Heather Farley doesn't think there's anything obscene about breastfeeding.

The 23-year-old Provo mom was told differently, though, when she posted a picture of herself nursing her 9-month-old daughter Margaret on the social networking Web site Facebook. On Nov. 6, the site unceremoniously removed the picture and sent Farley an e-mail explaining she had violated its terms of use policy because "photos containing nudity, drug use, or other obscene content are not allowed." Farley said when the company ignored her e-mails asking for further clarification, she decided to take the fight to them.

On Saturday, Farley led a group of about 30 in a three-hour protest in front of Facebook's Palo Alto, Calif., headquarters. The group marched, chanted, and -- yes -- nursed their children in a show of defiance. Though the "nurse-in" itself was a small gathering, more than 75,000 people have joined an online group called "Hey, Facebook, breastfeeding is not obscene!" since August in support of the message.

"I was just really frustrated, and I felt a little bit bullied because Facebook had simply removed the pictures," Farley said. "The Utah state law says that breastfeeding mothers are exempt from indecent exposure laws, even if the nipple is shown. If I can here in Utah sit on a park bench and breastfeed, why can't I have pictures of myself breastfeeding onlinefi"

Protesters marched outside Facebook's front doors, waving signs with messages like "Your policies need to be reviewed and join the 21st century (and all other centuries that came before)" and "If you plan on sexualizing my breasts, you'd better be stuffing dollar bills into my waistband!" A group called Raging Grannies sang a song to the tune of "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" that asserted, "Oh Facebook, you dis' us so badly/ You denigrate the female form/ You go in and take out our photos/ When will you learn our breasts aren't pornfi"

Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt said most photos are removed because of complaints from other users, but declined to say whether anyone had complained about Farley's. He said the policy exists to protect minors who use the site from exposure to images of naked breasts.

"We agree that breastfeeding is natural and beautiful, and we're very glad to know that it is so important to some mothers to share this experience with others on Facebook," he said in an e-mailed response. "We take no action on the vast majority of breastfeeding photos because they follow the site's terms of use. Photos containing a fully exposed breast (as defined by showing the nipple or areola) do violate those terms and may be removed."

Farley said she's concerned that such constrictive rules could affect the public perception of breastfeeding and inspire fewer mothers to do it. That's a health concern, she said.

"I would like Facebook to reexamine their policies," she said. "I don't want them to get the impression that breastfeeding is something that is shameful or should be hidden."

Schnitt said there are no plans to change the company's policy. Farley said she and fellow mothers have been discussing their next step, but haven't decided whether legal action is warranted. California also has a state law allowing breastfeeding in public areas.

• Ace Stryker can be reached at astryker@heraldextra.com.