This morning I read an extremely troubling post on GOMI.  I know that GOMI gets a bad name, but I actually find it to be helpful and entertaining.  Today it went above and beyond, though, by bringing a completely disturbing site to my attention (and bringing it — and others like it — down).

I have always thought of tumblr as a very small community.  We all come on here, sharing bits and pieces of our life, giving each other feedback, and promoting that which we find interesting.  Today I realized that it really isn’t such a small community, and that there are people on tumblr whose motives are anything but innocent.  Blogs have been uncovered that have been sexualizing pictures of young boys.  Pictures that have been posted on tumblr, pictures that have been posted elsewhere online, and pictures that the authors have taken themselves.

The whole thing makes me sick to my stomach.  I have felt physically ill all morning.

This has served as a wake-up call for me.  I will no longer be posting picture of Mac on this blog.  I respect my husband’s privacy, I respect the privacy of my family and friends, so why am I not respecting my child the same way?  The reality is that I need to put my child’s safety over my own vanity.  I love sharing pictures of Mac on here.  I am proud of my baby and I get a thrill over sharing him with the world.  But the rose colored glasses have been ripped off and I can’t delude myself any longer that this blog is a safe place to share photos of my child.

Perhaps I’ll take a note from Rebecca and only post photos of Mac from behind and above.  After all, I like the visual component that photos provide — even if it isn’t of Mac’s face.  But the reality is that I cannot in good conscience continue plastering Mac’s face on this blog.

It makes me sad.  It makes me sad that people who would sexualize and victimize children exist.  It makes me sad that I have to be worried about those people.  It makes me sad that I can’t keep living in my little bubble of good intentions.

But moving forward, no more Mac face.

(And yes, I obviously realize this affects me far more than it affects any of you.  I am aware of what a drama queen I am.)