A modest proposal re: apparel and lust

[MamaJunebug]

Nicki Minaj's bra top opens up such that one of her nipples is seen. Guys' nipples are seen regularly - Disney even went to great pains to be sure that the King Of The Sea had them, in the animated "Little Mermaid" movie - yet for the female areola to be seen is scandal, is provocation to mayhem and lawlessness!

And then Stacy McDonald has even more to say, with examples included, about modest dressing:

yoursacredcalling.com/blog/2011/08/modesty-fosters-friendships/

And last week, I had on two t-shirts, but no bra, when I had to make a quick trip to the corner store, where a male employee (and member of my church) my age couldn't help but notice. My eyes are up here, Brother Schmidt!!!!

I have the solution.

A National Week Of No Tops. For ANYONE. Granted, the first 18 hours, many adolescent boys and adolescent men would have fallen over in stiff-crotched stupor at the sight of lovely, adolescent firmness and perkiness.

But by Hour 19, the stimulation of young Brittnie's boobies would have been offset by MJB's 60-year-old mammaries, or Emily's 35-year-old, leaking nursing breasts, and the variety of firm or enhanced or deflated or A-cup or uneven or stretchmarked or tanned (or not) flapping or bouncing around them, like so many BOGO signs in shopping mall windows.

And the men who can't wait to strip to the waist to carry out the trash, mow the lawn, etc., would have to look at every other man's nipples - old, saggy, buff and perched on manboobs - so long that they would crave Day 8, when they could put a t-shirt or tank-top back on.

Srsly. I believe that would do it, would work for at least a year to overcome our Western obsession with female areolae, and would shock topless men (who should never be topless outside of the walls of their homes and gardens) into realizing how truly unappealing they look without the t.

Who's with me? Granted, in the scheme of things with the economy and such, it's unlikely to happen, but imagine if it did. I truly think we'd be cured of our neurosis for quite some time.

Of course, bloggers would perish without "nip-slips" and "sideboobs" to talk about, but, hey, the way of all flesh, right?

[emmiedahl]

MJB, I heart you. :) But there is no way I am going without a bra; nursing for almost a decade of my life has wreaked havoc.

[forever ago]

MJB, I heart you. :) But there is no way I am going without a bra; nursing for almost a decade of my life has wreaked havoc.

that's kind of the point :?

[browngrl]

I see your point. I really do!

I would support you but really my double d's need the support more.

[nutella addict]

Hahahaha MJB, love it! It's not very hot up here though, I'm good with a long sleeve shirt just now. But it would totally work, and I'd do it if it was an actual thing. As long as I didn't have to run, anyhow. Running/jumping/general sporty movements are not fun sans bra, as I repeatedly learn when I run down the stairs without one in my pjs...

Also, two T-shirts and he noticed?! Goodness. I've gone out without a bra, although usually with something large and loose and thick like a hoodie over, but still. I feel like you'd really have to be looking to notice.

I bet you it would be the fundy boys falling over first, the guys I know are at least used to seeing me in a bikini or a sports bra and shorts in summertime, so they've seen way more to begin with.

[jockosmom]

Yes, let's do it! One look at my saggy, draggy dirty pillows will make any guy avert his eyes. The lumpectomy scar where a small breast cancer was removed is especially attractive! :mrgreen:

[GenerationCedarchip]

I love it! I'm not sure the girls would appreciate a whole week with no support, though.

[bbfreethinker]

I'd do it just to watch all the fundie's heads explode.

edited to add a missing word

[forever ago]

I might do it if everyone else was, and fortunately mine are round and perky.

On the other hand, mine are also under-developed (never got out of the Tanner 4 stage), really pale (yay tanlines AND being half-ginger! :D ), covered in keratosis pilaris (skin condition similar to acne), and of course, tiny.

[PBrooke]

This is sort of the argument for nudism. Also, a very sensible portion of Heinlein's novels - he might have had strange group marriages and whatnot, but he also had people wear whatever felt most comfortable - which tended to be not much at all, unless you were cold or needed protection while cooking, etc. Wearing what made sense, instead of worrying about modesty. And while granted, his books are probably a favorite of 13-year-old boys for this very reason and the attractive women described therein, there's also a bit of sense. I do think that nudity should be separate from sexuality, though I don't think I could be a nudist in today's society because you never truly know the motives of others (so I wouldn't really want to have my own nude children, if I had any, around others). But I do think there's nothing inherently sexual about the nude form, especially the top half, and seeing people of all ages and sizes topless would probably drive that point home quickly.

[MamaJunebug]

:clap: Thank you all, and especially, PBrooke: you get it!!!

[QueenNocturne]

I'll do it, though my set might be rather sore when it's all said and done.

I've never understood why this country gets so damn uptight about nudity. I had a fundie-lite girl describe nudity as being pornograpic: no, nudity does not equal sexuality. They are two very different things. And maybe if we weren't so prudish about it, we wouldn't have such unnecessary uproars on otherwise trivial things.

[bananacat]

People are usually turned on by things that are hidden. I know that when I was in high school, I would feel a little lusty in during the first warm week of spring when the boys started wearing short sleeve shirts. I'm not into arms, but after not seeing them all winter it kind of did something for me. And after a few days, I was over them again,

Many, many societies do not see breasts as inherently sexual. Many place in Europe have topless or nude beaches, and they aren't much different than the beaches we have here. Tourists get a little freaked out or turned on the first day, and then just get over it. There are plenty of cultures where women rarely wear tops ever, and they don't break into massive orgies daily. You just get used to seeing them and then get on with your business.

And once people realize that shirtless women doesn't equal porn stars, it definitely loses its sexuality fast. Seeing my giant floppy saggy boobs or seeing Grandma's wrinkly ones will just make them seem neutral. It has the added benefit of women feeling less self-conscious about their own non-porn-star breasts when they can see what normal really is when you take away bras.

I would never advocate forcing people to remove their clothing, but I do think that women should be allowed to have bare chests in places that men can, like beaches and pools. Google "topfree equality". I'm not a nudist because I still have too many hang-ups about my own body but I guess you could say I'm nudist-sympathetic.

[bananacat]

I'll do it, though my set might be rather sore when it's all said and done.

I've never understood why this country gets so damn uptight about nudity. I had a fundie-lite girl describe nudity as being pornograpic: no, nudity does not equal sexuality. They are two very different things. And maybe if we weren't so prudish about it, we wouldn't have such unnecessary uproars on otherwise trivial things.

I agree. I think certain types of outfits are more sexy than complete nudity, for both men and women.

I would actually love to free mine from a bra for a week and still be able to go out in public. Mine are freakishly large so it is basically impossible to find a bra that is comfortable, especially because every bra manufacturer wants to pretend that they are supposed to be the same shape as smaller ones.

[DamnPrecious]

Only if I can cover my stomach up.

[raineymott]

Only if I can cover my stomach up.

This reminds me of one of my little sisters...whenever her shirt would come up, someone would look shocked and go "I SEE YOUR BELLYBUTTON!!!" It got to the point where she would run through the house naked (as a pottytraining toddler) with her hand firmly over her bellybutton!

[clibbyjo]

I cannot do it, I am NOT a nude type person. :dance:

[Guest Anonymous]

My husband and still nursing toddler are united in full support of this idea

[debrand]

I woud do it. I've often thought how nice it would be for nursing mothers if people would just get over their shock of nipples.

[debrand]

My husband and still nursing toddler are united in full support of this idea

Your husband would support this until he began seeing ninety year old women without their shirts on. The appeal would probably wan for him. :lol:

[NurseNell]

A National Week Of No Tops. ......

But by Hour 19, the stimulation of young Brittnie's boobies would have been offset by MJB's 60-year-old mammaries

LOL, well I've had bilateral mastectomies with no reconstruction. I have no nipples, just a scar from one armpit to the other. I don't think anyone would really want to look.

Nell

[Guest Anonymous]

Your husband would support this until he began seeing ninety year old women without their shirts on. The appeal would probably wan for him. :lol:

Not the toddler though. He would however try to latch on to any visible nipple.

[clarinetpower]

I woud do it. I've often thought how nice it would be for nursing mothers if people would just get over their shock of nipples.

After a few months of nursing, my nipples were just extra elbows anyway. :roll:

[Boltingmadonna]

I saw something at a public pool recently that bugged me. A little girl was wearing a two-piece outfit. She was having a fun time, jumping in and doing cannonballs, etc. Naturally, her top got pulled awry--not that much, just a little crooked. Her mom kept calling out, every time she surfaced, "FIx your top, honey! I can see your mosquito bite!" It took me awhile to realize what she was talking about. Yup, she was worried the child's nipple would show. Way to make sure your little girl becomes self-conscious and stops having fun ASAP! Cuz, you know, it's so much more important that she wear a cute outfit and then worry about it, than to have clothes that let her forget what she's wearing and enjoy life.

I <3 my breasts, but I have to admit they wouldn't remind anyone of a Greek statue. Nevertheless, I will make the heroic sacrifice of putting them on display for the greater good, if it results in little girls being able to play at the pool without being afraid someone will see their "mosquito bite." I'll be proud to march shoulder to shoulder and er, elbow to elbow with MamaJuneBug. MJB, I salute you! You're brilliant! :D

[duplessis3]

I have larger than normal breast (H cup. Yes, H. I had a gynocologist say "I didn't know cup sizes got that big. And I've had good luck with cacique''s stretch lace bra.) It hurts my back to go without a bra.

However, I second the getting over yourself if you are around naked people for a bit. There is a women's bathhouse in SF that I used to go to. No clothing. and you got over it. The one breasted lady was there, the one with the piericings, saggy...They all just became parts of the body.