#freethenipple

After far more deliberation than I ever thought I would have given it,  I've decided I'm team Kim K.   Well, at least on this one issue.   Hear me out...

I don't agree with a lot of what this younger generation of celebrity seems to think is appropriate and what they are willing to do to make a buck.   I love some of Selena Gomez' songs but watching a video of her writhing around on a bed in a bra and panties or just a tee shirt feels like viewing child porn.   And at this point, if you are a woman with your clothes on in a music video,  you are probably making a political statement. I hate the thought that talent is valued far less than nudity and photo-shopped beauty.

At the same time,  I'm totally on board with a woman's right to be sexy.  And the idea that in our real lives we tell our daughters to avoid dressing a certain way, to avoid the rapist.  Then we turn around and say don't blame the victim.   Didn't we just train our girls to accept that they are responsible for what they attract? 

So the whole blow back on Kim K's nude photo is that she's a mom now and therefore it is inappropriate. Also she's sending a bad message to her young fans. 

I'll admit my first reaction was,  oh boy (and why are we supposed to be surprised).   The whole thing seems unnecessary.  I've never felt the need to pose nude,  let alone post a nude selfie. My second reaction was pissed off because the photo she posted was pre-baby.  She failed to mention that in the original post, leaving other moms to feel like failures if they didn't look that good a few weeks after childbirth.   My opinion on that has not changed.

However, in the final analysis,  this is who she is.  A woman who has always been very comfortable showing her body and in many cases profiting from it.   But we live in a free country that guarantees freedom of speech and expression.   And her idea of being a mom is that she gets to continue celebrating her body.   Sure she may have purchased many of those body parts.  But they are now hers to show as she wishes.

So who finally swayed my way of thinking on this? Surprisingly, Amber Rose.   This woman whose claim to fame I understand less than Kim K's, and who has every reason to not like the wife of her ex,  came to Kim's defense.   She defended the right,  and feminist position,  of a woman to not be slut shamed for being proud of her body. As a self proclaimed feminist, and husband proclaimed  Angry Black Feminist, I had to check myself.

I may not agree with her decision to post and certainly wouldn't do so myself,  but she's free to do her.   Personally I hate wearing bras and pantyhose. I consider them to be my sworn enemy.   I give in and wear a bra when my top is too thin, or I'm going to an event where I might make others uncomfortable.   But that's stupid too.  They're my breast and what law am I breaking?   I'm not interested in being topless.  I just don't like cutting off my circulation to conceal my headlights.

Amber Rose and I seem to have that in common.   She posted this photo on twitter for the  #freethenipple movement which is now diversifying to include women of color. The movement highlights the way women are made to feel ashamed of their bodies.  For example it's illegal to breastfeed or be topless in 35 states.   And yes it is 2016.  (But I didn't put the actual photos in this post, only the links, because you might get in trouble at work for viewing them!)

Many men think the feminist movement is anti-man.  Not only is that not true, many of the harshest critics of women are other women.  So let's put an end to slut-shaming for our daughter's sake.  It's our job to encourage our children to share our morals and to show good taste.  But it's not our job to ridicule and pass judgement on others for their choices, which ultimately affect them and not us. 

Kim Kardashian and Amber Rose in one post!  If I keep this up y'all might actually think I'm hip.  That is until I use words like, hip.  Talk to you soon -BMK