You know what I find enigmatic? Man boobs. Well, not so much man boobs per se, but nipples. In particular, man nipples.
Why is it that in western societies, or at least in the United States society, men can walk around in public bare chested with their nipples there for everyone and anyone to see, but women can’t.
Human nipples look pretty much the same, whether they’re on a man’s chest or a woman’s chest. So why is it that when a man’s nipples are exposed in public it’s perfectly acceptable, but when a woman’s nipples are exposed in public it is often deemed to be indecent exposure?
Do you see that picture of a bare-chested man at the top of this post. He can walk around any city or town in America without a shirt on and no one would say boo. Yet his boobs are bigger than those of most women I know.
And now look what happens if I show his boobs out-of-context. Oh my God! Bare breasts! A woman caught walking around exposing her bare breasts and nipples like that in Anytown, USA would probably be arrested for indecent exposure.
But those boobs and nipples are on a man’s body. So it’s okay, albeit perhaps not in good taste, for him to show up that way at the beach, at a park, sitting on his front porch, or just about anywhere.
So, can someone please solve this enigma for me? Tell me why it’s okay for a man to walk around in public without a top on and for his nipples to be visible to the, um, naked eye, so to speak, but it’s not okay for a woman?
Written for today’s Just Jot It January prompt from Linda G. Hill. Today’s jot topic is “enigmatic,” which was suggested by blogger Virgobeauty.
This, That, and the Other 
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😱
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😛
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Good question!
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Great post. You’re absolutely right. I think it may stem from how women’s body parts are more sexualized in society. In my opinion, a lot is learned culture as well. If our society was set up with it being a norm for women to walk around with their nipples out, it would be common perhaps, instead of so prohibited. Just my thoughts though…
great post
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It wasn’t that long ago that tribes in Africa were doing exactly that and then along came the white people and religion which made the women cover up. Now many years later it is quite common for women to go topless on the beach when on holiday, perhaps the only place where men and women can have nipple equality!
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You’re right. It was a way of life in Africa with tribes. As more is introduced, change occurs. History totally reflects this in so many areas. Sometimes it’s a blessing and sometimes it feels like a curse.
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Personally I would be happier if they both covered up. I have no desire to see strange men’s bare chests, whether flabby nor fabulous. But since we can’t expect men to change, then I say let women go bare. The thing is, it’s other women who will freak out, not men.
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I am with Paula on this one. In Ontario, “topfreedom” was adopted in the 1990s, and anyone may go topless, at least at beaches; it is indeed usually female patrons complaining to the poor lifeguards to do something about it.
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It’s all a matter of what you get used to. But isn’t it sexists to permit men to be topless but not women?
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Sure, but if we allow women to go topless, can we make it illegal for jerks to comment at them? Because mostly women aren’t commenting at men, so why should women have to be subjected to it?
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Good point!
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I agree with Paula – but at the same time, it is nice to see someone who is happy enough with their body not to worry about showing it off. But if it’s ok for one group of people, it should be ok for everyone!
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There is a bylaw in my home town which allows women to walk around topless – this stems from an old law, where women used to work underground with the men, digging for coal. Women don’t take advantage of the law. Shame lol
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Hmm. Where do you live? Any homes for sale? 😱
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Whitehaven in Cumbria, UK 😂
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Erm…
…this is just the sort of rant I would expect from a naked skier!
“Moobs” (man-boobs) are not on display as much as the leaner toned upper bodies who seem to want to share the results of their dedication down at the gym. I don’t think I can give an impartial answer though because there is no way on earth I would go topless. I get enough attention in that area when I have several layers of clothing.
How many men have to endure strangers gawping at their moobs or even a stranger grabbing them whilst passing? Maybe it’s the absence of that kind of response from others that makes men going topless more socially accpetable?
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No one has ever grabbed me by my flat boobs, but I have had my butt patted.
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Whilst on the ski slopes???
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Where else? 😜
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Because women are considered objects to be controlled.
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You weren’t supposed to post my picture for this blog. True story, I was playing cards with my wife, her sister and a good friend of mine and because I was home, I wasn’t wearing a shirt. My friend said he wasn’t going to play any more till I put one on.
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Ha! So you have man boobs, huh?
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I probably could wear a size A bra, although I have never tried one on.
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Google #freethenipple movement. Historically, women in Europe sunbathe topless at beaches. Also, back in the late 1970s, the SF Bay Area had a number of nude beaches (back in the day, I was quite daring) where everyone bared all and it was no big deal. Of course, you couldn’t do that just anywhere. Saying all that, if a man or woman chooses to be more modest in public, they should retain that right.
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Oh, San Francisco. If it had been San Diego, I would’ve thought I might have seen you back then. when I was something like twelve, I was on a vacation with my mother. She insisted on visiting a certain nude beach you had to climb down a cliff to… only as a tourist.
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Well, I didn’t do it too often. 😉
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Don’t look at me. I have the same questions. Though I’m pretty sure we both know the answer… society is a fickle thing.
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The reason moobs are ok but boobs aren’t are what Ruth said, we are objects that men like to control. It’s the same reason why women are expected to wear high heels and ruin the bones in their ankles and feet but (most) men wouldn’t be caught dead in them. Same with panty hose. It’s a way to control women and have them feel more helpless. I would love to walk around shirtless anywhere I wanted to!
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