Why is a woman's upper body "obscene"?

Surely "obscene", when referring to the body, is contextual.

If a woman flashes her breasts in public while yelling in a sexually aggressive manner, yes, I think we could make the case that her exposure of her breasts is 'obscene'.

But, for example, exposing them while feeding your child? That's clearly not obscene or even sexual. Her breasts are exposed for a functional reason.

I made this point in my 'why can't women take off their tops to avoid overheating?' thread....but somehow no one answered it directly...

 

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Here are my feelings on it: There are times, male or female, you need to be wearing a shirt out of social custom: A black tie dinner, school, etc.

At the grocery store or hiking? I don't freaking care.

I think people don't like seeing women without shirts because it makes women, well, NOT a sex object. You can't sexually harass a woman who's breastfeeding a child. It humanizes her, and we live in an inherently sexist world. If you get overheated and take your top off, I have to consider you're a person with needs. I suspect it has Judeo Christian roots.

 

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Oh I agree that in some situations you should cover up out of social custom.

But otherwise, I think physical needs come before mental connotations.

 

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Oh agreed. My shirt catches on fire and I'm showing titties. I don't care if we're having dinner at your mother's and she has a Catholic boys' choir over.

 

Y'all KNOW what my position on the subject is.

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(holds a lighter towards TJ's shirt tail)

 

Lol!!!!!!!!!!

 

It is really contextual.. exposing boobs (or even more private parts) to your doctor for getting diagnosis or treatment is not obscene.

 

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Mac, you're terrible.

 

I don't really care to see big sweaty hairy shirtless men when I am out grocery shopping. Honestly, can you imagine the sight it would be if people were allowed to run around barefoot and shirtless in a grocery store? :bugeye:
It seems everyone gets all excited at the thought of half naked people, but usually those aren't the people that are running around half naked. I am sure that you would want MOST of these people to put their shirts and shoes back on immediately.

 

It's pretty common to see men shirtless at grocery stores in the summer here. It's gross, but who cares? Bare feet are more of a risk.

 

Well, it's not common to see that where I live. Up north where the cottage is, sure you see men whipping in and out with no shirts sometimes but not here in the city. It's a bit different because it is usually a cottager that just came from the lake or something and is picking up something quick.
For starters I doubt it is allowed down here in the ciy and as I said I WOULD CARE.
Just because you don't care doesn't mean you speak for everyone. There are probably A LOT of people who wouldn't like to see the rules change where anybody could run around shirtless and shoeless in a grocery store, restaurant whatever. From the businesses point of view they have the right to make certain rules. They also have to take into consideration all the views of paying customers. If customers find that offensive and they won't shop or eat there then they are losing business. Like I said there are a lot of people that I rather see covered up when I am surrounded by food.

 

Shit. Didn't we elect me Representative of Everyone last year?

I've lived in Seattle and you see guys without shirts.

I understand certain social settings make it inappropriate, but what's good for the goose is good for the gander.

 

It's downright dangerous !
Men just can't control themselves, Vis

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But I don't think many people find it obscene.
I think most men would sooner applaud than say it's obscene.
Other women may have something to say about it, probably because they don't trust their boyfriend/husband

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Edit: The yes/no ratio in the poll from the "Is breastfeeding obscene?"-thread is 3/26, by the way

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I'd rather people didn't take their shirts off, just like I don't want them running around naked.

 

That's how I am. Doesn't bother me, but I would rather they keep their man titties or titty titties encased.

 

My guess is that it's older people and ultra-religious people who find it obscene.

 

And then you also see shirtless men with breasts that look female.

 

I always thought one of the things men have over women is we can take our shirts off in most scenarios and it looks at least semi-cool....or at least normal and expected.

Maybe if a woman is doing gardening in the front yard, spraying the hose and whatnot with water getting everywhere the same conduct is expected, but taking your shirt off in that respect makes things look more dramatic, and men seem to do it much more often.

Opening a heavy treasure chest full of gold is dramatic in it's own right, but imagine someone taking their shirt off to open the heavy treasure chest full of gold......Extremely dramatic. Same thing applies for mundane tasks such as grilling a steak or changing a tire.

It's usually commercial districts where people walking around with no shirt seems unusual. I've noticed amongst gas stations of the concrete jungle or the rural south, it's usually accepted as natural for men to walk in and pay for gas or something with no shirt on. Next time you're with someone who takes their shirt off right before they do something, ask them if taking their shirt off was really necessary to do that task.

 

True, but what are people to do...only allow nice looking people to take their shirts off?

 

No.... But I think that's why it is a good idea to have shirt and shoe policies in certain establishments. I mean do you want to be sitting next to a big hairy guy with man boobs while trying to have lunch?

Do you want to see a woman with boobs down to her waist and acne all over her back standing in line at the grocery store? Do you want your kids to have to see that too?

If you wanna walk around naked in public, join a nudist camp or hang out in your own backyard. Although where I live there is already a man who peeks out his window at me when I am suntanning, and
I have clothes on . :bugeye: