#freethenipple - your choice

My article on #freethenipple from the Summer issue of Teen Eye magazine

At any given beach today, you will find three types of people: men without a shirt on, men with a shirt on and women with some sort of breast coverage.

Walking down the street, one sees men in thin t-shirts with visible nipples and women in thin t-shirts with hidden nipples.

The question we must ask ourselves, is why? What’s is so foul about women’s nipples that they must be concealed? The simple answer is nothing. Nipples shouldn’t be cringed at; everyone is born with them, so everyone should be able to show them as they desire.

The #freethenipple movement was initiated in late 2014 when gender equality activist and filmmaker Linda Esco released a 90 minute ‘Free the Nipple’ film, a powerful depiction of the future of gender equality. The movie and the movement are epitomised in Esco’s statement “I should be the only one with the power to sexualise my own body.” Free the Nipple has quickly become a worldwide campaign, a trending hashtag and a stepping stone towards achieving gender equality. It is not about burning bras. It is not, as critics charge, a “blessedly defunct and thoroughly ill-conceived social media campaign”, nor is it “Another Example Of Female Narcissism.”

The movement is about giving women the choice to ditch the bra, or ditch the top without judgement or shame. It is about showcasing the inherent sexism that continues to plague our world through an empowering, accessible lens. It is about demystifying the double standards that oppress women through sexualisation while liberating men through their desexualisation.

One of the biggest issues women battle in the gender equality war is their incessant sexualisation; no matter what, there always seem to be people who degrade women by defining them no as human beings, but as mere sexual objects. This behaviour specifically follows young girls around in comments on social media, in catcalls on the street and in language used every day. Provocative clothing is a constant false justification for the labelling of girls as ‘sluts’, ‘whores’, ‘thots’ and so on. #Freethenipple combats this normalised projection of sexism by internationally challenging the stereotypes women are often confined to, and calling for the respect and acceptance of women regardless of their clothing. Women are entitled to respect regardless of their dress, and it is imperative to understand that #freethenipple is about instilling a new set of values and morals in a society that condemns confident women who feel comfortable and empowered in what they choose to wear. #freethenipple is a reminder that prejudice against women is unacceptable in any form.

Every woman’s tale is different and it is important that we embrace and honour that variety. I personally would not feel comfortable walking down the street topless, and that’s okay. But, my friend who is confident enough to post an Instagram selfie with her nipples exposed deserves the same respect that I do. She certainly should not be degraded for her choice. This mutual respect extending deeper than our appearances is what #freethenipple is all about. Removing the censorship of women’s bodies is what #freethenipple is all about. And when embracing the underlying values that #freethenipple projects, we are a massive leap closer to achieving gender equality.

Love, Ingrid

Read the rest of the Summer issue of Teen Eye Magazine here at http://issuu.com/teeneye/docs/summer_2015

The Teen Eye team have put so much hard work and dedication into this issue and it is looking amazing with so much great content. I love seeing more of us teen bloggers, teen writers and teen artists coming into the forefront!