I suppose this is progress, ESPN Body Issue.
While the images are striking, does this advance the notion that nudity can be ok but only if you are "body beautiful".
Duane
I figure that these photos do help promote the nude as natural, healthy and good attitudes in our culture. It is probably good for kids to see this in athletes that they look up to and aspire to achieve ability at a par with. They are not nude pictures per say, they show no genitals. They are only demonstrations of body form and potentials. The pics still conform with the prevailing cover those genitals and nipples media and legal standards; a few years back, they would be in brief swim attire. It may be helpful to the progression of these standards toward a sane full nudity standard.
I don’t know if those laughing football players that need helmets to protect their genitals would fit the commercial beauty standard. The woman large enough to toss around that weigh doesn’t fit the model’s criteria and that’s a step in the right direction. They don’t look shy, ashamed or even seem to notice their nudity and that’s very good to see and teach. There are enough of them that there is diversity and that is good to teach. Butts are okay to see now? That IS cool!
What it promotes to people will be individual depending on their background and perceptions. For many it may promote the idea that nude body healthy is admirable. It may promote the association that nude and confidence go together. You are not confident unless you can be confident nude? Peta personalities, athletes, movie people and rock stars are doing it and being cool, and culture usually changes, being led by these popular culture heroes, in some manner.
Larger, butts are now in fashion. Full figured women are showing off what they once were ashamed of. I think that these photos work in context with the greater assault on us of the wide world of popular media and this is therefore a step in the right direction, that is body acceptance and body freedom. We, especially the young, will not only see this one depiction of nudity.
I'll admit they are a group of beautiful people.
Duane
Those are young, healthy, athletic people. We are ALL beautiful people with fascinating bodies. There is a tendency in all cultures to find attraction to youth and health; it may be innate in the young. People get personally fixated on certain body parts and body types, redheads, blondes, T or A, legs, full figure, etc. There is one commonality research has shown and that is a ratio in a woman’s figure and a square look to a man.
The person, the whole package is beautiful. People see beautiful and attraction amplified by love and other abilities, for example. Some people are fixated by people in clothing, OMG! Me, I’m more fixated on a physical attraction of natural and healthy, like real hair, full tan, no makeup, nude. The person and how I feel with them contributes to their beauty. I focus on the positives and others blossom and become more beautiful, both in my perception and they react to that. If I focus on negatives they wither.
These people’s bodies are simply fascinating and adapted to the specific things that they do, like everyone else.
Jbee
