BREAST STORIES
When Will Nudity Become Normal?
Today, one of my favorite Medium writers and readers said he was tired of the world's obsession with nudity. I wrote back, I nominate you to be in charge of the world. He wrote back, I would not take the job. I told him that is exactly why you are qualified.
I am also tired of our obsession with nudity, which is one of the reasons I write about boobs. I’m claiming the topic as belonging to women. We get to write about our own boobs — our boob health, our boob judgment, our boob disappointments, our boob augmentation, our boob sexiness. Our boobs, our story.
Maybe one day I’ll write about vaginas but I’m starting with boobs.
I am part of society and thus I carry its message in my body. And what is that message? Shame. Concealment. Sexuality. Pornography. Fear. Safety. Objectification. I could go on, but I have obligations today other than thinking about the thousands of words inflicted upon nudity.
There’s another writer I love who writes about naked tennis — talk about the promise land. I grew up in tennis whites. I look back at photos of me in white shorts and polos and I barely recognize myself. If I were nude, I might recognize myself because I wouldn’t be putting on clothing to be acceptable — to blend into an environment. I am wearing a mask for my body.
Clothing is always a costume, whether it is a boa and a tutu or a pair of khakis and a button-down. That is why it is so unfair women are considered more naked than men and expected to cover more of ourselves up.
When we do not adhere to that covering-up rule, we live in fear of being objectified, attacked, and brutally judged. I should have put brutally before all those words — brutally objectified, brutally attacked, brutally judged.
This morning at the lake, two sisters were changing out of their swimsuits into their hoodies and shorts. They were contortionists, trying to conceal their body parts from public view as they twisted in and out of their suits into their sweats.
One of the sisters said to me, “I’m afraid I’m going to tip over.” It made me laugh. It was a comical…
