Facebook has been forced to apologise after it banned an ad featuring a plus-size model on the basis that it depicted “body parts in an undesirable manner”.

The ad, which was posted by a Melbourne-based group to promote an event about feminism and body positivity, was taken down by the social media giant’s ad team, which said it violated the site’s advertising guidelines.

Organisers were stunned by the justification offered by Facebook. “Ads like these are not allowed since they make viewers feel bad about themselves,” the letter said.

Facebook's justification left feminists aghast. Photo: FacebookFacebook's justification left feminists aghast. Photo: Facebook



The explanation went on to list the things it considered “undesirable” about the ad, including “close-ups of ‘muffin tops’ where the overhanging fat is visible”, “people pinching their fat/cellulite” and “people with clothes that are too tight”.

A social media storm soon erupted after Cherchez La Femme, the group responsible for the ad, posted a screenshot of Facebook’s note.

“Facebook seemingly has no idea that plus sized, self describing fat women can feel great about themselves,” Cherchez La Femme told its followers, noting that the social media platform had “ignored the fact that our event is going to be discussing body positivity (which comes in all shapes and sizes, but in the particular case of our event, fat bodies), and has instead come to the conclusion that we've set out to make women feel bad about themselves.”

The model depicted on the ad, Tess Holliday, also weighed in. “Bigger bodies are just as valid as smaller ones,” she wrote on Twitter. “We all deserve recognition and respect.”

Faced with the backlash, Facebook reversed its decision and informed the group it would be approving the ad. But the curt apology did not leave Cherchez La Femme organiser Jessamy Gleeson impressed.

“It completely misses the point about the policing of women’s bodies,” Ms Gleeson wrote on Twitter.

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