I have a question to any of the men that may be reading this. Are you offended by your own nipples? No? Are you offended by women’s nipples? No? So tell me, the people of the world. Why is it that women cannot #freethenipple?
“Free the nipple has become one of the fastest growing movements of our time. The mission behind free the nipple is to raise awareness, and affect change, in the areas of the inequality of men and women that are still being experienced in the world today. In 2012, a feature film was titled “free the nipple”, which followed lina esco and a small group of women in their effort to raise awareness on this issue. The film quickly sparked what has become an international movement that seeks the equality, empowerment, and freedom of all human beings.”
I understand, that women’s breasts are a sexualised part of our body. I understand that, unlike men, we have something to look at. That stands out. But the issue isn’t the breast, it is the nipple. I could go out in public, with nipple tassels on, and for the most part, this would not be a problem. But as soon as a bit of areola pops out and the nipple is exposed, it’s a major controversy.
I spoke to Hannah Neilson, a young graphic designer who is for the #freethenipple movement. Hannah is 25 years old, and lives in Manchester. Up until the age of 12, Hannah told me that having her “breasts” out was never an issue. She fetched some photos from an old cabinet that is situated in her hallway of her antiquated home. An old memory-book of photos comes into view as Hannah wipes away the ageing dust that settles on the cover. She shows me photos of when she was 4 years old, on a beach in Spain with her parents, with only swimming bottoms on and no top. “My breasts weren’t sexualised then, because there was no, what, fat tissue present”, she said. “Why on earth is fat tissue sexualised anyway?! I would never sexualise a man’s nipples, because to me that’s just creepy.”
Hannah flicked through the photo-book, showing more photos of her with her family, wearing just swimming bottoms. It didn’t seem like such a controversy back then, when she had nothing to “show”. Yet the question still remains, as Hannah nicely said: “why is fat tissue sexualised?”
“I am comfortable in my body,” she says, “and on a hot day, I would like to join a man down the street, and feel comfortable walking with my top off, just like he is. No, my boobs aren’t massive, but they’re not small either, and that shouldn’t be an issue.”
Free the nipple is not only a movement in just settling gender equality, but a movement in helping young women to embrace body positivity.
“It has taken me years to finally come to terms with my body” Hannah explains to me, “you know the cliché, “oh the media made me feel fat” terms you hear from young girls? It’s because it’s true, it does make you feel like that. I would look in the mirror and just be disgusted, even though looking back, I was absolutely fine and completely healthy. When I started to gain weight due to my depression, I would look at my hips and see stretch marks and cry, because you don’t see women on TV with stretch marks, or the women in magazines or films with stretch marks. They’re “perfect”, or what society has made us believe perfect is.” Hannah places the photobook back into the draw, pours us both another cup of black coffee, and settles back onto the sofa opposite me.
It’s bright blue skies outside and the birds are happy singing along, which creates a juxtaposition from the inside. I told Hannah of how I agree with everything that she is saying, and completely felt the same way as she did. From this conversation, I learnt to realise that when you think you’re the only person suffering and having these thoughts, you’re most likely not. So many women and girls around the world all think the same way as you, the “oh I’m too fat”, “nobody’s going to love me looking like this”, or “god I’m ugly” type of mentality.
This year already, has seen great movement in women body positivity being promoted. Such as the online fashion retailer ASOS, are now no longer air-brushing their models stretch marks or imperfections. Women are still trying to free the nip, and with the likes of social media banning this, will we ever find a resolution? Will women ever be able to actively free their nip alongside their opposing genders?
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