Naked celebrities: a new social statement?

[Cryselle]

Well I have to admit my entire knowledge of this was gleaned from the opening post and it would appear I rather misinterpreted what was meant by "photoshopped". I had taken this to be a reference to amateur fakes produced in photoshop rather than professional airbrushing which does rather cast it all in a different light.

In that case I find myself rather indifferent. I don't know that it was the most effective way to combat the practice against which she was protesting but if nothing else it was, I guess bold would be the word, and I suppose you have to admire that on some level.

Yeah, I agree that I don't know if it is the most effective way to combat the practice or not, but whether or not it achieves her desired goals really isn't relevant to the conversation. It was originally brought up by the OP to try and slut-shame women who use nudity to try and make a point, without regard to what that point may be. And then somehow the Fappening got involved and now I think most of us are reading just to see how many different ways the most common posters in the thread can accuse each other of lying without directly repeating themselves.

 

[Itdoesthatsometimes]

For my part this topic is something that leaves me with decidedly mixed feeligns. On one hand I fully support the idea that someone's body is theirs to do with as they wish, just as their right to privacy is theirs to waive. That said, I can't really get on board with their reasoning. Particularly Kiera Knightly, her whole "Im sick of people making fake nude pics of me" feels alot like saying "I'm tired of being objectified and having my person reduced to nothing more than a pair of breasts, so I will do it to myself first".

It's kind of a like the bullied kid at school who humiliates himself for the amusement of his bully in the hope of not being beaten up. Apart from the fact it rarely works (just as I doubt her topless display will do anything to stem the tide of Kiera Knightly fake nudes), even when it does that person is still a victim. I'm all in favour of empowerment, but an empowered person chooses to do things because they want to do them, not because doing something is less unpleasant than alternative.

Just my two cents.

The problem with what you are saying is that it is a misrepresentation of what Kiera Knightly said and did. Her photograph session had nothing at all to do with fake pictures, that's not what she wanted to protest. What she wanted to protest was the fact that almost all pictures are touched up after they're taken, because no real human being can ever be pretty enough for a magazine. Specifically, in her case, her breasts are regularly enlarged via photoshop. Not by some idiot who is just cut/pasting a celebrity head onto a porn actress, but by professionals. What she was trying to say is "This is what I actually look like. If you want to call me beautiful, do so because you think I am beautiful, not because you think the photoshopping is amazing. Those pictures are not what I look like."

I would like to add in my opinion. While going topless in the shoot, certainly had it's reasons. That is not a social statement in of it self. She did the shoot, for want to work with the photographer. The reasons she had were present in the decision making, but the social statement came when she was asked why?

Where did you go Kiera?
I went to the store to buy eggs.
I noticed you did not go to this store, why did you chose that store?
I have had the eggs at the first store before I did not like them or the price.
Do you feel the first store should lower their price?
If that is the quality of eggs they are selling.

She still prefers the eggs from the second store. Still feels that the first store's eggs are overly expensive for their quality, and this still affects which store she goes to. But it only became a social statement when she says, "If that is the quality of eggs they are selling." Before that she was making a personal choice.

 

[Lieju]

I imagine, though, that there's a lot of people who'd look at leaked pics the celeb wanted to keep private, who wouldn't be so interested if the celeb had deliberately spread them. The appeal seems largely to be doing something wrong.

And humiliation of the people who are violated and the feeling of power over them.
Sexual violence, assault, harassment, violation of privacy etc is not just about sexual attraction and it shouldn't be treated as such.

 

[Cryselle]

I would like to add in my opinion. While going topless in the shoot, certainly had it's reasons. That is not a social statement in of it self. She did the shoot, for want to work with the photographer. The reasons she had were present in the decision making, but the social statement came when she was asked why?

Where did you go Kiera?
I went to the store to buy eggs.
I noticed you did not go to this store, why did you chose that store?
I have had the eggs at the first store before I did not like them or the price.
Do you feel the first store should lower their price?
If that is the quality of eggs they are selling.

She still prefers the eggs from the second store. Still feels that the first store's eggs are overly expensive for their quality, and this still affects which store she goes to. But it only became a social statement when she says, "If that is the quality of eggs they are selling." Before that she was making a personal choice.

Wow, that is a pretty tortured analogy, but I think I get what you're trying to say. That way of defining a social statement is fine, except when one then posits (like the OP) that there is something inherently negative with a person making social commentary. Unfortunately, when discussed on many forums, the concept of 'social commentary' tends to conjure images of a grand crusade, complete with horses, snazzy armor, and murder of innocents.

 

[Itdoesthatsometimes]

I would like to add in my opinion. While going topless in the shoot, certainly had it's reasons. That is not a social statement in of it self. She did the shoot, for want to work with the photographer. The reasons she had were present in the decision making, but the social statement came when she was asked why?

Where did you go Kiera?
I went to the store to buy eggs.
I noticed you did not go to this store, why did you chose that store?
I have had the eggs at the first store before I did not like them or the price.
Do you feel the first store should lower their price?
If that is the quality of eggs they are selling.

She still prefers the eggs from the second store. Still feels that the first store's eggs are overly expensive for their quality, and this still affects which store she goes to. But it only became a social statement when she says, "If that is the quality of eggs they are selling." Before that she was making a personal choice.

Wow, that is a pretty tortured analogy, but I think I get what you're trying to say. That way of defining a social statement is fine, except when one then posits (like the OP) that there is something inherently negative with a person making social commentary. Unfortunately, when discussed on many forums, the concept of 'social commentary' tends to conjure images of a grand crusade, complete with horses, snazzy armor, and murder of innocents.

I think you accidentally used the word tortured when you meant awesome. Joke

Any definition of social statement can go wrong in the wrong hands, really. In complete fairness, Kightly uses the word battleground herself. I shudder put put that out there, knowing full well the people who or going to run off on that point never would have bothered to find it themselves. So heads up.

 

[Itdoesthatsometimes]

"Actions speak louder than words"

.. Except in this case, words may of been the alternative solution.
People shouldn't go to such measures to be heard. But instead, get the point across in a mature manner. I don't really see how nudity or exposing oneself in such a regard can help your case. Plus, many won't see your naked self the way you want them too.

Which case are you referring to?

 

[Itdoesthatsometimes]

"Actions speak louder than words"

.. Except in this case, words may of been the alternative solution.
People shouldn't go to such measures to be heard. But instead, get the point across in a mature manner. I don't really see how nudity or exposing oneself in such a regard can help your case. Plus, many won't see your naked self the way you want them too.

Which case are you referring to?

As for celebrities, some leak these themselves wanting to draw attention. I forget which celebrity it was, but a famous girl known for singing released nude pictures of herself through the ICloud just to express how beautiful the body is. Most people are going to look at it sexually instead of artistically you know?

There is no real reason that someone could not look at a nude celebrity, understand their message, critique it socialy and artistically, and find it sexually appealing. In certain instances the understanding of the message may some what conflict, if understanding is equated to agreeing with. But the intention was to bring about awareness, not necessarily agreement.

I am not aware of the singer you are referring to, so maybe words may have proved the bigger impact, but maybe not.

??Is that first sentence too messy? I can't think of a way to phrase that less awkward.??

 

[Cryselle]

If a celebrity /wants/ to draw attention to themselves by running around naked, they can. You're perfectly free to say "That's silly, and doesn't impress me.", you're free to spend some quality time in the bathroom, you're free to think they're cool, or think they're idiots.

Personally, I usually judge by how relevant the nudity is. I saw a campaign that took topless pictures of women who had had mastectomys in order to say "Hey, you don't need to be ashamed of your body now" and I think that was a very well done campaign. I'm okay with Kiera's shoot because using her body to make a point about her body seems fair. I'm less impressed with the PETA campaigns, because any connection I can draw between eating a hamburger and a woman's body is kinda insulting really. I'm not a huge fan of "Here's some tits, now lets talk about investment futures in an uncertain market!"

However, ultimately, I don't expect that there are many actresses who care whether or not they impress me personally. They're not obligated to, nor am I obligated to care about the things they want to draw attention to.

 

[ngl42398]

I really don't care. If I get to see hot tits, I'll take my hot tits, and say thank you.

Also my captcha was "NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP." Heh.

 

[wAriot]

What can I say, whatever the message I'm okay with this.
But I'm also okay with the message so win-win.