Who are Nyome Nicholas Williams and Mary Morgan's heels
Nyome and Mary are the faces behind the Bans Off Our Bodies campaign, (or, appropriately, BOOB for short.) Nyome is a model and activist, and Mary is a writer, artist and academic focused on body politics. #BansOffOurBodies aims to change the narrative around the censorship, silencing and policing of women’s bodies. Women’s bodies are not dangerous, lewd, inherently sexual or inappropriate. Yet online policies would have you believe otherwise. Online policies feed into and perpetuate a dangerous cultural narrative of policing, censoring, and silencing women and their bodies both online and in real life. It’s clear what the issue is: It’s women’s bodies. The message is clear too: cover up, shut up, be quiet, and mold yourself into a specific existence. Instagram and other online platforms are inherently normalizing a policing, silencing, and censoring mindset of women and their bodies, and the ramification will continue to be felt throughout our culture.
How would you describe your personal style?
Nyome: Sexy, Risqué, cool Mary: Effortless, cool, unexpected
Your biggest achievement?
We’re currently fighting to change not only online platforms but culture as a whole, so that will be a mighty big achievement.
3 tips for self love
Nyome:
"Taking days where you really do things for yourself solely, reminding yourself that you are the centre of your universe and true self care, outside of materialistic practices needs to be learned over time."
Mary: “Caring for the self, and loving the self, are in fact radical acts. Loving your “self” is an act of rebellion in a society that teaches you that women are inherently lesser-than. It is awfully hard to love yourself when the society in which you live deems your “self” less important than others’. So be rebellious and love yourself entirely. You are worthy of love!” (Mary wrote all about it here, actually: https://bodypolitics.substack.com/p/loving-your-self-is-rebellious-in)
Your happy place?
Mary: In my own head
Nyome: Usually when I’m on my own
Advice to your younger self?
Nyome: You’re going to change the world, never doubt yourself or your sauce. Mary: You’re a bad bitch and I can’t wait for you to see all the things you’re going to do in your life.
Hardest lesson to learn?
Nyome: That no one’s opinion outside of your own matters, at all.
Who is your biggest inspiration?
Nyome: Too many to list, Mary is a big inspiration to me, how she carries herself and moves through life, it’s inspiring to me.
Mary: Oh my God I'm going to cry! Nyome is a MASSIVE inspiration to me, to us all! She is so powerful, standing in her aura is to be in the eye of a goddess's storm.
Something your passionate about right now?
Bans Off Our Bodies!!! Our bodies are not dangerous, lewd, inappropriate or inherently sexual. Even when we follow the (deeply problematic) rules on female nudity, we are still shadowbanned, censored, or completely silenced. It’s clear what the problem is. It’s women’s bodies. One of us is a fat black woman, and one of us is a slim white woman. And we both have been banned into the shadows of these apps, even when we follow all the rules and regulations. Our bodies are deemed inappropriate. DANGEROUS. Our posts are removed, our bodies completely censored, as then are our voices, our art, our right to exist. By censoring, banning, and controlling women’s bodies, Meta is setting dangerous precedents for our society. These precedents include emboldening people to censor, control, and silence women and their bodies, and include teaching young women and girls what an “ideal” body is.
QUICK FIRE ROUND
Heels or flats: Heels
High fashion or high street: High fashion
Dress up or Dress down: Dressed down
Early Riser or Night owl: Night Owl
Tea or coffee: Coffee
You can find out more about the amazing Bans off our Bodies campaign, over on instagram by following Nyome and Mary and following their journey to change the world one post at a time.
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