I never understood the hype behind the #FreeTheNipple campaign. I definitely supported women breastfeeding in public, and understood their frustration with the over-sexualization of their breasts. But unlike Miley Cyrus and Scout Willis, I couldn’t care less if I was legally bound to walk down a street with a top on. I had no desire to post pictures of myself topless on Instagram. The thought of not beginning my day strapping on an Aerie bra absolutely baffled me.
Why did people care so much about their nipples?
Recently on a camping trip in New Zealand (because I’m studying abroad in Australia and can casually say shit like that in conversation), my friend Jane giddily told me she hadn’t packed a bra. As Jane has a romantic mind and gypsy soul, I wasn’t surprised, until she asked me “Let’s free the nipple here."
Not wear a bra? For ten days? Hiking, camping, backpacking? I couldn’t help but wonder if Jane had finally lost it.
But alas, I was sleep deprived and easily influenced, so I agreed. I tossed my bra at the bottom of my bag, and I didn’t reach for it again until I returned to my dorm in Wollongong, Australia ten days later. And do you know what happened?
Absolutely nothing.
Here’s us #freeingthenipple at a "Lord of the Rings" film site:
Here we are showing our nipples to a glacier:
Here’s us frolicking on a mountain top:
The world did not stop spinning. Children’s eyes weren’t defiled. Men did not veer of the road, distracted by the sight of Jane's and my nipples.
And now, I kind of get it.
Mind you, I have more bras then anyone could possibly ever need. I live for Victoria’s Secret and Aerie semi-annual sales and the bra section of TJ Maxx. I have funky sports bras and bralettes up the wazoo. I’m wearing a bra right now. I’m not blasting we are never ever, ever getting back together while burning my bra drawer. But I get why people are fed up with covering their nipples.
There were several times when Jane and I were hiking that we were quite warm and wanted to take off our shirts. The boys in our group didn’t hesitate. And yet, we did.
Because of nipples.
Isn’t that kind of bizarre? A part of our bodies, that both males and females possess, is taboo. Society would rather us be uncomfortably warm than see the natural female body.
Why is that?
Why are women over sexualized in magazines, online advertisements, television, movies; in the office (CEO’s and corporate hoes); in the hospital (slutty nurse Halloween costumes, anyone?); and on billboards in Times Square, yet they can’t feed their children in public? Yet they can’t take off their clothing to cool down? Yet we have to hide our bodies when we claim them as ours?
Why is this acceptable?
But this isn’t:
Maybe it’s just me, but I’d rather have my child see this:
Than this:
It’s time we stop being prudes. It’s time we stop over-sexualizing. And it’s time we get over nipples.
