Nipple Equality

I was just scrolling through TikTok and there were shirtless Men working out. I popped off there to IG and tried to post a caption with the word "Whore", it was flagged for language.

Madonna's "Justify Your Love" was banned in 1990, in 2004, Janet Jackson and the whole wardrobe malfunction... here we are 30 years later and it feels like our rights are being more violated.

Why can Men be topless? Why are the bodies of Women sexualized? In a world where we are deconstructing Gender, will the nipple ever be FREE?

My husband and I were performing a routine we have done a few times, it is play on the idea of Men and Women, the sexual tension within our own identity.

We did a very PG version of the act, keeping my clothes on for the show. It was hard not to notice some folks in the crowd projecting sexual shame.

Following our act was a guy who took to playing the drums. He took his shirt off and I was met by the roar of the crowd, who was suddenly not offended by the sight of skin.

The freedom of the nipple is a turning point in my mind, it's the shift from automatically sexualizing nudity, treating Women as "less then", perpetuating the destructive idea that Men are "helpless" to urges.

As we approach "Thanksgiving", it seems cliche and overstayed lately, but it is true, this is the result of the usual suspects "Colonialism, Patriarchy and White Supremacy".

"Nipple Equality" is pulling the thread to begin untangling the shame of our bodies and the oppression that got us here.

Empowered to express yourself freely and feel safe in doing so is how we claim our sovereignty.