Glorified nudity website sends wrong message


Lately, many female feminists have claimed to attain empowerment by taking control of their nude bodies. Australian actress Caitlin Stasey recently launched a website, Herself.com, where she posts profiles of diverse, non-celebrity women. These profiles include nude photographs and interviews on topics such as sexuality, puberty, contraceptives, relationships and the media’s portrayal of women. According to Time, Stasey’s aim is for readers to “witness the female form in all its honesty without the burden of the male gaze.” Herself.com has received wide publicity and positive reviews from mainstream media outlets for educating people on what feminism entails and how feminism can be embraced in various ways.

Though many praise Stasey’s website for its progressive, liberating and educational properties, controversies can easily arise. First, while most women featured on the website provide great insight into other women’s perspectives, some of them are extreme and might confuse young readers who are still figuring out their identities. For example, Stasey herself views marriage as “an archaic institution” and monogamy as “pointless, painful and archaic.” She also points out in an interview on her website that women are “empathic, considered, honest and tactile,” opposing men’s “bias and privilege.” While Stasey is promoted as a role model for modern women, her comments might backfire against her intentions of advocating for gender equality. Instead, young readers could potentially see feminism as man-hating, which is something many feminists are trying to redefine and educate the public about.

Also, though posting consented nudity sends out a strong and powerful message about the female body, there is always a chance that readers who are not aware of the context can misunderstand the point these women are making. This can be seen more easily through other recent instances of feminists taking pictures or videos of their nude bodies.

Last February, Columbia University student Coco Young filmed an art video with Karley Sciortino, creator of the blog Slutever, showing nude female university students going through a sorority initiation. The video, “INITIATIØN,” is set in a Columbia library and features several topless girls fondling each other, using props such as raw eggs, chocolate and a blue dead chicken. According to Purple TV, the purpose of this NSFW video is to “explore the rituals of American Ivy League secret societies, to the point of hysteria, highlighting our culture’s perception of female desire.” Young told a source that the point was to critique the institution by using nudity as a hook to first attract watchers and then repulse them. Such logic and inspiration could be pretty confusing to watchers. Without some context and explanation, the video could simply be perceived as a group of standard, attractive college females going topless and exploring their sexuality. It might have been made to criticize certain sexual fetishes and fantasies. From purely watching the video, however, not only could the message fail to be received, but the watcher could also associate attractive women objectifying themselves with modern day feminism.

This is not to say that nudity should be frowned upon, but that the message should communicate the term “feminist” in a serious manner. Danish activist Emma Holten successfully showed the public how she wanted to “rehumanize” her naked body as beautiful and unshameful. Holten was a victim of revenge porn. Naked photos she took as a teenager were leaked online, and she started receiving threats and sexual harrassments from strangers on the internet. Three years later, Holten decided to start a “CONSENT Project.” This time, she took control over her own naked body and presented herself the way she wanted people to see her. Nude photos accompanied by an empowering story like this can help spread the severity of victimization and encourage more victims to share their stories.

The definition of feminism has constantly been evolving, so it is essential to portray and communicate a clear message when associating oneself with the ideology. Sexual liberation and the importance of consent have been some of the most frequently stressed issues regarding women’s rights. Therefore, expressing control over a woman’s naked body seems to be a powerful way to promote the notion of sexual identity. Nevertheless, a nude photo without the right context in the name of feminism can confuse anyone who is curious about the movement. Activists need to be careful when using nudity as a tool to express their rights and successfully educate the public about female sexuality.