To ask about gender inequality in relation to nipple censorship?

[Nighthogs]

In 2021, in a time of so much advancement in so many areas of life, I'm here to talk about the nipple. It really sounds utterly ridiculous to even have to bring this topic up - but I feel it necessary.

Yes, I know that over the past one hundred plus years, women's nipples have been sexualised, fetishised and seen as crude/lewd/indecent in public. However, I've looked online and I can't seem to see a justification as to why men are allowed to parade down their local High Street and nip into their local Tesco with their nipples out if a woman can't? Similarly, If my boyfriend posted a topless picture on Instagram, it would be seen as normal. If I did so, it would be banned.

I know I'm probably asking an age old question, but I can't helping feeling angry at the inequality of it, and feel that it's still not talked about nearly enough.

Anyone care to discuss?

[OunceOfFlounce]

@NuanceIsUselessHereSoPhuckit

I kind of wonder if effective "de-sexualisation" would probably start the other way around, with women not removing all their body hair, not wearing make-up etc, going around as themselves just like most men do. But that will never happen.

Shh! We do that for ourselves. It wasn't marketed to us, it's definitely something we came up with on our own because we gave a shit. It's not to "look good" for anybody else.

Of course! How could I forget? Such a convincing argument

[NutellaEllaElla]

@VestaTilley

It’s sex, not gender.

I cannot get worked up about this row. Women are murdered in this country at the rate of 2-3 a week by men. I’m prioritising issues like that before I fight for the “right” for us all to walk topless down the road

Men shouldn’t walk around topless; it looks awful.

This.

Inequality for nipples, who cares?

[OunceOfFlounce]

"VestaTilley: I cannot get worked up about this row. Women are murdered in this country at the rate of 2-3 a week by men. I’m prioritising issues like that before I fight for the “right” for us all to walk topless down the road hmm

NutellaEllaElla: This.

Inequality for nipples, who cares?"

I feel like we can care about more than one thing at a time. Men controlling women's bodies through laws, societal pressures, sexualisation of women and girls, sexual violence are, for me, all part of pf the same spectrum of women of patriarchal control and oppression as domestic abuse.

[RampantIvy]

@cookiecreampie

Men love boobs and nipples, you can't change nature.

I agree with cookie
Most men like looking at topless women. Arguing that being topless is to do with equality is just naive and disingenuous.

You are never going to change the mindset of half the population.

Besides, our climate doesn't lend itself to most people being topless all the time

[merrymelody]

Nipples in both sexes are erogenous.

[MaxNormal]

Is it just me who finds men's nipples sexual too?

[OunceOfFlounce]

RampantIvy

cookiecreampie

Men love boobs and nipples, you can't change nature.

I agree with cookie
Most men like looking at topless women. Arguing that being topless is to do with equality is just naive and disingenuous.

You are never going to change the mindset of half the population.

Besides, our climate doesn't lend itself to most people being topless all the time smile

I'm on this thread a million times, so I'll leave it now, but just to say that when I look at tribespeople all around the wold, over different continents, with men and women both not covering their top halves, the men not constantly erect and slavering, I'm not really convinced that it would take changing nature to allow women's bodies not to be seen as impossibly sexual, constantly irresistible objects of male desire.

[Sparklingbrook]

@MaxNormal

Is it just me who finds men's nipples sexual too?

Not in the fruit and veg section of Tesco, no.

[OunceOfFlounce]

Sorry, absolutely no quoting or bolding or anything there. It's probably hard to follow. My point is the last paragraph.

[MaxNormal]

Not in the fruit and veg section of Tesco, no

Well no but on the right man. I'd imagine that there are many woman whose nipples wouldn't do it for any passing bloke either.

[Sparklingbrook]

@MaxNormal

Not in the fruit and veg section of Tesco, no

Well no but on the right man. I'd imagine that there are many woman whose nipples wouldn't do it for any passing bloke either.

Well I guess if you mean in the bedroom then everyone has their nipples out. So you could find them sexual then, the right nipples on the right man.

[KatherineJaneway]

@Happycat1212

I don’t want to see anyone top less tbh.

Agree

[RampantIvy]

just to say that when I look at tribespeople all around the wold, over different continents, with men and women both not covering their top halves, the men not constantly erect and slavering, I'm not really convinced that it would take changing nature to allow women's bodies not to be seen as impossibly sexual, constantly irresistible objects of male desire.

But the point is we don't live like that, and people are covered up - partly due to our culture and partly due to the climate. I don't think you will ever be able to change the thinking of men in our society to not find topless women attractive. I am not being anti feminist, just realistic, and no, I don't find topless men attractive.

[BraveGoldie]

@CounsellorTroi

You could argue that sexual attraction is the prime function of breasts, since without sexual attraction there would be no baby to feed with them.

Interestingly, most animals just grow mass around their breasts when pregnant in order to feed. We are the only ones who have permanent mounds even when we are not feeding an offspring!

[OunceOfFlounce]

@RampantIvy

just to say that when I look at tribespeople all around the wold, over different continents, with men and women both not covering their top halves, the men not constantly erect and slavering, I'm not really convinced that it would take changing nature to allow women's bodies not to be seen as impossibly sexual, constantly irresistible objects of male desire.

But the point is we don't live like that, and people are covered up - partly due to our culture and partly due to the climate. I don't think you will ever be able to change the thinking of men in our society to not find topless women attractive. I am not being anti feminist, just realistic, and no, I don't find topless men attractive.

Yeah, my point was that it's not innate. I said earlier I don't think it will ever change because we'd all find it too weird for women's bodies not to be sexualised more than men's.

[skirk64]

Women have the right to go topless wherever men do, certainly in England and in many other countries too. In fact, in England either sex can be fully nude if they want to, it's not a crime unless you are doing it to cause offence or harass people. (Flashing is a crime, walking down the street naked isn't.)

It's true that women who go topless get male attention. This is largely because they are a rarity in this country. The way to solve it is to get more women going topless so it ceases to be an "event" for men to look at. It's kind of a vicious circle though, women don't want to be seen topless so men are all the keener to make the most of an opportunity when it arises.

It's not just women though. If a man walked naked down the high street I would bet that a huge number of people (male and female) would have their attention drawn to them. Again, this is because it would be a rarity. If 30% or more of people were naked all the time, they wouldn't stand out.

[LolaSmiles]

There's 2 different things going on here in my opinion.
I don't think it's ok for men to wander around the place topless, and many shops are thankfully reinforcing this. There's just no need and most men dress appropriately.

Then there's the sexualisation of women's bodies and the silly levels of prudishness about boots, which is also unreasonable. There was a thread recently where it was like a game of boobie bingo over a woman breastfeeding on a park bench. It was funny and tragic in equal measure, with talks of women flashing their boobs, forcing people to look at their nipple, breastfeeding being for her and not the toddler, subjecting people to her appendages, getting undressed in public and so on. Most arguments seemed to rest on the fact that a boob is inherently sexual and a hint of boob is subjecting everyone in the vicinity to uncomfortable levels of nudity.

[Tal45]

@LolaSmiles

There's 2 different things going on here in my opinion.
I don't think it's ok for men to wander around the place topless, and many shops are thankfully reinforcing this. There's just no need and most men dress appropriately.

Then there's the sexualisation of women's bodies and the silly levels of prudishness about boots, which is also unreasonable. There was a thread recently where it was like a game of boobie bingo over a woman breastfeeding on a park bench. It was funny and tragic in equal measure, with talks of women flashing their boobs, forcing people to look at their nipple, breastfeeding being for her and not the toddler, subjecting people to her appendages, getting undressed in public and so on. Most arguments seemed to rest on the fact that a boob is inherently sexual and a hint of boob is subjecting everyone in the vicinity to uncomfortable levels of nudity.

This is the real problem IMO, BFing being seen as indecent and something that should be hidden away in case someone sees a nipple or bit of boob, while men can walk around topless with no problem. I have no problem with men walking around topless and I wouldn't want a move where people felt they had to cover up more, but women should be able to BF without having to make sure everything is completely covered up just to please other ignorant people who just need to learn to turn their head if they don't like it.

[Notoriouslynotnotious]

In recent years I’ve seen all of the things women have fought for over the years turned against us so if women’s nipples were to be allowed on Facebook or Instagram then given a few years I fear all we would have is yet another source of sexualisation of women that is currently endemic. The obvious answer then is to ban topless men.

[Soontobe60]

Many years ago I taught a family of 6 children, so every year one of the children was in my class. Neither parent worked and both would do the school run every day. They were lovely parents but one drawback was that as soon as the sun came out they would both wear matching vests - his a regular man’s string vest, hers a crocheted vest. Neither wore anything underneath. Many’s the time I’d have conversations with them at home time desperately trying to ignore the sight of very prominent nipples poking through the very loosely crocheted top!!

I also don't want to see men’s bum cracks! (Or women’s for that matter)

[NuanceIsUselessHereSoPhuckit]

Not sure where people go where women's breasts are a problem when women are all over the place (including on TV) with their breasts practically falling out of their tops in the name of 'cleavage'. Boobs are everywhere and no one dares make a fuss.

[saraclara]

While men are aroused by the sight of breasts (and let's face it women use their breasts to attract men, or the push up bras and ultra low cut tops wouldn't exist) walking round Tescos or down the high street topless is just not an option.

It's highly naive and illogical to demand that women are treated equally and should be allowed to have nipples out. I'm all for men covering up, mind.

[LemonMeringueThreePointOneFour]

Sniggering at "nip into Tesco"...

[StarlightLady]

@LemonMeringueThreePointOneFour - 😂

[LemonMeringueThreePointOneFour]

[quote StarlightLady]@LemonMeringueThreePointOneFour - 😂[/quote]
Or perhaps I should have said "tittering"...