WARNING: Contains Nudity

Left: Rick Owens Winter 2015. Right: Scene from Netflix show Marco Polo.

Tom Ford on Rick Owens showing penis on the runway at his fall 2015 menswear show:
“OK, I’m not going to wear it, but I think [Owens] is an artist in the way that McQueen was an artist,” he says. “As an artistic statement—equal opportunity objectification.”

Tom Ford on being furious over GQ censoring a naked male spread he did several years ago:
“We use women’s bodies to sell everything, but we have a weird hang-up about naked men,” he offers. Which brings him full circle back to the merch. “Why not put a TF [his initials] right here? If people are going to stare at my crotch, they might as well see the logo.” 

courtesy of Fashion Gone Rogue

Left: Pam Hogg Fall 2013 Right: Rick Owens Winter 2015

Equal opportunity objectification. We use women’s bodies to sell everything, but we have a weird hang-up about naked men.

Something I could not have said any better myself. Everyday films, television shows and magazine ads come out with women's naked bodies nonchalantly thrown into the scenes. Sometimes thrown in when it isn't even relevant to the issue. Just for the heck of it.

Carl's Jr Superbowl Commercial...for burgers...

I have always been bothered by the one-sided treatment. I flip through the tv and you can easily come across a nipple or ass. I was watching the Netflix original show "Marco Polo" with my boyfriend a month ago. I saw a woman's breasts and crotch every ten minutes in the first three episodes. Why are people so casual about this, but go berserk over 5 minutes of penis? There is a scene where Marco must prove himself to the Emperor by wandering through the "hall of desire." Basically walk through a bunch of completely naked mistresses trying to seduce him, stripping him of his shirt and almost pants. Marco finds it ever so hard (looks like he took ecstasy) to get through without giving in to the temptation. Women are objectified as sex symbols, and it is completely natural to us. My boyfriend sighed with empathy "oh that is so hard" in which I replied "Disgusting - You're a major turn off." I could go on about this scene in particular, as it truly upset me, but it lead to more conversation to the actual point of this post. 

 

 

I was fed up at this point because this show only shows women's privates in a demeaning manner and never men. I vetoed the show for good (even though it is actually really good). I told my boyfriend this and his reaction was "I don't want to see a penis." ..."So you want to see a woman's vagina and boob?" "No, but it is normal to see that. Sex sells." Normal. Sex Sells. This is the counter-argument...

I was appalled. I love my boyfriend, but this way of thinking just baffled me. We exchanged our points, coming to the conclusion that he in fact does understand and agrees with my views. He sees the inequality but knows the reality we live in: nudity brings in the ratings. But why is it society is okay with objectifying only women? The response "it is normal" made me feel so belittled.

When I saw the commotion on Facebook of the Rick Owens runway show I was ecstatic. Though he is not doing it for these reasons, it gave me a sense of satisfaction that finally objectification will be on both sides - equal! People were outraged and grossed out by the peeping fellas under the garments. Was I? No. Did I want to see those tiny little guys? No. I, as well, would prefer not to see them. So do you want to see a vagina? Peoples normal response is no, yet they have a hesitation: acceptance. It is everywhere, women are objectified throughout advertisements, runways, movies, etc without a second thought. It was nice to see a man put men in our position.

Although this may be shocking to some, women have been showing their bare breasts, their butts and sometimes even their vaginas on the catwalk for years, so it's only fair that men get the same treatment, right?