To be disappointed that feminist Emma Watson has posed topless

[MutePoint]

To promote her new film. Can't these A listers just wear a classy outfit?

Would you believe I didn't even fucking notice the boobs when I first saw the pic, I noticed her hair and face first, then the outfit, then realised the top was open knit, then realised, oh yeah, she's naked under it but I can't actually see anything.

SOUND THE KLAXONS, EXPOSED UNDERBOOB THREATENS TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD

AWOOGA AWOOGA

I'm with you apple. It's so bloody hypocritical. I hate Angelina bloody lecturing us. If someone is sitting on the slice of wealth that should belong to some poor Syrian or African it's her with her hundreds of millions. Not me.

I find it weird how empowerment originally referred to marginalised people gaining agency and autonomy, now it seems to mean taking your clothes off. But only if you're a woman. Men already have power and don't need to strip to gain it.

She's not topless, you can see at the waistband and at the neck it's a very sheer top and anyway with the weird bolero thing over it there's no nips on show which means it doesn't seem topless to me. Revealing yes, but nowt to get worried about!

Not the point. This is wearing uncomfortable clothes that have no purpose but catering to the male gaze.

An actually topless pose might have even been more feminist.

Feminism is not the same as "modesty", you know?

Rhianna and Beyonce expose far more than this and far more often but no one says anything. I'm probably guilty of type casting Watson in the Hermione role but that's my problem nothing to do with her

I don't think a picture like this is aimed at men, tbh.

Who is it aimed at then?

I really don't see how showing her breasts makes her a bad role model? Isn't it more important that she makes her own choices regardless of other people's thoughts? I would gladly encourage my DDs look up to her for not letting others control her actions regarding her own body. And isn't that what feminism is about anyway?

YANBU op. She is UN Women's Goodwill Ambassador. She is supposed to promote education in developing countries. This sort of posing is not exactly going to earn her respect in such places. It doesn't earn my respect either. There is no way I would want dd to do such a thing and I can't imagine many women on here really would either.

Why would you 'arf' that I found it empowering? It was something I wanted to do with my body and I finally plucked up the courage to do it. I didn't care who approved of it (or who didn't - for example pearl clutchers on MN) and that made me feel empowered. It was for a fine art student's final project about people with disabilities so it was nice that I was helping him out too, as well as doing something positive in regards to my disability.

I mean, I can't imagine that many on women on MN would not want their own dd doing this sort of posing or topless posing. It is topless enough.

I don't think a picture like this is aimed at men, tbh.

Who is it aimed at then?

Women.

burntheblacksuit what do you suggest she wear? perhaps you could send her a list of styles that you dont consider demeaning and she could work with that. Maybe specify hem length as well as how low cut the top should be. Im sure shed be very grateful for your help.

Shes an actress and a grown woman. I assume she wanted to look beautiful in a Vanity Fair shoot. And she does.
This is not a specifically sexy shoot. It looks similar to shoots they have in every issue of Vanity Fair. As ive said she is not posing in a way that suggests this is supposed to be a sexy shoot. Shes simply got part of her breasts revealed in quite a straight forward manner.

i really dont get why its fine for men to have their chests out but for women it means they are exploiting themselves.
Are men really that incapable of looking at a womans breasts without being filled with lust? I dont actually think so.
Its the same as womens legs 70 odd years ago.
Women started showing their legs and did men suddenly all become animals, grabbing them off the street and raping them? No.

micegoclang I am marginalised, and making the decision to pose topless despite what others felt about it gave me a sense of autonomy. So yes, in this instance 'getting your top off' meant being empowered.

She's not topless. It's not direct promotional material for her film, it's a high fashion shoot for Vanity Fair. It's not like it's in Smash Hits or whatever the equivalent is these days so I don't think you need to worry about many young girls forking out the £5 for VF and being corrupted in some way. Her choice of clothes is bugger all to do with how much of a feminist she might be.

Maybe she's reclaiming breasts as breasts and not super sexual torpedoes of naughtiness.....

Personally I don't think it's a flattering pic, as long as she's chosen to do it without any pressure from outside influences I'm not that bothered.

Who is it aimed at then?

Good question. Probably not at women, because I don't like it at all. She looks like she's terribly uncomfortable. I certainly do not wish to identify with her such as depicted on that photo, nor do I enjoy looking at it.

Isn't it more important that she makes her own choices regardless of other people's thoughts? I would gladly encourage my DDs look up to her for not letting others control her actions regarding her own body. And isn't that what feminism is about anyway?

Choosey choice feminism is about that. You know, the kind of feminism where women "choose" to be "sex workers" and are empowerfulized by ... um ... doing exactly what men want, and have forced women to do for thousands of years. What a coincidence!

I do not consider choosey choice feminism real feminism, sorry.

What a bunch of pearl clutchers.

I thought a big part of feminism is wanting women to have the freedom to do as they please (within the law of course) without discrimination because of the fact they are a woman. So surely we should accept that as a grown woman, she is allowed to make decisions about her career including what sort of publicity photos she puts out.

I don't think anyone would be complaining if a male actor put out a picture with an open shirt showing the middle of their chest and abs. Why then is it so awful for a woman to do the equivalent?

I don't even think it is an overtly sexual picture. It seems more fashion style.

I think it's really sad that feminism is being used to beat up on women for how they dress - and let's be honest, women can't win in that area. On another thread I've seen women being criticized for not wanting to show off their legs while swimming, and here another woman is being criticized for showing off her tummy and a bit of underboob. Why don't we just give each other a break and let go of the body policing.

Also, agreed with the poster who said if their boobs looked this good they'd dress like this for the school run.

For the sake of clarity please can we all agree what a feminist should look like? OP says you can't show parts of your boobs, I've heard others suggest you can't cover your face in a veil. So... somewhere in the middle? Thatcher? Nora Batty?

I currently have on a jumper and leggings am I being a feminist right now?

Isn't her new film Beauty and the Beast?

I can't see how that photo and the film are related. I've seen the trailer and she looks nothing like that - her hair is long and she's dressed like the Disney character,

Other than that, I have no problem with the picture and don't think it affects her 'feminist icon' status at all.

The picture is aimed at the (adult) readership of Vanity Fair.

If she was promoting a children's film on Blue Peter, then yes it would be inappropriate.

I think there is some interest in looking at how both male and female actors use current notions of attractiveness tor their saleability, both on and off screen (would Colin Firth be as successful if there were no wet breeches?)
P

Men with their tops off in photo shoots promoting films is exactly the same- they are doing it because sex sells. That is exactly why Emma Watson is doing it. Don't wrap it up as something it isn't.

If she had be snapped dressed like this on a night out with her friends, then I would agree. She's her own person and can wear what she wants. But wearing it for a film publicity shot is for one reason.

And yes, it's aimed at men so they think "sexy Emma Watson, can almost see her boobs". Titilation. And might be more inclined to go and see B&TB as a result. Why would this outfit make anyone else want to see the film?

I do not consider choosey choice feminism real feminism, sorry.

Right. So choice isn't feminism. Is there an approved manual by the women's morality committee which will shortly be distributed giving us specific instructions on what is? I do look forward to my liberated choice free future.

I remember feeling the same way the first time I saw this photo.

All my respect just drained. I would never want my son to look up to such a man - he should be more of a role model. Imagine walking around without a top on.