I'm just going to come out and say it.
(note ironic icon)
The Open Source Boob Project is a perfect illustration of the limits of sex-positive discourse. If you don't have a critique of power embedded in there, the result is the same old, same old -- my female body, passive and accessible and sexualized, end of story. I don't care if women want to touch them, too. (Them, not me. Oh, but it isn't about reducing me to a body part, honest! I lurve your mind, too!) I don't care how nicely you ask. I do not gain empowerment or self-respect or enlightenment from your gaze, much less your sweaty little palm. Geddit? And you know, I have spent my *entire life from about 5th grade on* with people who weren't attracted to *me* (ugly, fattie), but really wanted to feel up my chest. Please? But I asked so nicely! Of course you can always say no! I respect your limits! No pressure! Don't you see I was paying a compliment? We are trying to create a better, more honest world, you know.
Feh. Had to get that out of my system.
The Open Source Boob Project is a perfect illustration of the limits of sex-positive discourse. If you don't have a critique of power embedded in there, the result is the same old, same old -- my female body, passive and accessible and sexualized, end of story. I don't care if women want to touch them, too. (Them, not me. Oh, but it isn't about reducing me to a body part, honest! I lurve your mind, too!) I don't care how nicely you ask. I do not gain empowerment or self-respect or enlightenment from your gaze, much less your sweaty little palm. Geddit? And you know, I have spent my *entire life from about 5th grade on* with people who weren't attracted to *me* (ugly, fattie), but really wanted to feel up my chest. Please? But I asked so nicely! Of course you can always say no! I respect your limits! No pressure! Don't you see I was paying a compliment? We are trying to create a better, more honest world, you know.
Feh. Had to get that out of my system.
barftastic. the sensitive new age lech comes alive.
I don't really consider that sex-positive.
(I have unintentionally been party to getting women to act outside their comfort boundaries by accidental peer pressure. Appearing to have body shame amidst a group of strong liberal women was more uncomfortable than being topless in a co-ed environment, particularly when the evidently shameless ones don't have traditionally beautiful bodies (ie, me))
DON'T touch my body:
Hear! Hear!
This, on the other hand, is - at best - juvenile.
2) It happened at Penguincon (IIRC), a Linux-related event. Hence, a whole bunch of Open-Source people.
Sorry if you'd gotten this explanation elsewhere. ;)
My first reaction to all this is "ow, ow, OWWW!" It sounds like a trip to the Breast Clinic for yet another discussion of whether that lump ought to be biopsied or whether it's just another cyst.
OW!
No, you may not feel my breasts, unless you have an ultrasound machine and know how to use it.
Here's the link to the original, more or less:
http://theferrett.livejournal.com/10876
The proponents of this project would say it's always OK to say no. (Which is true, but also misses the point.)
Ugh. I hate all of it. I hate guys who come up to me and look at my Batgirl shirt and say, "You know what happens to her in the comic books?" Uh, she gets paralyzed by the Joker? How is that an acceptable pick-up line?!!
My Integra icon proposed the Open Source Nut-Removal Project :P
hehehe
And therein lies the problem of "opting in" because if you opt out, you're just a bitch who's uptight about sex.
Why couldn't they have called it the Open-Source Ass Project? The defenders claim that the T&A of both genders are included, and yet the name clearly indicates women's bodies.
There was a really good post somewhere (that I can't seem to find again) that pointed out that while it might seem to *some* people that women who go to Cons with their breasts on display are asking for attention, it's equally as likely that their costumes are just accurate representations of female characters in comics. If you want to dress like Power Girl, your boobs are on display whether you'd prefer that or not. Wonder Woman? Sailor Moon? Poison Ivy? Skimpy costumes all around. That's an entirely different post, though :)
Here it is.
Well, not literally ...
(Catching a transatlantic plane in >5 hours tends to make me less careful about where I am in a comment thread.)
Thank you.
Friended you. You Get It. Thanks!
Me too. She said understatedly.