GRSJ224/freethenipple

Feminism and Body Image: Free the Nipple Campaign

The Free the Nipple movement and campaign is aimed towards removing the censoring on women's breasts in the media. Within this movement, body image and women's rights is focused upon and made clear to liberate women from censorship and the downfalls that come with it.

Campaign poster for the Free the Nipple movement

Though there is no clear indicator as to the origin of the movement, much of its public regard is noted to being connected to the Free the Nipple (2014) feature film, a movement was launched in place. Now, various social media outlets and media recognition have supported the campaign and movement. Based on a true story, decriminalization of the female body is targeted through depiction of a group of women who make it their mission to fight against the United States laws on censorship. Hypersexualization of the female body is challenged with this movement, which can be greatly used as a discussion starter for the larger issue which encapsulates the negative body image connotations and inequality that women face due to censorship laws such as these.

Though centred around something so small, the female nipple, "Free the Nipple" is one of the largest issues women's equality is facing today.

Film

Free the Nipple (2014) is a film by Lina Esco distributed by IFC films and Emotion Pictures, considered to be under the Women's Studies sub-genre in film and literature. The introduction to the film brilliantly sets the stage for the remainder of the plot, as topless women are arrested after running down the street in New York City, even though frontal nudity is considered to be legal under state law. The women in the film "expose the hypersexualization of females through art displays, speeches, and campaigns to ignite a worldwide crusade to gain women's freedom" .

The protagonist in Esco's film seeks to familiarize herself with New York State laws while asking questions such as why violence and swearing is allowed in the media, yet female anatomy is censored out. The film is based on the actions of seven Rochester women who were arrested in 1986 for going topless. The actions of these women are stated to change the New York State laws as of that time and for future.

The over-encompassing issue the film aims to understand is why women's bodies are considered to be offensive; does it always have to be viewed as pornographic? Also, it is aimed to to strip away the taboo that surrounds the female nipple, comparing it to that of men - if men can go topless, why can't women? This is the issue that many women face to this day, where others hypersexualize frontal nudity and deem its display to be negative. The film aims to correct these views and instead view frontal nudity on a woman as something in a positive light, where we do not condemn breasts but instead uplift them to what their natural use is.

Timeline

According to Gotopless.org, the timeline of women exposing their breasts starts as early as the 15th century. During this century it was not uncommon for women to expose their breasts, however ankles were considered to be more risqué when exposed. At the turn of the century, the first women's swimsuit was introduced that covered the entirety of the both, including knitted socks and shoes. At this time, men were also legally meant to cover their chests.

Multiple scandals occurred leading up to legalization of other swim wear and nudity laws. Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman was the first woman to swim across the English Channel, however she was arrested in 1907 for wearing a swimsuit that was considered to be too form-fitting. In 1910 knees were introduced into the swimwear realm as they were finally considered "decent". Meanwhile Hawaiian women were forced to cover up when missionaries came to the island, though their culture did not force any laws on frontal nudity. When the first bikini was introduced, it was only modelled by a Casino de Paris dancer, as no "decent" woman was meant to wear it. At this time, the United States still did not have access to the original bikini.

Males earned topless rights in 1938, however it was not until 1992 that New York became a topless state for both males and females.

Currently the United States have a majority of the states to be considered top-free. States that are not include Tennessee, Indiana, and Utah. Canadian law allows one to go top-free, however acts are open to interpretation by the courts as there is not a set standard as to what is considered a criminal offence. Laws corresponding to this are found under the Criminal Code in Sections 173 and 174.

Social Media

Social media has been both a curse and a saviour for the Free the Nipple Movement.

As word has been spread and the movement has taken flight due to the media and all of its recognition, rules and regulations unfortunately still apply to various social media pages that do not allow for frontal nudity to be displayed. For example, Esco's Facebook page was shut down when she posted photos of breast cancer survivors and women breastfeeding their infants where breasts are shown. In another scandal, Instagram banned pop-icon Rihanna's account after she posted her cover of Liu magazine which featured her exposed breasts. Instagram also banned Scout Willis for posted a top-up frontal nude photo of herself, which she responded to by walking around New York City topless.

Social media and the internet has been used alternatively in a positive manner; Instagram has been used productively by the Free the Nipple Campaign to create a page posting their values, while various blogs and articles, such as Mama Bean Parenting, have been created and aimed towards "normalization of breastfeeding and celebrating the female body in all its natural glory". Various blogs and articles relay the facts and opinions that something that should be deemed as natural and normal, such as breastfeeding and infant on a plane, should not be considered a "statement". Instead, it should be celebrated and part of daily life, which we can actively see as social media is actively part of our daily lives in the western world.

Access to the Free the Nipple Facebook page can be found here, while access to the Free the Nipple Instagram page can be found here.

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