Free the Nipple is a global campaign for change, focused on equality, empowerment and freedom for all human beings. The Free the Nipple campaign is a response to the double standards which society holds in place in regards to male and female anatomy. Censorship in the media sexualizes the female body, and literally shames women into wearing shirts. It’s evident that this rule exists in society, due to the fact that men are allowed to show their nipples, and women are not. While there seems to be a fair amount of controversy surrounding this campaign, there is also a plethora of unrelenting support.

At one point, the highly gendered flesh blots were illegal for both genders to publicly display. In the late 1930’s, the media began to question the absurd tradition of covering the male nipple. Soon thereafter, the law was revised in favor of the male “Free the Nipple” movement, while neglecting to address the female nipple.

Well, it’s 2016, and women’s nipples are still being sexualized and shamed. Nearly 80 years after men were afforded the right to bear their nipples, women are still fighting for the right.

Is the Breast a Sex Organ?

Frankly, breasts are not directly involved in the reproductive system. In fact, the only times that female animals breasts’ are prevalent, except in humans, are during the stages of pregnancy and breastfeeding. In humans, female hormones actually lead to varying breast sizes, and breast size fluctuates depending on those hormones. Even though breasts appear to be “full,” the only time that breasts are anything other than stored fat, is during/after pregnancy.

According to David P. Barash and Judith Eve Lipton at the National Sexuality Resource Center, "[h]uman breasts could therefore be a kind of biological deception.”

In fact, breasts are listed as secondary sex characteristics, alongside the male Adam's apple and male facial hair. So women should only cover their nipples, so long as men start covering their secondary sex characteristics as well.

Why Does Society Think Nipples Are Inappropriate?

Why are women allowed to show as much of their breast as they’d like, as long as there is a tiny piece of fabric covering the nipple? The sexualized part of the breast is allowed to be advertised and utilized for marketing purposes, while the anatomical part which sustains human life is to be hidden and shamed. It would almost be more acceptable to cover every photo of the inappropriate female nipple with the appropriate male nipple. Somehow the identical flesh blots are different.

Why Should Breastfeeding in Public Not Be An Issue?

A huge part of this campaign focuses on the stigma surrounding mother’s breastfeeding in public. Contrary to the popular belief that breasts exist solely to solicit boners, the actual purpose of breasts are nourish the life of a newborn, to sustain life. There’s this common stigma that breastfeeding in public is gross, but what a beautiful thing it is to be able to create and sustain human life.

Why Should My Nipples Be Taken Seriously?

A young woman wrote an opinion piece titled “Why I Won’t Fight For the Free the Nipple Movement." The author discusses that while fighting for gender equality is admirable, the women who advocate for the right to “walk around half-naked” astound the young author. She simply cannot wrap her mind around the idea that any women would lack so much self respect, since the female body is made to be preserved. Female nipples are referred to as “private parts” with the ability to be exploited throughout the article, and the author implores that the Free the Nipple movement will only promote pornography for children. She also makes an irrelevant remark that if women are able to display their nipples, then children can send photos of their nipples to creepy, old men.

In response to the young woman who authored her opinion, the Free the Nipple movement is crucial to a gender-equal society. By freeing the nipple, society will adapt to the idea that female breasts are just apart of female anatomy. As previously explained, human breasts are not a sexual organ, and really lack any sort of purpose, aside from being a sexual key in society and breastfeeding.

Further, the degrading implication that the female body is a gift that should be saved is a convoluted tradition, since the preservation of the female body is not a measurement of someone’s worth. It is not wise to reduce the value of a person to their sexuality, while ignoring everything else that they have to offer, such as your intellectuality.

Society beseeches all of these preconceived notions and ideas about purity, as well as “self respect,” which may only be given by you, and based on your own happiness and fulfillment. If a person makes the personal choice to preserve their body for their spouse, then that is their choice to make. They should not be shamed for that decision. However, to imply that displaying the female nipple takes away a woman’s value to her potential suitors is a bold statement, to say the least. Male and female nipples should be able to freely coexist within our society.

Misconceptions Regarding the Movement

Free the Nipple is not some radical notion that no one will ever wear a shirt again. However, if it’s hot outside, then everyone can take off their shirts. If someone orders a pizza, and answers the door with no shirt on, then it shouldn’t be a big deal. If someone’s tanning, and doesn’t want tan lines, then they should be able to free themselves. If a woman wants to mow her lawn with no shirt on, then she should have that right, since men have had that right for 80 years.

Unfortunately, women are not so ignorant to believe that this idea of free nipples will be accepted over night. Women also are preparing themselves for the harsh sexual harassment before the results for which that this campaign aims will come about. It’s about time that the double standards end. If it’s OK for men, then it’s OK for women.