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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Am I being prudish, or do I have a point?

534 replies

AmIJustAPrude · 08/01/2025 09:39

NC for this.

I've just sent the following email to a company I ordered underwear from:

I've just received my order confirmation and was quite shocked by the accompanying image. I don't want to screenshot it to resend, so hopefully you can work out the image I mean: it is of two women/girls lying on their fronts outside wearing black pants.

The woman (I hope) or girl on the left is very thin, which immediately made me assume she was a teenager. One of her breasts is clearly visible.

I'm not prudish about breasts at all, but it made me extremely uncomfortable to receive an image of what appears to be an almost-naked teenage girl. Given you also sell bras, it seems totally unnecessary for her to be completely topless.

I recommend you review the images you send out to your customers, as this has put me off using your company again.

As I say, I don't have an issue with breasts- I've breastfed in public many a time. It was mainly the fact that, based on her body shape, the woman/girl in the photo looks very young (post-pubescent, but pre-adult) and the exposed breast was completely unnecessary.

So what do you think: did I overreact?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
TaggieO · 08/01/2025 10:32

Just reread your OP. Have you genuinely sent a complaint email about an elbow????? You absolute numpty 😂

pumpkinpillow · 08/01/2025 10:31

She's not even that thin. She looks like a perfectly healthy woman, likely to be younger (or skin airbrushed!).

TaggieO · 08/01/2025 10:31

How on earth have you made it to adulthood without being able to tell the difference between a nipple and an elbow?! Grin

Globusmedia · 08/01/2025 10:30

I don't think most businesses would send out images with the model's boob hanging out! If they did it don't think you'd be unreasonable to complain. I emailed a company once because they incessantly used 'babe' in their emails and it was annoying as feck.

Hey babe, how are you doing babe, we've got a sale on babe. SHUT UP.

TooManyChristmasCards · 08/01/2025 10:30

AmIJustAPrude · 08/01/2025 10:28

I really don't think I am 'abusing' women for being too thin. Just saying that, without the context of a face, a thin woman's body could easily be mistaken for that of a teenager.

I absolutely agree that we shouldn't be judging women for their body shape, but I'm not judging her, I'm judging the company for sharing a photo of her wearing only pants without including her face.

a thin woman's body could easily be mistaken for that of a teenager.

wow

Read that again.

Startinganew32 · 08/01/2025 10:30

BlueMoanday · 08/01/2025 10:28

@AmIJustAPrude I agree with you!
Having just seen the image shared by @Datesandprunes I agree the image does look like a teenager body (even if it is not and is a perfectly reasonable adult body shape too). The nipple is gratuitous.
I would be uncomfortable too. Not in a "writing to my MP to complain" event but as you have done perfectly reasonably to the company in a private email.

[for clarity - it's not the body shape or the nipple or underwear - it is the combination of a photo that looks like a teenage body that is gratuitously exposed]

Where precisely on the photo is the nipple? Plenty of teens have a body like the other woman too - why is it only one that gets labelled teenaged?

User839516 · 08/01/2025 10:30

FumingTRex · 08/01/2025 10:27

I think they have put the wedding ring on her finger to make clear she is an adult. However YANBU to complain about them using a model that might appear under 18 even if they are not.

What are you even saying? How does one appear under 18 without their face being in the photo? 19+ year olds are allowed to have slim backs! This is insane!

JennieTheZebra · 08/01/2025 10:29

@MilitantFawcett honestly, I think they’re fabulous. Really comfortable. I work 15 hour shifts on my feet (nurse) so my underwear needs to fit well and not chafe, plus be washable on hot. These fit the bill and are pretty too!

Cheeseandcrackers40 · 08/01/2025 10:29

Oh dear. Not a boob then, an elbow. I'm 41 and my body looks like the one on the left. YABU for thinking that a diverse range of body types should only mean heavier because only young girls are slim.

BlueMoanday · 08/01/2025 10:28

@AmIJustAPrude I agree with you!
Having just seen the image shared by @Datesandprunes I agree the image does look like a teenager body (even if it is not and is a perfectly reasonable adult body shape too). The nipple is gratuitous.
I would be uncomfortable too. Not in a "writing to my MP to complain" event but as you have done perfectly reasonably to the company in a private email.

[for clarity - it's not the body shape or the nipple or underwear - it is the combination of a photo that looks like a teenage body that is gratuitously exposed]

AmIJustAPrude · 08/01/2025 10:28

TooManyChristmasCards · 08/01/2025 10:21

Joke aside, it's depressing that, as usual, people who would scream at the idea of "fat-shaming" see no problem at all in abusing women who are "too thin"

I really don't think I am 'abusing' women for being too thin. Just saying that, without the context of a face, a thin woman's body could easily be mistaken for that of a teenager.

I absolutely agree that we shouldn't be judging women for their body shape, but I'm not judging her, I'm judging the company for sharing a photo of her wearing only pants without including her face.

OP posts:
404ErrorCode · 08/01/2025 10:28

This drawing needs to go in some sort of MN hall of fame 😂😂

FumingTRex · 08/01/2025 10:27

I think they have put the wedding ring on her finger to make clear she is an adult. However YANBU to complain about them using a model that might appear under 18 even if they are not.

Bloom15 · 08/01/2025 10:27

It's her other elbow isn't it?!

User839516 · 08/01/2025 10:27

Omg this thread was already gold with the amazing diagram but now it turns out it’s not even her boob it’s her elbow!! That’s so funny. Are you going to email them back again OP?? 😂😂

Startinganew32 · 08/01/2025 10:26

AmIJustAPrude · 08/01/2025 10:25

Oh thank you, I feel a lot better now! This is the photo, but in the version in the email was cropped so no faces were visible. Based on her face, she is clearly not a teenager.

And the small fact that her breast is not visible at all - it’s her arm…

Digdongdoo · 08/01/2025 10:26

AmIJustAPrude · 08/01/2025 10:25

Oh thank you, I feel a lot better now! This is the photo, but in the version in the email was cropped so no faces were visible. Based on her face, she is clearly not a teenager.

Her face isn't in the picture? It's also not a boob, it's an elbow.

MilitantFawcett · 08/01/2025 10:26

Bit of prudery no bad thing nowadays. But, more importantly, are they the “most comfortable knickers ever”?

AmIJustAPrude · 08/01/2025 10:25

Datesandprunes · 08/01/2025 10:21

Is this the picture. Sorry OP but I don't think she's teenager-esq at all.

I do think it's unnecessary boob though! https://stripeandstare.com/blogs/news/what-does-being-a-b-corp-business-mean

*edited to ask question

Edited

Oh thank you, I feel a lot better now! This is the photo, but in the version in the email was cropped so no faces were visible. Based on her face, she is clearly not a teenager.

OP posts:
TooManyChristmasCards · 08/01/2025 10:24

AmIJustAPrude · 08/01/2025 10:15

😂I don't think anyone is policing what I write on Mumsnet! The only way I could work out how to share the image is by doing a screenshot. I don't want the image saved to my phone (even if it was deleted afterwards).

just that comment shows you that you are being completely ridiculous, it's beyond being a prude.

Survivingnotthriving24 · 08/01/2025 10:24

If its the one posted in the b-corp link above then that's the one I assumed it to be, apologies if it's not.

PromoJoJo · 08/01/2025 10:24

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at the poster's request.

Startinganew32 · 08/01/2025 10:24

Datesandprunes · 08/01/2025 10:21

Is this the picture. Sorry OP but I don't think she's teenager-esq at all.

I do think it's unnecessary boob though! https://stripeandstare.com/blogs/news/what-does-being-a-b-corp-business-mean

*edited to ask question

Edited

Omg also her breast is not even visible. That’s her other arm and elbow. And she does not look remotely like a teen.

CentrifugalBumblePuppy · 08/01/2025 10:24

If it’s the image on this page https://stripeandstare.com/blogs/news/what-does-being-a-b-corp-business-mean (I won’t paste the image link in case someone spontaneously combusts) then 1) the model is definitely not a teenager, just a slim 30 something and 2) it’s not her breast, it’s her elbow.

If you have an issue with advertising, please contact ASA to make a complaint https://www.asa.org.uk/make-a-complaint.html

Nowt to do with this company, I’m more of a pants from Sainsbo’s lass.

Make a complaint

Quickly and easily submit your ad complaint with us online.

https://www.asa.org.uk/make-a-complaint.html

turul · 08/01/2025 10:23

Some of the colours of those pants would show through work jeans!
Which colours do you like OP?
Seriously, I agree that some advertising is too sexualised. In London TFL have stricter guidelines than the print media. There are limits.