My First Instagram Post • January 2011
I joined Instagram in early 2011 after a friend passed me a link. It quickly became a fun space where I was able to merge my creativity and cultural interests. I enjoyed making meaningful connections with people near and far while keeping in touch with those I already knew. I had joined Facebook in 2006 and in the intervening years that has also been a great avenue for sharing images, ideas and interests with others (family, life long friends and new friends). Instagram, Facebook and Threads are under the Meta umbrella, which recently changed its policies against hate speech against the LGBT community. This new policy states “We do allow allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation, given political and religious discourse about transgenderism and homosexuality…” I believe that Meta’s dismantling of its prior hateful conduct policy is only the beginning of a broader normalization of anti-LGBT rhetoric (inappropriately using religion as a front) which could eventually extend to the sanctioning of abuse against specific religious and ethnic groups. In other words, it’s a slippery slope. As a member of the LGBT community who is 100% out in EVERY area of his life and as someone who has used his creativity, artistry, intellect and internet presence in positive ways, feeding my content (for lack of a better word) into a machine that is devaluing a community I belong to feels uncomfortable. I don’t expect anyone to agree. This is just how I feel. Beyond that, Instagram and Facebook have profited GREATLY from the presence and content of LGBT users, among them artists, photographers, film makers, drag performers, musicians, actors and comedians. An entity that thrives on the fruits of a culture without respecting its presence is a dangerous beast. This sea change by Meta speaks to a larger (and darker) cultural shift. As a result, this weekend I will be logging off of Instagram, Facebook and Threads for a while. I may return and continue to post and participate or I may simply return and delete all accounts. However, in the meantime I can be found on Bluesky if you want to say hello. As always… Stay illuminated. XO - CDM
I posted the above to my FB, IG and Threads accounts today.
I will still be active here on Art Skool Damage.
My Flickr account is still HERE.
My Bluesky page is HERE.
Thanks for reading this.
