Instagram bans #lesbian, #bi and #gays hashtags – but it’s not why you think
If you search for #lesbian, #bi or #gays on Instagram, you’ll be met with a blank page and a message reading “No Posts Yet”.
But don’t worry – it’s not because the photo-sharing app is homophobic or biphobic.
In fact, it’s simply Instagram’s attempt to fight porn on the site. Sexual hashtags that are obviously banned include #anal, #breast and #penis.
Other banned hashtags include #lesbiansofinstagram, #snapchatgay and #iamgay. Check out the whole list of permanently and temporarily banned hashtags here.
Luckily, other LGBT hashtags are available – including #queer, #bisexual, #gaylove and #transgender – so remember to use those when you’re posting a nice snap of you and your other half out for a romantic stroll.
Meanwhile, in a stunning turn of events, a UK government analysis of social media users found there are a lot of gays on Instagram.
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport drew findings from its Taking Part survey, aiming to “clarify how representative users of the most popular social media platforms are of the general population”.
The report “looks at people in England who use social media and their demographic characteristics”, aiming to put the “growing interest in using social media data” in context by analysing how representative social media users are.”
Comparing people’s stated sexual orientation to their social media habits, the report found that LGB people were more than twice as likely as straight people to use Instagram or Twitter – and are also more likely to use social media in general.
