Arrival in Edinburgh

Today's blip is one of two pictures I took when I arrived in Edinburgh. I had hoped to take more when I got here but I have been distracted by feeling upset at comments on sleepyduck's blip. There have been a few comments over time which have upset me (more than they've upset sleepyduck). I will now try to describe events and articulate how this affects the way I feel about blipfoto.

On the third of July sleepyduck posted an image which David77 and Wingpig seemed to deem offensive. I saw this image and did not find it offensive but sleepyduck removed it.

Recently he posted another image on which G commented and said "This is just in the worst taste. Shame on you." Again I did not deem this image to be offensive.

Today's image I think was particularly innocent but David 77, Lonely Little Petunia and G all seemed to find this offensive. Sleepyduck was going to remove it but I asked him not to so that I could link to it as people should be able to make up their own mind and I think some people thought the image that he previously removed was far more risque than it was. It has now been deleted and sleepyduck has been told that blippers have been complaining about him.

Yesterday Dogenzenji had a blip pulled which was no more explicit or offensive than one of David 77s which he linked to himself in the comments on DZ's blip.

I am deeply disturbed by the level of censorship and the unpleasantness of the comments. Sleepyduck is being portrayed as a lecherous old git. The email he received from blipfoto said that a number of blippers complained. I find it hard to imagine that there were that many complaints.

I am now going to link to the two blips which were for me, the most offensive I have seen on blip but both were by David 77 and so there was no censure of them:
Knob me which I found offensive regardless of the fact it was posed and this one which seems to be a deliberate attempt to humiliate.

I'm afraid this is a rant but I am deeply upset and do feel there is a double standard here. There are many other blips that I have found to be distasteful but I do not want them censured. I do not find sleepyduck's distasteful at all. The women who have been photographed remain anonymous and they are photographed in their normal daily activities. Some of the comments in the past seem to have focussed on the fact that the photographer is male and photographing women. Would you find this offensive if I had taken it?

This image was taken by me and is far more revealing of the woman in the background.

I doubt that sleepyduck will be posting on blip again and I am seriously considering withdrawing too. I would miss you all terribly but I believe some people are being treated badly and I don't know if I can condone that by participation.