A Topless History | Why All the Nipple Shaming?

Why does the media *** exposed nipples so much, and where did all this nipple shaming come from? Writer Leo Larkin pinches out a few details about one of our favorite things: nipples.

What's the deal with nipples?

Nipple shaming has been gradually creeping into the headlines over the years, whether it's tennis fans on Twitter calling out Serena Williams when her nipples showed through her uniform or the media obsessing every time a star pops out of a scanty costume. The message is clear: society wants you to come as close as possible to showing your nipples but never actually show them. And if you do, heaven help you. 

There'll always be someone out there to claim that your nipples are too big, too small, the wrong color, a funny shape, or anything else you can think of - that's if you're a woman, of course. While people might make the odd "witty" comment about male nipples, most of our attention is fixated on women when it comes to exposed nipples.

Topless activists and breastfeeding advocates

Of course, all of this fixation on nipples might be because we see them so rarely. Although topless activists and breastfeeding advocates are trying to change this, there still seems to be a more-or-less culture-wide Western understanding that women's nipples, like genitals, are private. However, surveys consistently show that most people think women should have the right to go with exposed nipples if they want.

But despite how common this view is, it would be a mistake to think of it as just natural or normal. We sometimes assume that our society's views on what is and isn't sexual are widespread. "Nipples are private," we think. "Well, of course, they are!" But there's no "of course" about it. Throughout history – and in many parts of the world today – exposed nipples have been pretty commonplace also for women.

A brief history class on exposed nipples

Art from the Bronze Age Minoan culture often depicts women wearing elaborate dresses that completely expose their breasts, and nakedness seems common in ancient Egypt, especially for younger or lower-status people. However, this seems to have changed by the time of Classical culture. For instance, public nudity for men seemed relatively common in ancient Greece, but it was rare for women.

Depictions of exposed nipples in art were usual, but the real thing was becoming taboo, and there were periods when the rule was more or less strict, of course. Some medieval fashions seem to have involved bare or nearly bare breasts.

Northern Europe, in general, has come around to the 'keep-'em-covered 'view early on, presumably because it can get quite chilly. Mind you; we know that can't be the only reason. Native Americans lived in regions that get pretty cold in the winter whose traditional summer dress still featured female toplessness. 

The picture is more or less the same as you go around the world. In many African cultures, in the Pacific, Australia, and elsewhere, exposed nipples are standard. The idea of shaming someone for a nip-slip kind of goes out the window when everyone walks around topless all day.

No more nipple shaming

The main point here is that nipple shaming as a concept is not only, as everyone points out, trivial, censorious policing of women's bodies. Like many things that seem perfectly normal, it's pretty weird if you think about it. It's also a strange cultural outlier if you look at the world and human history as a whole.

We can all do our bit to encourage everyone who feels the urge to lose their minds when they see a celebrity's nipple poking out to stop and think about what they're doing. In that case, we could do a lot of good for historical education and popular culture.
 

Leo Larkin writes about history and the humorous side of sex. Despite Leo being a pen name, he is a real person.

All images: via Shutterstock.com