The debate continues: Have female breasts been sexualized by culture, or are they inherently sexual parts? The most valid and logical argument that people make is what is the difference between female and male breasts anyway, aside from the very fact that female breasts help sustain human life? A nipple is a nipple, yet people tend to favor the exposure of the male nipples over female.
So much of this controversy is focused on women’s right to be topless. Instagram and Facebook have become notorious sites for censoring nipples—women’s nipples. Sometimes they even remove photos of artwork that reveal breasts or mothers breastfeeding.
I post breastfeeding photos from time to time on my Instagram, and thankfully, my audience is supportive enough to not report me. But I’ve been on both sides of a certain spectrum—the spectrum that seems boob-exposure to be acceptable only because breastfeeding is a natural food source for babies versus the opposing side that deems any kind of nude boob-exposure to be slutty and shameful whether it is breastfeeding, or if it is meant to be an art piece or not.
Art should never be censored. Therefore, desirable parts should never be undesirable. The human body is a gracious piece of art by itself. I recently had photos of me taken down from Instagram because they showed butt cheeks in one and one shadowed nipple in another. What makes this art form different than portraits and sculptures made of women centuries ago?
Women are beautiful. Women’s bodies are beautiful so why can’t they be admired in a non-sexual way? The same goes for men. And you know what? Gender actually doesn’t have anything to do with it. Female breasts have a food-providing purpose, males don’t. Not all women have boobs and some men actually do. Of course, boobs are viewed as sexy, just as any other body part. Legs are sexy, fingers are sexy, torsos and lips are sexy. We are sexy as hell and we don’t need to be naked for anyone to believe that. But it would be nice if females could go topless if they wanted to.
Males can go shirtless just about anywhere and no one would give a second thought. Although a second look would be in order if someone were to think they were sexy because they were shirtless. Here’s another thought to consider: We were born naked. Clothes serve us for protection and expression. Regardless if anyone of any sex and gender is wearing clothes or is bare-naked, they will be sexualized for having a body. In a perfect world, we could love and respect each other’s bodies. We wouldn’t shame them or creepily oggle over them. We would let them be as they are and appreciate them.
Look at it this way: Ideally, the first thing we put our mouths on once we’re born is a nipple, a wonderful female breast that nourished our once innocent selves. We grow up observing our parents’ bodies, and our own. We literally witness our bodies growing as nature intends. We grow up to discover that other people’s bodies are essentially similar to ours. We either have female parts, male parts or a mixture of both. The point is we will have eventually seen it all. So what’s the big deal?
Other than for sanitary reasons, I don’t see the problem in showing skin, full or partially. Topless equality makes sense. We all know the campaign by Free the Nipple. They are dedicated to fighting for female rights to bare their breasts the same way males can. Many cities within state law enforcement allow extents of toplessness and nudity. But be sure to check in with the laws in your local area before you get arrested for public sexiness.
Here’s a general map of the U.S. and their topless laws:
I’ve been to Blacks Beach in California where a great part of the area is allowed to be nude. I did it, and it was amazing to be free in my own skin for once, in front of crowds of people. No one was judging or staring or being creepy. It was like being in another world. People were happy there. It makes me wish more places were open to the beauty of the human body and wouldn’t have to climb down a cliff and collectively hide away to have that freedom.
In Ohio, for example, the law bans exposure to one’s “private parts” in public; however, their court ruled that breasts are not private parts. The Supreme Court of Ohio says, “Just because society has historically sexualized breasts, women should not be limited by those judgements.” The Court of Appeals also says, “Citing tradition is not good enough, particularly when used to perpetuate the social inferiority of women by removing their option to choose what any man is allowed to choose.”
Great work, Ohio!
It joins with New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Oregon, Hawaii and New York in which females can go topless without being handcuffed. These states remind their law enforcement about “top equality” and they cannot arrest people for baring their breasts. After all, we have increasingly more detrimental problems to take care of.
