Brittany Perille Yobe says she was only trying to empower other pregnant women.
A 27-year-old fitness star says she was shocked when she was suddenly banned from Instagram after she posted a video showing off her pregnant belly while working out in a sports bra and yoga pants.
For three years, Brittany Perille Yobe has taken to Instagram to reveal her secrets to a chiseled body to 935,000 followers. Many of her pre-pregnancy videos show her in a sports bra showing off her tight tummy.
A recent workout video she posted in October, where her baby bump was showing, was supposed to empower other pregnant women, she said. But she claims Instagram felt differently.
“The video stayed up for a few hours. I noticed the next day my account had been deactivated. I was devastated. I could not believe my account had been taken down,” Perille Yobe told Inside Edition. “I was outraged and mostly devastated that I feel like my business and platform was taken away.”
She added: “A lot of women are not comfortable wearing a sports bra and yoga pants with their belly hanging out because they are pregnant and I wanted to show people it's ok to do that.”
Perille Yobe later received an email from Instagram that stated, in part: “We disable accounts that post content that is sexually suggestive or contains nudity.”
She believes she was banned because she showed off her pregnant belly.
“I posted multiple videos just wearing a sport bra and yoga pants to gym but this time because I don't have a six pack or I am not in shape my account is immediately flagged as nudity,” she said.
Her husband Jeremy told Inside Edition: “I thought this is a mistake I know she doesn't post nudity and I thought, 'we would fix this.' Then we get the email that the account was permanently shut down.”
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Her fans showed support and posted comments to Instagram asking for her to return.
The fitness guru says that it was only after she started getting media attention that her account came back online.
But she says she's going to be more mindful of what she's posting in the future.
“I am very hesitant to show my pregnant belly again,” she said.
Perille Yobe's first child is due in February.
Instagram has not responded to Inside Edition’s request for comment.
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