My close friend London Spengler raised the issue To Nipple or not to Nipple on her blog. What started as my comment to her post turns out to become a post of its own. It often gets claimed that we are all part of "The Western Culture", and while you or me seem to have a sufficiently similar background to our friends in the US or Canada to make us seem alike, we are - in fact - not.
Our friends from Northern America come from a completely different culture, with different values and different ethics. Probably the largest area where this manifests itself is the issue of decency/sensibilities when it comes to nudity. For you or me seeing naked breasts or full frontal (female) nudity is not a big issue. We are confronted daily with it, magazines and TV is full of it. A naked breast is not considered harmful for a kid. And even in daily life and language a certain amount of innuendo does not meet raised eyebrows.
For our friends across the pond many of this might seem bizarre. What we consider banter among colleagues or even friends might constitute sexual harassment for them. What we consider a sexy advertising might seem smut and filth for them. As much as we tend to smile about it or openly state it is silly, we should accept it as the cultural background our friends have.
But there is more difference. Not only do North Americans and Europeans SEEM alike at the surface, but show discrepancies when you dig deeper. Also we Europeans are not as homogeneous. Despite Italy, Spain and France being seen as the countries of hot (latin) love, in fact the Southern countries of Europe are more prude and conservative compared to the more Northern and Scandinavian countries. An Italian woman might play with symbols, but at the same time perceive a Scandinavian woman as ferociously sexual.
This world - atomic or digital - is about variation and versatility. We have all strong sides and weak sides to add to the mix. We are all different - and that is very good. The key is having respect for everybody else. I love to see a naked female body, but I respect if a friend from the US feels uncomfortable with that, and I try to avoid confrontation. At the same time I expect that they respect that I see the issue more relaxed.
Thus said, and getting back to London's original post, when I chose to read a skin review on a blog, I should be prepared to see nipples.
5 comments:
In a global world, where should we draw the line? If we try to agree with the minimal common denominator we should also include every country that have Internet access, including those who consider impudical showing your face in public, or the access of women to schools; and yes, I know I am taking the example to an extreme.
I think that we have a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow beyond the limitations impossed by our respective cultures. I wouldn't show my nipples in public at the United States, as in fact I don't at Spain, but Internet is a whole different country, where we shouldn't have to censor our bodies and words. Call it walking onwards instead of backwards.
Of course respect is a whole different matter, and it is right to try not to hurt people's sensibility; for example, I don't want to lose my World of SL feed, but I hate how it ignores the breaks I add, because it doesn't let me publish some things I like (that has been keeping me from flashing my nipples at my blog for a long time :-p).
This American happens to share your views.
We're not all conservative prudes here, just the conservative, litigious, vocal bunch. :)
/me giggles. Alexandra, I must admit (and apologice about) that I am a bit prejudiced against EEUU culture even if, as I just said at another comment, most North Americans manage to be wonderful and tolerant people.
I am glad to know you aren't a conservative prude, and please, accept my apologices about my own prejudices :-)
(and yes, Peter, I know this is your blog and I am answering as if it where mine; tough luck, love :-p).
Hey, we Australians a different from you Europeans and Americans!!
Unfortunately we have some journalists that are extremely juvenile when it comes to breasts and nipples.
We also seem to have our social freedoms being attacked by religious fundies as well.
It's all so sad really
/me grins
I'm not too worried. I know that vocal bunch tends to give *everyone* a bad name. :)
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