To wonder why actresses say nude scenes are "empowering for women"

[PinkChestnut]

When in reality every pervert on the Internet will be searching for and wanking over it?Family members won't feel comfortable (potentially) watching your movie. It might haunt you when you get older as it has for some older actresses who say they regret their nude scenes in their past.

Can't help but feel it's more likely to be cs they feel hot and want the attention. Or they feel they won't get the part if they don't bare all to the general public.

I'll be chuffed when the blokes in these settings start dressing like the gals (the blokes have thicker skin & more muscle, they feel the cold less, why wouldn't they want to wear much less!?). Can't wait for the blokes to want to feel equally "empowered".

Ooh.. supposed to have 30 limit but naughty MN lost my pics! ?

"Young, hot females" will be in the other camp once they are no longer young (and therefore) hot. Which is where the cultural expectations come in to play. Women are no longer any use once they are older is one of them.

What do you think the 'issue' is?

I believe women who insist on speaking for other women they don't know are part of the problem, to be honest. Perhaps if we all just let women get on with wearing or not wearing what they like, it would become less of an issue. Does anyone really believe the nudity in a Jennifer Lawrence film is for all the blokes going to see it?

I've read it on here, but if prostitution / lapdancing and nudity really were empowering for women, men would disapprove of it.

Couldn't agree more.

It’s at least as much a female issue than a male one. Young, hot females generally have no issue with showing some flesh and looking sexy. Older, less hot females have an issue, and deep down I think that’s more down to jealousy than anything else.

Or less of a desire to please other people? Or more of an interest in not providing wank fodder for people they think are creeps? Or more confidence to stand up for their real feelings on the matter?
No, you're right, it'll be jealousy. Are you very young, or male, or both?

What do you think it's for Pengggwn?
Many things are in films to bring the audience in. Hardly crazy to think that there's nudity (and the fact published before the released - like it was for Godless I mentioned above). It's a hook to get people to go watch and bring in revenue.

Films are made for money, not to empower actresses.

Young, hot females generally have no issue with showing some flesh and looking sexy. Older, less hot females have an issue, and deep down I think that’s more down to jealousy than anything else

Are you ok?

Are you seriously pitting women against each other? They have no problem with it becuase it's what they're expected to do.

Read up on internalised sexism please, that's if you're a woman.

I agree OP, not empowering at all — they are just reducing themselves to body parts and being used by men. If they do feel empowered, which I doubt in that industry, it’s an illusion. A lot of them have uncredited body doubles as well which exploits young actresses with none of the money or fame they have! It’s disgusting.

I agree OP, not empowering at all — they are just reducing themselves to body parts and being used by men. If they do feel empowered, which I doubt in that industry, it’s an illusion.

We better send a memo out to women to tell them that if they do feel empowered they are wrong because you told them so.

Are you seriously pitting women against each other? They have no problem with it becuase it's what they're expected to do.

Firstly, I’m not pitting anyone against anyone. I’m not that powerful! I’m just saying that’s how it is. Of course, men are a big part of this problem... but that’s not the whole picture.

Secondly, I’m tired with this ridiculous attitude that women who dare to dress sexily have no free agency and are doing so because they’ve been brainwashed by the patriarchy!

StripySocksAndDocs

I think it's to raise the profile of the film and bring in audiences, yes, but if you polled the audience I think you'd find that the main driver of revenue is women who like Jennifer Lawrence, not men who fancy her. If you want to see naked women and that's your main driver, you can do that online without paying £15 for tickets and popcorn.

www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-5459183/LIZ-JONES-Real-feminists-not-star-crass-porn-flicks-J-Law.html
I agree with Liz whatever you think of her and the DM.

I've never actually seen a film where the nude scenes or sex scenes were central to the plot.

Some films where the sex scenes were all there was to them, but they obviously didn't have a plot they could sell.

If nudity is so empowering, why aren't the people in power doing it....

How come you never hear male actors say that getting their kit off is really 'empowering'? (I fucking hate that word)

I've seen Red Sparrow. The nudity is deliberately placed into a scene where it's uncomfortable, not sexy, and there is a bloke standing in the way of everything but one half of her chest. Agree with the point that you have far more control as an Oscar winner than you do as say Alexandra Daddario had in True Detective as a minor part in a TV show.

Not sure who, but someone made a really interesting point upthread about body doubles. It's just caused a quick but utterly blazing row in our house because someone then extrapolated that argument to stunt performers in films then on to nannies doing child rearing.

There is also a conpletely naked man in the same situation.

I think it feels empowering because women are brought up to see men as more physically powerful than them, and when as teenagers/young women they see men become enthralled to the "power" of their sexuality, they feel that this is empowering. For actors/models this can also feel like they then hold more power in terms of being offered roles, being paid more etc, so the belief of empowerment runs more deeply than a woman who finds her sense of self worth through work, interests, family etc. Of course it is a mirage, and they become more and more dependent on their body to keep meeting with approval, while the actual power resides with men like Weinstein et al who are bringing in the real money, controlling the decisions about what films are made and therefore perpetuating the cycle.

I wonder if Angela Merkel thinks nudity is 'empowering'. I think young women today have been sold a pup.

I've read it on here, but if prostitution / lapdancing and nudity really were empowering for women, men would disapprove of it.

Yes absolutely.

Look at breastfeeding in public. Exposing a small amount of skin so that you can remain the sole source of nutrition of a baby you grew for 9 months and gave birth to. What could be more empowering than that?

And yet, in reality its all 'oooh don't make people uncomfortable, maybe sit in the corner, don't wap them out, who wants to see that?'

And why is this? Because its babies not men who are benefitting.

I thought about this when the whole Grid Girls thing was happening. Many of the blokes wanging on about denying the women' choice' are the same ones who are like 'put it away love' when a woman is feeding her baby.

MsJuniper I agree with your post.

It's not a "superpower" however good it feels exercising it at the time!

Agree with posters above, and also this:" If nudity is so empowering, why aren't the people in power doing it...."

I read somewhere that it's worth looking at in the context of JLaw having been a victim of sexual abuse (which she identified as such) when her private photos were stolen and displayed on the internet. I can easily believe she feels a lot better for saying "fine - you people want to see me naked? Do it on my terms, in the context of a film that points out how toxic this stuff is".

On another note, I did a (mostly) nude photo shoot at the age of 40, post childbirth and post weight loss and felt awesome and empowered. For me it was a celebration of having taken back control of my body, if it being strong and toned after lots of gym time, of refusing to be ashamed of getting old, and it was me saying "this is my body and I like it" because we're told all our lives that "nice girls" don't show off their bodies, aren't proud of how they look, that other people define whether or not we are worth anything based on how we look but we should never take ownership. And it felt good to take ownership.

Obviously, v different context (my photos weren't for public display, I'm not a sexy young actress) and maybe it wasn't a feminist act at all, but on a personal level, it gave me a confidence boost, made me feel in control and good about myself and still kind of does. So, yeah. I'd say that was eempowering.

Didn't the singer Sia get threatened with naked photos being leaked of her, so in response she posted a naked pic of herself on Instagram first to 'take back control' I guess. That was the best thing to do in that situation, but it wasn't very empowering was it? Empowering would be not being threatened with naked photos in the first place. Same with Jennifer L.

And on the subject of photo shoots (not really talking about yours Eena, but it made me think of it) these boudoir photoshoots. It's great that you can go for one and feel really good about yourself. But can you imagine a man going for one of these photo shoots and posing in a range of sexy positions and getting a set of prints 'for her eyes only'?

When Emily Ratajkowski did the Love Advent calendar and was rolling around in spaghetti she said it was really empowering. Again can you imagine the roles being reversed, because I can't!

There is a huge imbalance of power in favour of men. Huge.