Without so much as a warning shot, the Instagram account of the Warwick Rowers has been removed until further notice.
The collegiate rowing club known the world over for their fundraising photo shoots announced the sudden move on Monday.
Each year, the group puts out a skin-tillating calendar, the proceeds of which go towards a group that combats homophobia in sports.
The rowers revealed that the account was taken down without warning after this series of photos was deleted.
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They wrote: “As you may have noticed, our Instagram account has been permanently deactivated without any reason communicated to us.
“We’re hoping this is a mistake and are waiting for them to allow us back on the platform to keep spreading our message.”
Per Instagram’s content guidelines, photos that display “sexual intercourse, genitals, and close-ups of fully-nude buttocks” will be removed from the platform.
However, the photos that were deleted prior to the account being shut off generally all fit within the guidelines.
And while the group’s social media manager is careful to keep content within Instagram’s policy, photos will occasionally show a glimpse of pubic hair, something of a gray area.
Project founder Angus Malcolm said: “We have a policy of requiring models to have fairly natural pubic hair on the grounds that shaved crotches reflect an unrealistic and hyper-sexualised aesthetic that promotes unhealthy relationships with our natural bodies.
“But whatever your position on this, the clue is in the name. Pubic hair is not part of the genitals. It’s hair.”
In 2016, the team’s YouTube channel was suspended, though it has since been reactivated.
Instagram has not commented on the ban.
Black Pegasus
The photo was most likely flagged by some hater. If your photo is within guidelines there is no reason why the algorithm would flag the photo on its own. Same thing occurs with YouTube.
Chrisk
Who complains about guys that are incredibly fit? You got to be the biggest prude in the world. More likely it’s stirring up thoughts that are making them very uncomfortable.
Terrycloth
Those purple outfits look fine to me …..
shotto18
Yes, and the flesh colored ones are mighty fine too.
charlie_jackpot
How are they fighting homophobia? Seems like an exercise in getting adoration
DarkZephyr
The proceeds from the calendars they create is donated to combat homophobia. Get it?
Bryguyf69
1) The money from their calendars go to gay charities, specifically those fighting homophobia
2) Their photos are highly homoerotic, often showing nude men touching and being affectionate. This normalizes love between men, whether sexual or platonic.
3) The group speaks out directly against homophobia.
4) Most of the rowers are straight, adding credibility to their message. Gays speaking for gay equality is expected and arguably self-serving. Heterosexuals, especially males, doing so is unexpected. Furthermore, they are more identifiable by the demographic that is most homophobic.
5) They objectify the male body, which is a good thing. By that, I mean it places the male body on the same level as females. Sexism is one of the foundations of homophobia so that’s a good thing.
JaredNorthcutt30
Is it really leveling the objectification playing fields?
maxnix
in this case it didn’t seem to work, did it?
shotto18
If so, it is working – big time. I adore them, as they are absolutely adorable.
Woody
If you have a problem with these photos you are huge prude.
JaredNorthcutt30
I have a problem with a culture across an entire spectrum which propagates that men are mere penises and that same attitude leads to trans women being killed over it. That’s what I have a problem with.
shotto18
JaredNorthcutt30 I never, ever heard before that I was just a penis. In fact, I have other great body parts as well, although my penis does make me feel really good at times.
JaredNorthcutt30
Really? You wouldnt know from this or other gay blogs now, would you?
JaredNorthcutt30
And when Queerty starts celebrating your heart, feel free to drop me a line at [email protected].
shotto18
I guess I really don’t care what other people think of me that much, so if it’s a penis that comes to mind I’m fine with it and will leave it at that (lol).
ShowMeGuy
I’m guessing *close ups of fully-nude buttocks*. Some buzzkill decided “25 or more feet away” was too close up.
MikeE
it does say “close-ups of…”, which I guess would make a difference.
JaredMacBride
The Warwick Rowers Instagram account was reinstated before this article was published. It is live now, after being down more than a week.
surfpenis
Some old aunt nell, a prudish/jealous old queen, who sits her wrinkled ass at home alone all the time, probably initiated the “complaint.”
mujerado
People who are “just tired” of it could just stop looking, but no, they have to put a stop to it so people who aren’t tired of it can’t look either, just like Christians who make other people stop doing what they think is evil.
JaredNorthcutt30
Maybe trans women are tired of being killed because theyre still looked at as penises and a guy at the bar wants to kill them over it. Yes, people are tired.
Tobi
Yup, gay men are tired too, which is why many of us want to Drop The T.
Hussain-TheCanadian
I would like to order 2 of each please…………………….maybe 3 of the one on the right, so yummy.
RobtheElder
I refuse to believe that the snap of 5 of the Warwick Rowers standing against a stone boulder background with their arms down at their sides, each wearing a purple unitard that is truncated at mid thigh level, facing the camera was offensive to anyone. We are each saddled with the genital equipment that our Lord gave us, but I see no attempt in this snap to make an unnatural exhibition of male sexuality. No one is aroused. The Warwick Rowers are healthy young men, but there’s no attempt here to make more of their sexuality than slipping into the unitards and standing for a picture would provoke. We would really lose it if all the models had to wear some sort of undergarment to flatten themselves out so no one would recognize them as male. Our next step would be to insist that all the young ladies bind their breasts so they’d look like pre teens. Is that what the censors expect our world to become? I certainly hope not! … RobtheElder