Mum fights back after Instagram removes disabled sons photo, deemed inappropriate

A UK mum is fighting back after Instagram removed a photo of her son, who only has one eye, from her account because it was deemed inappropriate.

The photo of 12-year-old Harry Beswick showed him snuggling up next to his mum, Charlie Beswick, without his prosthetic eye.

Harry has Goldenhar syndrome and was born missing his left eye, eye socket, nostril and ear.

Harry is “non-verbal, has global learning delay and autism”.

“So life is as challenging as it is rewarding at times, ” she wrote on her blog.

She said this is the second time a photo of her son without his eye in has been removed by the social media site.

“I appreciate that he looks different and people might not want to look at it, but that’s not Instagram’s decision,” she told BBC.

“For Instagram to decide Harry’s face isn’t suitable is disgusting. It does feel like discrimination to me.

“It’s my son’s face and I’m very proud to be showing him off.”

Ms Beswick reportedly took to Twitter to voice her outrage over the incident in a tweet that now has more than 115,000 engagements.

“Someone is reporting my son’s face & Instagram agree saying it doesn’t meet their guidelines before removing it. RT (retweet) to support me in this!” she wrote, alongside the original photo.

On Facebook she wrote, “What do you see when you look at my boy? I see the most beautiful smile, wonderful heart & purest love.

If someone hates to look at my child then I have 2 things to say a) scroll past and b) you’re an arsehole. I’m beyond disgusted.”

Ms Beswick said she is yet to receive an apology from Instagram about the incident.

In an email the company told her it had its “policy enforcement team review the removal and confirmed the photo was incorrectly removed”.

“We’ve restored the photo and will take steps to make sure it isn’t removed again.”

Why do people have to be so cruel?

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18 Comments

- - youngoldlady said
  - 18 Sep 2017
    2:17 am
Of all the things are banned or taken off this should not be. A mother if she wants and does not embrass the child should be allowed.

- - mom94125 said
  - 17 Sep 2017
    5:07 pm
if you don’t wanna see it, don’t follow her. she has the right to post what she likes on her account. that is so rude of insta

- - country chick said
  - 17 Sep 2017
    1:53 pm
A sad blow to the mum. Who are we to decide what is suitable

- - jen1234 said
  - 17 Sep 2017
    9:39 am
Instagram won’t apologise, that admits wrongdoing and opens up a can of worms lawsuit wise. Mum got the publicity and awareness she wanted in the end. Probably tenfold.

- - hopefullyheidi said
  - 16 Sep 2017
    8:56 pm
How dare Instagram and what ever vile human reported that lovely little boy be so cruel and dehumanizing in having it removed. But hey, it’s ok for celebrities to be more or less naked in pictures on Instagram, with see through dresses and other things on.

- - mom201497 said
  - 16 Sep 2017
    4:47 pm
How horrible can people be – that is a person! So much for equality! Isn’t it shocking how there can be women baring too much on these sights and that is appropriate, but a picture of a child is not? Poor Mumma.

- - nadine_hill said
  - 15 Sep 2017
    1:35 pm
Disgracegul act! By both Instagram and the so-called person who reported the image! Glad to hear it has been reinstated, but it should never have happened in the first place!

- - mom160421 said
  - 15 Sep 2017
    11:04 am
I’m glad this lady stood up for her son.

- - mom112217 said
  - 15 Sep 2017
    10:01 am
Good on the mum for fighting back and standing up to the bully.

- - Ellen said
  - 15 Sep 2017
    3:56 am
For Instagram to decide Harry’s face isn’t suitable is disgusting indeed !! It sure feels like discrimination and is just NOT ON. Glad mum stood up for him and sees the most beautiful smile, wonderful heart & purest love. Hope Instagram comes with a sincere apology !

- - cherz said
  - 14 Sep 2017
    8:36 pm
Good on you for standing your ground mom..all the very best to you and your beautiful son.

- - nealsq said
  - 14 Sep 2017
    6:55 pm
what a jerk act by the person that reported the photo!
- mom93821 replied
  
  15 Sep 2017 , 7:43 am
  I agree – if you don’t like something than move on.
- - BellaB said
  - 14 Sep 2017
    5:30 pm
Well, it’s a bit confronting, but it’s also reality and people need to learn to appreciate those who look different. By the third photo I didn’t even find it confronting anymore and could focus on his lovely smile.

- - mom101628 said
  - 14 Sep 2017
    4:55 pm
Who ever is reporting this must be a very vain person. Great that mum is standing up for her son.

- - mom93821 said
  - 14 Sep 2017
    2:59 pm
Dreadful that it was removed but so glad it has been restored – a beautiful boy and family.

- - mom90758 said
  - 14 Sep 2017
    2:50 pm
Can Instagram really do that? Very bad move!

- - mom206279 said
  - 14 Sep 2017
    1:45 pm
It says quite a lot about the person reporting the photo.