What is it about nipples?

TL;DR

This post is for anyone who’s ever wondered why the word “nipple” feels taboo and why nipple visibility is so heavily policed, especially on social media. It explores how platform algorithms restrict conversations about women’s bodies and why that matters for education, choice, and comfort. The takeaway: nipples are normal, conversations about them should be allowed, and concealment should always be a personal preference, not a mandate.

The Word Nipple

One question has always weighed on our minds: Why the heck do people care so much about about saying the word 'nipple'?! And why do I care so much if other people see the outline of my nipples through my shirt? 

Welp, that’s a long historical answer dating back to Hippocrates that we’ll unpack in a future blog post, but for now, our grudge lies with social media. More specifically, we want to know what social media platforms have against the word 'nipple'!

Social Media and The Word Nipple

The mere mention of the word nipple is enough to get one of our posts taken down - and that includes shop posts. We’ve experienced this on every platform, including TikTok, which has officially jumped on the ‘ban the nipple’ bandwagon. Even our patent announcement - which is public knowledge! - was taken down by TikTok, despite it being our first post to gain some organic reach (an exciting moment for any business). 

We thought, maybe it’s just us, and perhaps it’s the frequency with which we talk about nipples. But after reaching out to influencer Jenny Fisher, we found that it’s not just us having this issue!  

We’ve long admired Jenny. She’s hilarious, authentic, and down to earth. We loved the idea of working with another badass woman to help bring awareness to a solution that so many women search for and wonder about - how to conceal their nipples.

So we sent Jenny a fun challenge - If she could come up with 30 different ways to say boobs in 30 seconds, we’d gift her a set of our nipple-concealing bralettes. Jenny over delivered, and we weren’t surprised one bit - until she went to add hashtags to her video on TikTok and found that #breast and #nipple wasn’t even an option. 

Here’s what she shared with us about her experience: 

“Social media is an open platform. It’s full of women of all shapes, backgrounds, and opinions. And, unfortunately, it’s also full of perverts! Because of the latter group, social media has taken an overly protective approach in governing posts related to women and minors. For example, I had a post of my shirtless 4-year-old playing on a new spin toy he had just received for his birthday. I had “violated community guidelines” by posting my innocent male child playing without his shirt on. I then had another post pulled for a violation when attempting to celebrate aging-gracefully in a trend that showed middle-aged women celebrating their bikini bodies. The violation? I casually removed my swim coverup and the bots thought I was strip teasing. So, my conclusion, when I create posts to celebrate womanhood or childhood, I need to always think of it from the perv vantage point to make sure it’s not violating community guidelines.”-Jenny Fisher 

We’re regularly shocked by the restrictions we face across platforms – all because of the word nipple. Don’t get us wrong; we understand there are “checks” in place for a darn good reason - but are they protecting us, or are they shadow banning due to a faulty algorithm? And is the banning of the word nipple actually cause for a deeper concern?

Normalizing the Word Nipple

If the word nipple is being shadow banned, what does this teach young women about their bodies? The Elli Bralette was designed specifically to provide women and teens/tweens with a cute, efficient, and comfortable way to conceal their nipples – not because they needed to, but because they wanted to. It’s a matter of preference that should remain of preference and not be dictated by any individual or organization. 

Secondly, how do you talk about a nipple concealing bra without hashtagging nipple or breast? Our mission is to solve a problem, yet we’re not allowed to discuss it. Where in the heck does that leave us?  

Creating Content Using the Word Nipple

Maybe you’re like Rachel from Friends and love to flaunt them, or you don’t even give your nipples a second thought. We love that for you! But if you prefer feeling more modest and are most comfortable with concealed nipples, we’re here for you.

We love creating educational, down-to-earth content that helps you find answers to your questions - whether it’s about covering nipples, nipple jewelry, or helping your developing tween find her favorite new bralette. 

Follow on Social Media to Get Our Updates

So here’s our ask: if you love our content, if you know someone - maybe a sister or best friend, mom or niece - who has been searching for the perfect nipple concealing bralette, add us (@nondisclosureapparel) to your favorites on Instagram and Tik Tok so we’ll show up higher in your feed (and will be least likely to get shadowbanned!).

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FAQs

Why is the word “nipple” restricted on social media?
Many platforms use automated moderation systems that flag words related to bodies or sexuality, often overcorrecting in an attempt to protect users. This can result in educational or body-positive content being removed or limited.

Is talking about nipples actually against social media rules?
Not inherently, but algorithms often misinterpret context. Educational, health-related, or product-based discussions can still be flagged due to rigid or outdated moderation systems.

Why do people feel uncomfortable seeing nipples through clothing?
Cultural norms, media influence, and decades of sexualization have shaped how nipples are perceived. For many people, discomfort is learned rather than inherent.

Is nipple concealment a requirement?
No. Nipple concealment is a personal choice. Some people don’t care if their nipples show, while others prefer coverage for comfort or confidence.

Why is it important to normalize conversations about nipples?
Normalizing body-related language helps reduce shame, supports body autonomy, and allows people to make informed choices about comfort, clothing, and self-expression without stigma.