Mykki Blanco‘s “Loner” video was removed from YouTube on Friday (Dec. 2) for failing to meet the site’s “community guidelines,” following its release last week. Now the video is back online following an outcry from Blanco and his fans, accusing YouTube of censoring the piece out of “homophobia.”
According to Blanco, who posted a screen shot of the “image in question,” YouTube took down the video because it shows a man’s “bulge.”
As Blanco and others were quick to point out, there are many videos on YouTube that show just as much or more explicit material but are acceptable because they align with heterosexual standards of sexuality.
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“Why is Queer sexuality censored & policed but images for a Cis male gaze of sexualized women are not ?” Blanco tweeted.
Blanco also said there had been a “social media produced comment thread” where someone said the video had an image of a male “scrotum” — an erroneous claim.
“Our society grants hetero privilege to parade overly sexualized images of women for a cis male gaze yet Queer imagery is policied, demeaned,” Blanco tweeted.
Now the video is back online but with a “content warning” that requires viewers to sign in to confirm their age before viewing.
“We now wonder why this is necessary,” Blanco’s manager David Swartz told Mic. “Countless videos across the YouTube platform featuring overtly and blatantly sexual imagery (and actual nudity) are available with no requirement for age verification, so why is that so for this video by Mykki? Why does YouTube want to restrict access to this video? Why does YouTube see this video as any different than all those which have completely open access to users of all ages?”
Blanco also commented to Mic with a statement: “It is exhausting that as a queer artist not only do I experience homophobia in the entertainment industry but also censorship for the unapologetically queer imagery I promote.”
Billboard has reached out to YouTube but did not receive a comment at time of publishing.
Watch Blanco’s “Loser” video here, followed by his tweets in response to the takedown.
I am confused & sad @YouTube
— MYKKI (@MykkiBlanco) December 2, 2016
YouTube have banned my music video for “Loner” citing that the video breaks their “community guidelines”. @YouTube
— MYKKI (@MykkiBlanco) December 2, 2016
This has confused all parties who worked tirelessly to create the video from the producer to the team of directors who are both Queer.
— MYKKI (@MykkiBlanco) December 2, 2016
The only explanation we can think of as to why the music video was banned is bc of a social media produced comment thread in which … (1)
— MYKKI (@MykkiBlanco) December 2, 2016
..(2) an individual sites the appearance of a male “scrotum” but that is not so and the flesh in question is a male human knee under a skirt
— MYKKI (@MykkiBlanco) December 2, 2016
Our society grants hetero privilege to parade overly sexualized images of women for a cis male gaze yet Queer imagery is policied, demeaned
— MYKKI (@MykkiBlanco) December 2, 2016
I am deeply saddened that @YouTube have engaged in this kind of homophobic double standard censorship
— MYKKI (@MykkiBlanco) December 2, 2016
This is the image in question, my manager just sent me this screenshot. So it is a mans bulge not just thighs pic.twitter.com/UfIbUpaEIt
— MYKKI (@MykkiBlanco) December 2, 2016
Why is Queer sexuality censored & policed but images for a Cis male gaze of sexualized women are not ? @YouTube pic.twitter.com/JSH7pc3YVt
— MYKKI (@MykkiBlanco) December 2, 2016
As many music videos that exist that display hyper sexualized images for Cis men & @YouTube ban’s my Queer imagery pic.twitter.com/qOSbSLpUHC
— MYKKI (@MykkiBlanco) December 2, 2016
Again Queer artists who are *actually* Queer are policed, censored without question https://t.co/nbJRKcBPRj
— MYKKI (@MykkiBlanco) December 2, 2016
I’m going to step away from the internet, this is the last weekend of my European tour, we have a show tonight… I’m so sad right now
— MYKKI (@MykkiBlanco) December 2, 2016
Topless women with bare buttocks is acceptable, suggestive Queer imagery is banned, let’s not over think this pic.twitter.com/qwA9YUzSfx
— MYKKI (@MykkiBlanco) December 2, 2016
I try to explain to people I don’t WANT Homophobia to be apart of my narrative, situations like this arise & make Homophobia apart of it
— MYKKI (@MykkiBlanco) December 2, 2016
We never make it “Us vs Them”. They always make it “Us vs Them”.
— MYKKI (@MykkiBlanco) December 2, 2016
