Think back to the last time you saw a movie – do you remember how much nudity was in the flim?
Was it male or female nudity?
The thing these days is for women to appear nude more often than men in movies. Female nudity is just more acceptable than male nudity.
And heaven forbid a man actually strips. Suddenly, the whole scene becomes comical.
Take “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” for example. Jason Segel stands naked swinging his hips and it’s funny.
It seems that in our society, female nudity has become more normal, or at least more prominent.
The Motion Picture Association of America has even shown the double standards of the film industry by warning viewers when there is male nudity, but labeling female nudity as just nudity.
Brian Patrick Thornton from Spangle Magazine claims that female nudity is less controversial because “straight men are turned on by the sight” and “women aren’t turned off.”
So female nudity is okay because guys want to see it?
I don’t think women would oppose seeing a little male nudity in movies. However, I don’t think most females wants to see topless women every 10 minutes.
The issue here is that our society has made female nudity common and male nudity taboo, which isn’t fair to either gender.
The male body is slowly becoming more acceptable, mostly on a comical level. Is this not offensive to the men? Is this not suggesting that male sexuality is not attractive, and therefore it’s shown to make people laugh?
We are desensitized to female nudity, since it has occurred in excess in the media over the past few decades. Even I just shrug it off as normal when I see a nude woman in the movies.
But women like to have a sense of mystery about themselves, just as men do. The film industry strips this away.
Women have gradually become more equal in our country. So why does it seem they are nude way more than men?
Women no longer have to just sit back and look pretty, so why not integrate that into the film industry as well?
Newkirk, a junior English major from Wilmington, is an opinion writer.
Michalea Lee • Jul 23, 2024 at 8:44 am
Female nudity was way down for a while after #metoo. They had to react to it. However, not even that did/can stop it. Think about that. And now it’s 2024 and female nudity is definitely on an upswing again. Emma Stone and Margaret Qualley doing back to back films where they are fully nude and engaged in multiple sex scenes. Directed by white men, too. Another movie with Demi Moore showing a lot of frontal nudity, and yet again, Margaret Qualley, also full nudity.. this one directed by a woman!
What do you think? Ask yourself.. why is this happening? The reason is that in truth most people like it. Including women. This industry is about the audience at large, and that’s what they want.
Denise • Nov 28, 2023 at 7:45 am
Everything is meant to please men. Women are objects (just look at what we’re compared to by men), Even in 2023 the double standards are insane. For years men have tried to make other men sex crazed, and obsessed over the female body. If you’re not and don’t act like an animal, other men will make fun. I feel it’s a ploy to make men mindless zombies. That are easier to control, Just look at the effects porn addiction has on the brain. It’s about time everything becomes fair, and even. If we have to see naked women in movies, there should be hot completely naked men as well. And show full frontal male nudity and not just his backside. Women are MORE visual than men, so why do men get catered to the most? I wish times would change just a little faster and women actually ran the world, Everything should now be meant to please women. It’s time for men to be objects for centuries. The tables have to turn. Now men will know what it has felt like.
Angela K • Nov 20, 2022 at 11:34 am
I just don’t go to the cinema any more and I check parents guide for stuff on TV. If we do nothing about it, nothing will change.
Ella Mendez • Jul 3, 2021 at 3:29 pm
So glad I’m not the only female that thinks like this. My mom and I love watching movies together but in 99% of movies there is either some kind of sex scene or naked lady and it is soooo uncomfortable seeing that stuff. Like, am I watching a movie or porn? And I feel like society uses women as props especially women who are skinny and have small perky breasts, but the thing is, all the sex and nudity in movies is SO UNNECESSARY. It’s like 10 seconds to 2 minutes of something that has nothing to do with the actual plot of the movie. I’m so tired of seeing breasts, hairy vaginas, and watching women shower. Those women in movies should have more respect for themselves and society should respect our private part more because what’s the point of calling them private parts when the whole world sees them…and okay yeah we all know that women have the same parts but that doesn’t mean we want to see each other’s privates. That’s for our husband’s eyes only.
Lisa Diaz • Mar 22, 2021 at 12:20 pm
Thank you so much for having the courage to post this. Every single time I’ve spoken up I’ve been called ridiculous and jealous. It’s neither of these things. I am so thoroughly sick of it. I was told that male nudity is gross and offensive and that nobody wants to see naked men . What??? I feel so disrespected and uncomfortable and go without watching MANY movies and shows because of it. Seriously, I would guess that 95% of movie and shows feel the need to do this to some extent. Women have not evolved as much as we like to think and it it makes a mockery of the #metoo movement.
Sarah • Feb 20, 2021 at 7:46 am
Thank you, ladies, for making me feel not alone in my feeling on this. I’m always afraid to talk about this because people think I’m overreacting and they laugh and shame, but I know it’s not just me! I have had these conversations with other women and they’re afraid to talk about it too because people make fun of us and call us prudes or say it’s not a big deal because it’s just a movie. I think it’s cheating and getting a free pass. The worst part is because we’ve had kids, we will never look like the women that are in their faces. I’ve started speaking my mind about it though because our feelings are valid. Keep speaking your truth and try and still believe in your own beauty! Try and not let these unrealistic versions of women make you feel inadequate. You’re perfect the way you are. I’m trying to tell myself this, too. One day at a time. <3
Mauri • Feb 12, 2021 at 9:57 pm
I totally agree! I don’t understand why female nudity is just thrown into movies for no reason. It’s uncomfortable and ruins movies. Not to mention how degrading it is and guys don’t seem to understand that or they just don’t care. I really wish more people would make a big deal about this and put a stop to it.
Lynne Simmons • Feb 8, 2021 at 7:56 pm
I think nudity rape and sex in movies should be illegal
SS • Jul 4, 2020 at 2:12 am
Yes, I agree. I think it is wrong for any movie or show to have female nudity. It is fun for men at his girlfriend or wife’s expense. I believe that nudity to enjoy is for a married couple. When a man is gaining a sexual thrill when a nude woman shows up in movies he is not thinking about his girlfriend or wife. He is cheating on her in his mind and he is doing it right in front of the woman he says he loves while she sits thier with nothing sexual to enjoy. She just waits while her husband or boyfriend enjoys a sexual thrill from another gorgeous woman. A real man would admit it is wrong. The best solution is to not watch movies with nude woman. For me it is embarressing and degrading as when a woman has it all off I feel she is showing the world what I have hidden under my clothes. Woman should stand up and say that they don’t want to be treated with such lack of respect anymore. Laws should be put in place to stop stripping woman of thier clothes and thier dignity. We should do the same to men and see how they like it.
Tracie • Jun 2, 2020 at 3:14 am
I have to say I am so sick and tired of having woman’s naked bodies in my face in It seems every Movie and seriously how can we as woman feel like our bodies/private parts are viewed as special to our husbands/boyfriends that are sitting next to us.
Sorry but if their are four topples woman on screen please don’t think they are not looking at each and every one of them because they are.
I’m a normal woman however, I’m tired of my Husband viewing other woman’s private parts.
These woman are not the ones cooking and cleaning and taking care of kids and of our Men when they are sick, so why would I want him constantly viewing her body parts when I’m the one taking care of everything
Not her. That attention should be in my private parts not some other woman’s that is always on screen and in our face. It’s just getting old and ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
Our society is way to desensitized.
When mine
Sami • Jan 24, 2022 at 9:48 am
I totally agree and it bothers me so much that women bodies are on display for men’s pleasure. The eyes behind the Cameras and the whole movie business are mostly men and they want to see women naked. It’s a disrespect of a women and it’s degrading women as a whole. Actresses are forced and pressured to do theses scenes and I am sure many male actors refuse to do nude scenes as they respect themselves only but women are expected to shed her clothes and be naked. So sad and so bad. Men control everything and obviously in a smart way control women too. I wish all women should understand this fact and stand up against degrading her in the movies and even in photo shoot.