When photographer Wyatt Neumann embarked on a cross-country road trip with his 2-year-old daughter Stella, he picked up his beloved camera to document their adventure and, in the process, capture beautiful moments and memories in his toddler's life. He did not, however, expect that these images–many of which he shared on Instagram — would place him at the center of a social media witch hunt, with users leaving messages accusing him of being a "child exploiter," "pervert," and "pedophile."
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The reason: in some of the photos, Stella wasn't wearing clothes. Though they were innocent and artful photos that felt spontaneous and joyful, social media users were that the father posted nude images of his daughter online. The uproar eventually led to Neumann's Instagram and Facebook accounts being terminated.
In many pictures, she's wearing her favorite blue princess dress with a lacy blue and pink skirt, walking through muddy roads, or splashing in a creek. Why is she undressed in some photos? Because, like most toddlers, she wanted to be running around naked and free. Her behavior was totally normal and natural, and the images relayed a beautiful narrative of a father spending time with his daughter, cherishing every minute. Still, the act of sharing these images on a public forum, of putting his art on display in social media, made Neumann a persona non grata among conservatives.
The hateful comments hurled at Neumann shocked the father, who says he never imagined anyone would look at these images and sexualize his daughter, much less suggest that he himself was doing so. He was further outraged that Facebook and Instagram caved to the pressures of these critics, shutting down his accounts. He feels that he has been censorsed and that the refusal to post his cherished family photos is a clear violation of his First Amendment rights. In response, he has launched an exhibition of the very same photographs that sparked the controversy entitled "I FEEL SORRY FOR YOUR CHILDREN: The Sexualization of Innocence in America."
As a parent, I definitely understand Neumann's point-of-view. I remember having to chase my son all around our apartment to get him into some pull-ups. I also recall that, when he was about four years old, he went through a hilarious stage during which he'd take off his clothes the moment we walked through the front door and proclaim "I'm free!" while giggling hysterically. It was adorable. And I would've seen nothing wrong in capturing these moments with my camera.
So is it the act of sharing these images that's considered problematic? Who is really to blame: those who share these images, or those who view these innocent images and project their own perversions onto them? We may not all arrive at the same answer but, at the very least, we should be open to hearing both sides of the argument.
Embedded content: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdkLvzgfVNQ
Images via Wyatt Neumann/I FEEL SORRY FOR YOUR CHILDREN
