anything that may be gay content for when their beloved trump is back in the white house.
David
Yes mon, that’s the ticket. I stopped using Facebook because I think Zuckerberg knew what was going on and ignored it because he knew he’d benefit by having a tax-cutting conservative in office. That little alien should go back to his home planet.
SFMike
Of course, if it were women it would be empowering and OK.
Prax07
A blank page, full of tattoos…that makes absolutely no sense.
inbama
That cover was either a great job of air-brushing or there wasn’t much to hide in the first place.
Chrisk
Most guys could hide their junk by cupping them with their hands.
hansniemeijer
social media dictators come in all sorts and shapes.
mastik8
Why would Queerty show the censored image but only link to the original? Do they agree with Instagram?
Polaro
Agreed. Queerty never shows or includes good links.
CNY1983
I love Mahmood, it’s the third time he was at Sanremo. Italy didn’t have a problem with them or what they wore along with Achille Lauro. But we are waiting for the new Mayflower in puritanical hypocritical America.
Gay Thomas
So Queerty bitches about censoring this cover while not showing the tame, uncensored version? Really?