Women’s bodies are constantly scrutinized, objectified, and policed. Judged by both genders, a woman’s body is constantly analyzed and dissected. A visible nipple is forbidden online and in person – even a see through t-shirt is problematic.
In any art gallery of European paintings, women’s nipples are everywhere. These galleries are full of nudes and, as famously declared by 1980s feminist art group Guerrilla Girls, ‘less than 5% of the artists in the Modern Art Sections [of the Met] are women, but 85% of the nudes are female’. The statistics are just as damning in pre-modern art sections. Female nudes are consistently framed as acceptable forms of representing female bodies, and yet naked female bodies outside of art galleries continue to be seen as inappropriate, offensive or sexualised (sic). [1]
Even when women are legally allowed to be topless, women are not afforded the luxury of escaping lewd comments, lascivious looks, and catty comments.
There’s so many laws against women’s bodies, but there are barely any laws against men’s bodies. This is about having that choice. Being topless does not equal liberty. This is not about going topless. [2]
The problem becomes even more concerning on social media where edited bodies and face tuning are ubiquitous, the nipple is still prohibited and censored.
Social media platforms have incredible influence over people’s attitudes and behaviour (sic). They enable the glorification of ageless and unrealistic female beauty which contributes to body dysmorphia, disordered eating practices and increased uptake of cosmetic procedures. [3]
This zine features paintings with exposed by “the masters” – of course, all men – with their nipples covered up with pepperoni. The pull out centerfold features pepperoni pasties in many shapes and sizes. They are available for free.
Bibliography
[1] Anonymous (March 2022) The Female Nipple in Art History Athena Art Foundation
https://www.athenaartfoundation.org/nipple-art-history
[2] Jenny Kutner (December 16, 2014) “Maybe America just needs a big blast of boobies”: Lina Esco tells Salon about her topless crusade to free the nipple” Salon
https://www.salon.com/2014/12/16/maybe_america_just_needs_a_big_blast_of_boobies_lina_esco_tells_salon_about_her_topless_crusade_to_free_the_nipple/
[3] Lorraine Green (February 3, 2023) Nipple ban on Instagram and Facebook reveals how bizarre our attitude is towards different genders” The Conversation
https://theconversation.com/nipple-ban-on-instagram-and-facebook-reveals-how-bizarre-our-attitude-is-towards-different-genders-198531