There are so many issues raised by naked selfies and you should think about them carefully before you take one.
Women’s Health magazine’s new naked issue is out and it has Sofia Vergara on the cover, posing confidently and looking gorgeous in her nude avatar. On the inside of the magazine there is Madekeine Shaw, AJ Odudu and Melanie Sykes, posing nude as well.
I am wondering what kind of reactions and criticism (if any) these ladies might have to face? What is the naked truth on nude selfies?
Will it be different because it is on print media? I am merely asking because I have yet to read any negative feedback about these nude photos.
I wonder how it would have been received if they had each posted their selfies online instead of doing a photo shoot for a magazine.
Recently, like so many other women and celebrities around the world, Kalki Koechlin, an Indian actress from Mumbai, was slut shamed for posing nude for a female photographer and sharing it on her social media.
Consider these issues raised by naked selfies before you snap that photo.
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Photographs on Social Media Platforms Play an Important Role in Self-presentation
And for millions of women around the world, this tool of self-presentation has helped immensely by giving them a chance to express in whichever form they choose to.
With print media there is a waiting period. But with smart phones and cameras, within seconds of clicking a button you can publish your pictures.
The bottom line is, with just one nude picture, these women share with the world their flaws, perfections and their overall beauty.
What can possibly be wrong with that? It is a choice some women make. Why can’t she have the freedom and liberty to do as she pleases? Women are constantly asked to explain their actions, their decisions.
Nudity is Not Just about Sex
Nudity is also about self-expression, self-acceptance, and liberation to not feel ashamed about our sexuality.
It is not just stars and celebrities who post their pictures. There are everyday people too who post pictures of their naked or semi-naked bodies as a form of self-expression.
Frequently asked questions
Nude is Not a New Normal. Women Have Posed Nude for Artists and Photographers Alike for Years
According to Wikipedia, before 1839 nudity was depicted through paintings, drawings and other works of art. Followed by erotic photography, which was later described as glamour photography.
So you see, it is okay to go naked. Owning and accepting our bodies is very normal.
Why then Are We Slut Shamed? Seen as ‘those Type’ of Women. Sorry, Say That Again, What ‘type’ is That?
Just because we are celebrating our sexuality does not make us some ‘type’ and we don’t have to be slotted and stereotyped. We are all everyday women and it is just that we are confident of being and expressing who we are—mentally, emotionally and physically too.
We women have honed our social media communicating skills in different ways. We use pictures/photographs and words depending on the platform we are using to communicate and share what we are feeling, thinking and doing.
Is It an Act of Defiance, Empowerment, Self-expression?
I will use a quote by Gloria Steinem here. Not only can feminists, and all women, wear "whatever they fucking want," she added that "they should be able to walk down the street nude and be safe." This was in reply to a TMZ interviewer who asked Steinem can Emma Watson and other feminists wear sexy clothes? (For a Vanity Fair photo shoot Emma Watson wore a Burberry cape that exposed her under-boobs and was criticized on Twitter and other social media.) Women should be able to present themselves however they want.
Want to take a selfie or get a photo clicked in your birthday suit? Go for it.
