Are AFL Memes Racist Adam Goodes Pics Less Offensive Than Model Tess Holliday?
Get ready to scream into the nearest pillow. Facebook has repeatedly refused to remove an AFL Memes page post comparing retired footballer Adam Goodes, to recently killed gorilla Harambe.
While the posts has just now been taken down, the two below images were posted over the last 48 hours.
(We have chosen to republish these images merely to demonstrate the overtly and inexcusably racist language and imagery conveyed in the posts.)
Via Facebook
Via Facebook
Yep, ugggh. The images are abhorrently racist (no if’s or but’s) and targeting a football great, that has already had to withstand a revolting degree of racism for his sport.
They are also disrespectful to the recent and tragic death of gorilla Harambe- to which the world is still mourning.
But these two posts were not deemed to “go against Facebook’s community standards” after dozens of users reported them and were turned away by Facebook.
I tried reporting the post on 'AFL Memes' which said 'RIP Adam Goodes' with a picture of the shot gorilla, and just pic.twitter.com/3fq4t5HhlW
— Australia (@WeAreAustralia) June 1, 2016
I reported the atrocious AFL Meme's post likening Adam Goodes to a Gorilla to Facebook.
And they're OK with it… pic.twitter.com/cL3ivgp9uy
— Richard Tuffin (@RichardTuffin) June 1, 2016
It is assumed that the posts were only deleted after considerable media coverage and the AFL demanding the memes be removed – all after one of the posts had already been up for almost two days.
@TheRealPBarry The Adam Goodes meme has been taken down at the insistence of the @AFL.
— Richard Tuffin (@RichardTuffin) June 2, 2016
Absolutely sickened by the Goodes posts on #facebook AFL Memes. How can this still happen? Reporting hate speech delivering no results. ????
— Prue Gildea (@PrueGildea) June 2, 2016
It’s seriously questionable that Facebook would not find the likening of an Aboriginal man to a gorilla, as not going against their policy on hate speech. As their community page defines:
“Content that attacks people based on their actual or perceived race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability or disease is not allowed.”
Tick and tick. It is even more irresponsible, considering the social media platform recently rejected an Australian ad featuring an image of plus-sized model Tess Holliday promoting positive body image.
Via Facebook
Facebook refused to allow the image to be published advising “the image depicts a body or body parts in an undesirable manner“. Facebook was later forced to apologise.
Seriously, Facebook need to review their community standards as it’s getting ridiculous. They seem to be protecting the wrong people. This comes along with the vicious and violent misogyny women face daily on the platform, which often goes unchecked.