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redqueen

(115,103 posts)
Fri Sep 21, 2012, 08:00 AM Sep 2012

These pictures turn all women into objects

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/these-pictures-turn-all-women-into-objects-8157484.html

...

I am very pleased to hear that another generation of women are standing firm and objecting to the Page 3 phenomenon. Visitors from most other countries are completely shocked to find that such pictures are distributed in mainstream newspapers selling millions of copies. What the images say is: Here is a young woman, take her, use her, throw her away.

Behind the normalisation of such pictures lies the ever-growing pornography industry, which degrades women in particular and human sexuality in general. Of course it is natural for young men to want to look at pictures of women's bodies as they reach sexual maturity, but these pictures are not natural pictures of human nakedness and do not reflect the beauty and dignity of good sexual relationships.

...


Clare Short served as a left wing Labour Party member of parliament in the UK.

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seabeyond

(110,159 posts)
1. which degrades women in particular and human sexuality in general.
Fri Sep 21, 2012, 08:17 AM
Sep 2012

"human sexuality in general."

what is really absurd to me is this comment that i hear from all spectrum ad nauseam.

Of course it is natural for young men to want to look at pictures of women's bodies as they reach sexual maturity


it is natural for girls too to want to look at the male body. you know, the package. not like we are throwing that all over the place for public consumption. why? cause, the boys and men would be bothered.

redqueen

(115,103 posts)
2. Yes, and we aren't getting messages all our lives that it's our birthright.
Fri Sep 21, 2012, 10:28 AM
Sep 2012

We don't feel entitled to it.

 

seabeyond

(110,159 posts)
3. obviously. but, we do get the message that we "girls" are not into it, and that is why
Fri Sep 21, 2012, 10:36 AM
Sep 2012

full frontal nudity for men is not all over the place.

what is it.... female body a work of art while the male body ugly? no conditioning there.

ismnotwasm

(42,007 posts)
4. Scratch the surface, and you'll find heterosexism
Fri Sep 21, 2012, 11:24 AM
Sep 2012

As well as homophobia. Ultimately you're right, the it's the conditioning of female gender expectation

Look at these male models

http://www.buzzfeed.com/stacylambe/the-shirtless-male-models-of-nyfw


Then google 'female models' you'll get a bunch of pornified women. I could post swimsuit, or runway or whatever, but the idea is that women look somehow either sexually available, or sexually 'out of reach'

As for male full frontal as a norm? Not happening. It wouldn't surprise me one bit to find the porn industry behind some of our nudity censor laws somewhere. I know, kind of tinfoil hat thinking but still.

 

seabeyond

(110,159 posts)
5. growing up in the competitive world of swimming for almost two decades
Fri Sep 21, 2012, 11:35 AM
Sep 2012

this was my world all thru my youth. the male body is gorgeous. the female body, meh... doesnt do it for me. but.... all of society and all of media tells me otherwise.

i am also bummed by the popular hairless man. like the little breasted woman we no longer see. my oldest, often in his little running shorts and shirtless.... is shaving his chest hair. i cannot get him to just try letting the hair grow out. sigh....

though son does the hair on the face perfectly. i do not know how he keeps it exactly 3, 4 day growth, at all times. lol


ismnotwasm

(42,007 posts)
6. I noticed that as well
Fri Sep 21, 2012, 12:02 PM
Sep 2012

Like everyone had a wax job. Probably did.

I also think, besides the careful workout sculpting of their bodies, they like female models are probably too thin.

It's so sad what we do to the human body to make it nothing but merchandise.

Women and gay men have that in common, finding the male body beautiful. The entitlement of heterosexual males, and the complete objectification and degradation of the female form makes the most profit, and fulfills societal expectations.

It like being stuck in a poisonous, toxic cycle, one very difficult to break out of.

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