Feeling #curvee! Plus-size women lead fight-back against Instagram's ban on the word 'curvy' by posting selfies and bikini snaps under new hashtag

• Instagram made hashtag #curvy unsearchable to crack down on nudity  
• Bloggers and body activists launched #curvee tag in protest 
• Women are now proudly posting fuller-figured selfies under new term

By Sarah Barns For Mailonline

Published: 10:29 EST, 20 July 2015 | Updated: 12:30 EST, 20 July 2015

Enraged plus-size women have hit back at Instagram's ban on the hashtag #curvy because it's used on sexually explicit content.

The ruling is part of the social media site's bid to crack down on nudity as adult-orientated photographs and videos are often tagged with the word - but the move has just provoked anger among bloggers and body activists.

Now they're fighting back with a new hashtag of their own - tagging pictures with the word #curvee in protest.

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Since photo sharing website Instagram banned the hashtag #Curvy plus size women have been sharing images with #Curvee in protest. Pictured: British model Chiara Aprea

The Instagrammers who used to share inspiring quotes and body confident-selfies under #curvy are now promoting their body shapes and evading the new strictures with the new hashtag.

Female users across Instagram have also included hashtags like #bringcurvyback, #everybodyisbeautiful, and the popular #effyourbeautystandards, created by voluptuous American model Tess Holliday.

The results are uplifting as users, such as one woman who posts under the moniker @rachel_curvemodel, shared a summery snap of herself posing underneath a tree decorated with rainbow-coloured streamers. 

Female users across Instagram have also included hashtags like #bringcurvyback, #everybodyisbeautiful, and the popular #effyourbeautystandards including Emily pictured above 

Trina Queen shared a snap of her plunging neckline (left) and EdotTiffany wanted to remind everyone especially Instagram that all bodies are good bodies 

She is pictured giggling as she poses in a yellow flower-print top, mini black shorts and chunky heels.

Another furious social media user called @thelizblack, shared a holiday photograph of herself in a palm-print two-piece. In the image she can be seen flaunting her curvaceous figure in a swimming pool while holding a doughnut shaped rubber ring. 

Plus-size fashion vlogger hits back at bikini body shamers

Meanwhile another annoyed female activist, who posts under the name @sassy.scarlet, posed confidently with her hands on her hips while wearing a turquoise dress covered in bright pink flowers. Alongside the #curvee hashtag she also included statements such as #pinupmodel, #beautyhasnosize and #styleatanysize. 

Hundreds of shapely women rallied together to demonstrate against the ban of the word. 

Along with swear words and other offensive terms, when users search under the word 'curvy', nothing will appear on Instagram. 

But variations of #curvy such as #curvygirl and #curvyfashion are okay and do produce results. 

Plus-size model Ashley Graham's Curves in Bikinis campaign

The action has upset women as other more explicit hashtags like #fetishes and #hookers are currently still searchable. 

This isn't the first time Instagram has come under fire for body policing.

Female nipples, obese women and period blood have all been deleted from the app in the past because they violated company policy. 

The #curvee movement appears to be gathering momentum with defiant women using it on their snaps.

A stunning plus-size model operating under the user name @chiara_aprea shared a photograph of herself storming down a catwalk in a green polka dot dress under the tag. She also added self esteem-boosting slogans such as #beproudofyou.

Meanwhile plus-size retailer Simply Be also showed their support for the movement by sharing a group shot of their gorgeous fuller-figured models following a catwalk show.  

Plus-size blogger Courtney Mina posts racy selfies to Instagram

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