The Naked Rugby Players, a British group that bills its 2019 charity calendar as “players 71, clothes 0,” had its Facebook page reinstated after the social media giant banned it for showing “sexual activity.”
“The calendar reportedly went against Facebook’s community standards on nudity and sexuality activity, which bans content containing nudity (showing genitals), sexual activity, sexually explicit language and female nipples (except in the context of breastfeeding, birth, health and protests),” Pink News reported, which added, “however, the calendar contained none of the above.”
The suspension was lifted earlier this week and the group’s Facebook page was once again active. “Thank you to Facebook who reversed their decision to ban us! Much appreciated,” the group said.
The 2019 calendar features 71 players from six LGBT-inclusive teams and is used to raise awareness of LGBT players in the sport and also to prod men to get tested for signs of testicular cancer.
“We didn’t want models, we wanted characters and, showing these characters in this artistic light, shows the beauty in us all,” photographer Monty McKinnen said. “That which is in the eye of the beholder, sounds corny yes, but it’s a fact!”
The 2019 calendar was nominated as one of the top five fund-raising calendars in Britain. Prince Harry received a copy of last year’s calendar and told the group: “Thank you for The Naked Rugby Players charity calendar. It was most generous of you and is much appreciated.”
The calendar costs 10 British pounds (about $12.60) and can be bought here.
