Do you ever wonder why we have such an aversion to the areola? Only the female version, however. The male version, although it is for all intents and purposes, physiologically identical to the female version is completely acceptable. Matthew McConaghey flaunts his nipples with relish. (Actually I'd prefer his with ketchup). And when Gerard Butler (hold on while I get a napkin for the drool) whips'em out it's just good, sexy cinema. But for some reason the moment that little section of slightly darkened, puckered pink skin, set atop a mound of mammary glands..is unleashed...it's reason for all sorts of scandal. Everything from R-rating to allegations of child corruption.
Facebook has taken this obsession to a new level. The powers that be over at the social networking giant banned pictures of mothers nursing their newborn infants because a sliver of areola was visible beyond that sweet, bowlike, baby mouth.
Would someone PLEASE explain this to me? What IS the distinction? Why are a few square micrometers of puckered pink nipple so much more obscene than three acres Pamela Anderson's sun-drenched silicone-stretched skin? The moment a bit of nipple peeks out from behind that red spandex...it's as if the world--or perhaps our poor children's innocence--is coming to an end!
I don't get it.
No answers this time. None at all. Just a lot of eye-brow arching, brain-boggling questions.
I will have more to say on this at a late time, when I have some research to back up my point. A quick search of google using the phrase "sexualizaton of the nipple" yielded 3 count them 3 results.
ReplyDeleteBing? 1
Insert, areola and the count barely changes.
The point being that there is not a lot of discussion about this topic. I would argue that in most of the world it is not an issue, in Canada less of an issue and in the U.S. it is such an issue that they do not have much dialog regarding it. They are a bipolar nation, increasingly driven to polar extremes. As in all things, we Canadians have a more centrist view with the benefit of large numbers of immigrants who don't see it as a concern diluting the viewpoints. As a side note, and I will try to find it, I saw an article where 17 people were arrested for exposing their chests at the beach on the Jersey shoreline. The judge fined them all for public indecency for no one wants to see the vile exposure of the naked breast. It was in the 1940's...they were men. citation to follow. I have no objection to viewing said bits of anatomy, male or female.
Bing sucks. LOL. I have definitely come to that conclusion. I'm a die-hard Googler.
ReplyDeleteNice tidbit on that article! Hopefully in another 50 years people will look back on the whole Janet Jackson/Justin Timberlake fiasco and laugh. Not that it isn't funny now. But...you get the idea.
Good question. Other countries (thinking Western Europe where nude/topless beaches aren't just a think of Penthouse Forum) don't seem to have the ridiculous obsession. Just saw some stills from a red-carpet event in Paris where Vanessa Paradis (Depp's woman) shows a sliver of areola in a fabulous dress. NOT EVEN MENTIONED in the accompanying story. Ha! In the US, those photos would have a black bar across them.
ReplyDeleteJuvenile, methinks.