Why do people fear IT?

[WilliamCA]

I watch cable and so many other forms of television and art. We live in a male-dominated world (or so the feminist and liberals tell us) so why is there this fear of seeing male buttocks or male genitalia. Even on prime time television they go out of their way to show as much female skin as possible but with men it's like a total taboo. Even on shows such as Real Sex they do not show any male genitalia. Why the taboo, as if a woman's nude is some how less offensive then a man's nude body? What's the deal?

WilliamCA

[RalphVa]

It's just one of those taboos in our society.

I think it's ridiculous.

[finchick]

well, maybe just because female genitalia are less noticeble...

[nudenwv]

good post! i have heard in the past,maybe on some talk show, the male is not entirely shown due to the fact the reproduction organ is on the outside of the body. the female reproduction organ is inside the body. no fault of ours. that's the way the maker devleoped us. i think society and media play a huge part in what is accepted and not accepted. it all boils down to the sex thing.

[NudeAl]

This reminds me of the naked girlfriend episode on Sienfeld. Remember how Jerry gets a girlfriend who loves to walk around the apartment nude? Well he goes on to describe it to his friends and what not then he tires to flip it on her by walking around nude himself and she gets all bent out of shape, LOL. Something about how the nude female form is a thing of beauty but a nude male is not. How it is just more utilitarian and functional but not pretty to look at.

I don't think we are going to see a reversal of this in our time. We have so many phobias regarding our bodies it isn't funny. Notice how many comercials there are for Viagra and what not however when one prime time show displays a bare male but they get slammed by the FCC. Go figure.

[NatureFred]

I agree that it's a cultural thing, but that's a lot like saying rain is a weather thing, it doesn't explain anything.

It's obvious that we think differently about penises and vulvas. For example, every naturist website I have visited has at least a paragraph about the problem, or lack thereof, of men developing erections at nudist venues. Every nudist resort website I have been to offers advice on what to do if you develop an erection. Apparently, although we naturists are all adamant that there's nothing wrong with the sight of a naked penis when it's flaccid, there is something wrong with the sight of an erect one, and we are expected to conceal it under those cicumstances. Some even seem to feel we should be ashamed of an erect penis, while others allow it's nothing to be ashamed of, but we certainly should cover it up.

Now let me hasten to assure everyone that I'm not looking to walk around waving my erect penis at people. I've never gotten an erection at a nude venue--if you read my post about nudity and comfort, you'll see that social nudity isn't like that for me. I'm just saying that, clearly, the penis has a somewhat special status in our culture, too, not just in the so-called "textile" culture.

Maybe if we look within ourselves and ask why we don't want men with erections walking around at our favorite venues, we'll find it's pretty much the same reason less nude-comfortable people don't want penises in any condition visible on their TVs.

[MoonShadow]

I have wondered the same thing as you guys have and never understood why male genitalia had to be hidden at all times whereas the female genitalia was exposed, flaunted, exploited, or whathaveyou.

In addition to what you have posted here, maybe, it is biblical (now bear with me on this radical look-see - LOL). Back in the garden where Eve was tempted by the serpent to eat from the tree of life that the penis represents the serpent. Like the serpent who penatrates Eve's mind with temptation, men's penises which penetrate is a temptation.

Another is that the art world gave us both the nude male and female in all its beauty but then was transformed into nude beauty means nude female form rather than the nude beauty of both the female and male form. Now, centuries later with the advertising world as it is - somehow the nude male form was dropped out of the picture altogether and anything representing nudity is the female form. Perhaps this was due that the initial world of advertising and fashion was male-dominated.

I think both the male and female form are beautiful and that includes the genitalia as it is part of the two bodies.

[4X]

Originally Posted by MoonShadow

Another is that the art world gave us both the nude male and female in all its beauty but then was transformed into nude beauty means nude female form rather than the nude beauty of both the female and male form. Now, centuries later with the advertising world as it is - somehow the nude male form was dropped out of the picture altogether and anything representing nudity is the female form. Perhaps this was due that the initial world of advertising and fashion was male-dominated.

I think it has more to do with the fact that these days so much advertising tries to use sex appeal to sell, and to advertisers that means nudity. Because men are so much more visually stimulated than women in general, this then means primarily female nudity; male nudity just doesn't have the overall effect.

[Josh-here]

I think this topic is so true it's hilarious!
You can especially even see this reality in other countries where the TV fare is not as pruddish as in the US. I was in one country that had a variety show that would have strip teases and the gals would end up totally nude, but when they had guys strip "for the ladies"
they always ended up in bikini underwear or g-strings and the ladies were "oohing and aaahing". It was so hilarious because it wasn't any different than what you would see on the public beach!!

Another time there was this "naughty" comedy movie on and it always shows these young cute female bombshells running around naked and giggling with some fully dressed middle aged guy chasing them around. That was in a culture with a lot of "machismo" and the flick was from the 60s or 70s.

[MoonShadow]

Originally Posted by 4X

I
male nudity just doesn't have the overall effect.

Sure it would if it was presented as often and as routinely and with the same sexual inuendos and overtones as it has been with female nudity.