Among the many questions to which I have never received a satisfactory answer is why a woman’s chest is considered to be something “dirty” that must be hidden while a man’s chest is not given a second thought — well, at least not in this particular context.
Shirtless men appear in G-rated films, while a certain number of frames worth of topless women will get a film an “R” rating, even if said film contains only the “PG” level of sex, violence, profanity or other “adult” subject matter.
At the beach or pool, we expect to see topless men, but if a woman removes the little triangles covering her “dirtypillows,” she will be arrested for indecent exposure to the sound of much tsk tsking about traumatizing children and how such displays of immodesty are contributing to society’s long ride to hell that old proverbial handbasket.
What sort of attitude is this in the land of the free and the home of the brave in the the 21st century? In other parts of the world, the female breast appears without fanfare on the beaches and near the pools and even in some clever television commercials. But here in America, the people get up in arms over a “wardrobe malfunction” which caused a part of a breast to be exposed on television for a few seconds.
Of course the really annoying aspect of all of this is not so much the Puritanism as it is the hypocrisy — case in point: that infamous “wardrobe malfunction” was one of the most often recoreded and viewed events in TiVO history — of a good number of Americans who will publicly denounce such “smut,” while enjoying it immensely in private.
So, here I am, with my drawer full of little triangles, wondering why I still have to wear them to the beach in order to keep myself out of jail.
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Original Articles Copyright 2005 by Margaret Romao Toigo
I was just having this conversation with a friend yesterday. I think it derives from a cultural ideal lingering from the puritanical beginnings of our nation. The U.S and the U.K are among the only nations in the western world who feel so strongly about this issue.
It’s much worse for those women who are subjected to orthodox muslim beliefs. I was told that not only do woemn have to wear the many layers of clothing, but there is a scarf that they must also wear to cover their breats — the scarf goes over their outer clothing.
For those who are offended by women’s breasts — and I have no idea why — we all had Moms, so breasts should be recognized for nurturing more than anything else — but for the offended, I have solution … gouge out your eyes.
“Among the many questions to which I have never received a satisfactory answer is why a woman’s chest is considered to be something “dirty” that must be hidden while a man’s chest is not given a second thought…”
Anthropologists would tell it is only something “dirty” based on cultural “taboos”. What is ugly in one society is beautiful in another. What is “shameful” in one society is ” glorious” in another.
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Thank the Puritans for this. We don’t have the problem here in France.
When I go to the beach there are women everywhere getting an all over
tan. Strangly enough they don’t have men standing around gawking at them.
The tourist are sometimes taken aback but they soon get over it. I think we
have fewer crimes against women here because the society is less strict.
i agree with you 110% Margaret, in fact i wrote a prose about womens breast a while back. though it is presented as humoristic, the underlining message is there. if ya care to read it, you can find it under ‘Breast Art’ at my blog.
Frenchie said a mouthful too, where after being exposed to nudity or semi-nudity even the tourist calm down.
I feel the human body is beautiful, and for those that believe in god can rest assured that even she thinks the human body is beautiful. after all she created it.
the acceptance of nudity or the art of the human body will only come about if people take the courage to forge the way.
Personally, I wouldn’t have a problem, and would enjoy seeing all the beautiful boobs in public. All the different shapes and sizes. I would think, however that boobs are something that arrouses sexual desires in men….they do me. Now it really isn’t fair…but we are different creatures. So why can’t we all just go around naked?
That is just as valid a question as what you are asking. It is an ingrained thing in our society, and many family’s would not want their children seeing your boobs. They have thier reasons, and many of them are just religious beliefs. So who’s freedom would be more important…yours? Should these family’s who don’t want their children to see boobs just stay at home? I believe we have to respect the beliefs of these people too. If you want to be able to go around shirtless you’ll have to start by changing the views of the general public on the matter. Once it is accepted by the general public…then you have gotten off to a good start. Good luck!
Jay, I was referring to womens’ right to go shirtless wherever men are permitted to do so. Obviously, there are many places where it is inappropriate or even illegal for either women or men to be shirtless, but this is an issue of equality. If men are allowed to be shritless at the beach, then women should be allowed as well.
People whose religious beliefs restrict how much skin they may view more than likely avoid the beaches and similar places already because womens’ breasts (and mens’ and womens’ buttocks) are often very close to being fully exposed, even when everyone is wearing legally prescribed bathing suits.
The question of why we all can’t just go around naked is not relevant to the double standard with regard to womens’ breasts because this is a matter of gender equality, not the right to nudism for both sexes.
Because a man’s chest is manly, while a woman’s chest is not. Good enough for me.
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In case that didn’t come across too well — that’s a joke.
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Let’s just all walk around nude, that’s the way we came into the world, what’s wrong with people and their republican religious hangups about sexual organs? Let’s turn the nation into a giant nudist colony and you can be its queen.
Cao wrote: “Let’s just all walk around nude, that’s the way we came into the world, what’s wrong with people and their republican religious hangups about sexual organs?”
Hangups about sexual organs are hardly exclusive to Republicans or religious people (although Muslims are pretty uptight from what I understand). That sort of partisan stereotyping is unfair as our sexual proclivities have very little to do with our political persuasions or our religious beliefs. Besides, have you heard some of the more extreme liberal feminist rhetoric? Talk about people with sex hangups!
Now, I am a nudist, but I reserve that interest for those occasions when I visit one of the many fine nudist resorts we have down here in the Great State of Florida. Now, you’d think that a nudist resort would be simply chock full of young irritating, know-it-all liberal extremists, but here in the Sunshine State, most of our nudist resorts are attended by older people with moderate to conservative political views.
Let’s turn the nation into a giant nudist colony and you can be its queen.
Let’s not — unless you have such aspirations yourself, in which case go ahead and try, this is America, after all. And anything’s possible.
And then, to top it off, we have the FDA reviewing the safety of silicone breasts which, despite their (arguable) aesthetics, are never to be seen bare in public. [sarcasm]God bless America.[/sarcasm]
Your question requires me to pose this question. Why in the USA is everything sold with sex, or a sexy woman behind it, or guy? And why is sex or the human body dirty? The American Economy revolves around sex and male machoism, now also female machoism.
Sounds like some other anti-macho-anti-sex groups are trying to capitalize on this business using ANTI sex and human body propaganda. Could it be the trial lawyers and others that need capital fast?
and thanks for spending the eight seconds to check out my site.
Well there is the nipple difference. I also think it is much safer for woman to have them covered becuase it would drive men insane. But maybe that is your goal?
OTTMAN, I am a middle-aged mother of four, so I could hardly have aspirations of driving men insane with my bare breasts, but thank you for presuming me to still be a young nymphette, anyway.
Regarding the general issue of safety, am I to understand that a good number of men are unable to contain themselves and therefore become dangerous when they view womens’ breasts?
Your absolutely right… Either woman should take off thier shirts, or guys should definately put thier shirts back on. :/
All this talk of social taboos :/ It’s because people wear clothes! IT GETS COLD OR SUNBURNED. At the beach, nobody cares because your probably going for one of those…
I’m surprised women are still allowed to have breasts in certain states of America. I’m sure it must be unchristian or something. Here in England we just giggle at women’s chests and nudge either other.
Even the Virgin Mary has a wardrobe malfunction…
On a recent visit to New York City, while visiting The Metropolitan Museum of Art, I was shocked, SHOCKED to see this picture, The Holy Family with Shepherds, 1616
. I only hope that the decent Christian zealots of America will crack down on this obscene artist. Sure this Jordaens guy might have died 327 years ago, but I don’t think we should let him off easy just for that.
You can see the picture and read the rest at http://www.bigtimepatriot.com/default.asp?itemID=428
Saw your Blog on Blog click. Loved your article. Ty for saying what needed to be said. Take care and God Bless.
Interesting blog! Great article, by the way. And what about us nursing mothers? It’s okay to have your breasts hanging out of your top, but only if there’s not an infant attached to them! My sister teaches a psychology class, and one doofus there said that it’s gross for women to nurse in public. Gross. Um, right. Nursing moms are very discrete-=you will see nothing but the baby’s head. Guess we all better just stay at home. Not.