Ladies in knickers

[Cameron2012]

I am curious as to wether anyone feels ' empowered' by the pictures in the papers and on media of famous and random women in their knickers, standing with other women in their knickers showing off their ' real' bodies.
I just don't get it, looking at other peoples imperfections doesn't make me dislike my own,stretch marks, big tummy etc any less.
Does it really make any difference to anyone's self body image? does anyone feel empowered by this? Seriously?
Or is it just pictures of ladies in their knickers?

Ironic really when it's usually men's bodies that are used as weapons

I don't think I've ever seen anything described as "empowering", that has empowered me. I'm not completely sure what empowering is.

I'm not sure how power can ever come from a woman taking off her clothes.

I do see the reasoning behind it, however I agree that we need to stop referring to bits of our bodies as "imperfections" stretch marks, scars, cellulite, wobbly bits are all very natural normal parts of having a human body.
So I don't find it empowering either.

That said, it's not my place to decide what is or isn't empowering to other women. If the women themselves who are posing in their knickers feel that empowers them then that's great, and I applaud them for that.

I have no intelligent response to this. When I saw the picture I thought boring. I don't really need or want to see pictures of anyone in their knickers. I am over it!

Totally agree with walde, it's the whole premise that women's role is still predominantly to be seen, to be an object, whether as a size 6 18yo model or as a "real" (yuk) woman.

And I for one am not really shocked by the fact that "real" women aren't all smooth, slim and young. Who'd have thought it?

I agree Datun that young people are put under a horrendous amount of pressure to attain perfection. However seeing JSP in her knickers isn't going to make them feel any better.😀

I just thought it was a loosely women publicity stunt
The comments pissed me off. Male comment said, and I'm paraphrasing, good on you ladies that will annoy the feminists because they don't look as good as you
Twat. Like a woman would be a feminist because she feels less attractive that loosely women

I get what they're trying to do - we're always seeing perfect women beclad in their undercrackers and we don't look like that and it can be demoralising but frankly no- I feel empowered when I look at myself and feel strong, healthy and powerful. Not a bunch of women who tbh often look like they don't have a good right hook ....

The houseofillrepute,
I have never particularly considered myself a feminist but am happy to be considered one.However the premise that all feminists look like the back end of a bus is another thread!!😂, the bloke sounds like a total twat

"And I for one am not really shocked by the fact that "real" women aren't all smooth, slim and young. Who'd have thought it?"

But some women are, if you remember the case of some younger woman who posted a picture of an older woman who dared to get dressed in the swimming pool changing rooms (sorry, can't remember names/details). Although if not surprised, the attitude was that she may look like that, but she should have had the decency to not impose it on others.

Given the propensity of many female celebs with supposedly more photogenic bods to post pictures of themselves looking fab and toned five minutes after giving birth (or even Jenner looked fab all tucked-in in a basque!), the retort of some different celebs saying 'this is us' is some sort of balance or at least starts a debate.

Yes, it is itself has many of the same problems with the original pictures, in that it is still women or wannabe women who have to posts pictures of themselves unclothed in order to make some important statement about womanhood or their entitlement to it. In a way that men don't have to.

Yep, it's just like the Dove campaign of which says that every woman is beautiful - it's a lie isn't it? And all it does is reinforce the belief that women are supposed to be beautiful and that not being beautiful is a failure at womanhood. But then I suppose you can't sell many products with the message "it's ok not to be beautiful"

I really get it. When I was young, I never saw an image of a woman with a body like mine, I felt too fat, too hairy, out of proportion and the wrong shape, and the media have the impression that I was the only one who looked do bad. I would have rejoiced to see pictures of women who did not look " perfect ", and who knows, it might have had some positive impact on what turned into years eating disorders and dysmorphia.
I don't know about empowering, but anything that loosens the iron grip of needing to be perfect for young women is a step in the right direction.
Now I'm old and saggy and don't a flying fuck what anyone thinks, who'd be young, eh?

I kind of get it. I'm all for a variety of bodies being represented in the media, not just slim white women with no body hair.

But no, not empowering for women as a whole.

There are various problems I have with this:

1. Women being judged by their bodies.
2. That there is a concept of 'perfect' bodies in order for this to have any point at all, when really our bodies are just a record of the lives we've lived.
3. That objectifying anyone, by looking at their bodies like that, is objectifying, not empowering.
4. Younger women are unlikely to be empowered/relieved. They're more likely to think 'I don't want that to be me' and hit the gym/spa etc more as this could still be seen as a bit of a warning about what happens when you get older.

I'm sure I'll think of more, but going to do some work now.

I'm all for a variety of bodies being represented in the media, not just slim white women with no body hair

So much this!

To me, it just reads as "hey ladies, even if you're a bit fat or old, we still want to perv over images of you/persuade you to buy unnecessary beauty products! you should be so grateful to be included".

Patronising pile of shite.

I've never given this much thought. Thanks op and others

Apparently Kanye is sulking because the photo of Kim's unairbrushed bottom has 'damaged her brand'!!!

I'm glad it's not just me.

Although it was a set of nude breastfeeding pictures against arty inspirational backdrops that left me grumpy this morning. I'm as lactivist as they come but find rampant exhibitionism really unhelpful, uninspiring and frankly ridiculous.

The same goes for Dove adverts and the Loose Women ad. I value my fellow women for many things - their cellulite and willingness to share it with me is not one of them.

I find it very irritating. Don't think I've ever seen a row of old, fat blokes parading around in their underkegs to show what "real" men's bods look like (nor would I want to!)

saving kittens from house fires in their knickers

I could fit one hell of a lot of kittens into my knickers.

Whoever's bodies it is, it's still about what women's bodies look like, isn't it?

to me, a far more powerful message would be showing women doing stuff while not looking perfect (like This Girl Can). I love my body because of what it can do, not what it looks like. I don't need to see picture of the wobbly bits of perfect strangers to feel better about mine. It's still me comparing my looks to other women's looks, and there is nothing healthy or "empowering" about that!

It even fails Caitlin Moran's basic sexism test (a low bar). Is this being done to men? No. Then sexism.

I could fit one hell of a lot of kittens into my knickers.

Now there's an image women would actually want to see - knickersfull of kittens

Poochsmooch
beautifully put