Topless/Nude Beach?

[SirKenin]

Besies, my husband has a hard time trying to remember what day it is everyday, so naked bodies would be impossible for him.

This made me laugh I have the same problem. I have a good memory, but it's three minutes long.

Obviously I agree with him about naked women. I think that hypothesis is absolute rubbish myself. I wonder how many guys I could talk to that would say the same thing, or would we simply get the same "chemical" argument over and over again ad infinitum. I'm not sure if I should even waste my time, so I won't.

/me goes running to find inappropriate content to see how long he can remember the booty for.

 

[Andy Broadley]

In my part of the world, tropless means taking your cardigan off, and you gotta be brave to do that!!

 

[Svt4Him]

Where I'm from, you can't be showing off your a** either.

 

[Svt4Him]

Well, here is the actual scientific stuff.

"The hormone epinephrine is released in the brain when a person is emotionally aroused. This causes a chemical reaction that actually burns the picture permanently into your memory."

Granted this doesn't happen to all, as there are tribes that have women walking around naked and it's not a problem. As well, there are times there is no emotions aroused. This is true. But so is the fact that most men have problems with it. Most men do get emotions going when viewing naked women. Perhaps not all, true.

 

[SirKenin]

I think that's the problem, Svt4Him. At first you were generalizing, and I guess that's what I was targetting as much as anything.

It is safe to say "some", it's not quite as safe to say "many", less safer still to say "most" and outright erroneous to say "all".

 

[Svt4Him]

If I said all, I was mistaken. I will gladly say many. The inappropriate content industry is a testimony of how many have issues lusting after women, as well as many stats on this subject. Nope, just went and checked, I said most. So I'll say it again, most guys will have problems looking at naked women. Any guy who tries to justify it really has to give their head a shake. You may play with fire, but you will eventually get burnt.

 

[SirKenin]

/me waits for the burn, 19+ years and counting.

I don't think it's even fair to say most. Many? Ok... I can live with that.

 

[seebs]

That's a huge oversimplification of what the hormone does.

Honestly, my memory just isn't that good to begin with. I couldn't tell you what my spouse looks like in any detail without peeking.

 

[Archivist]

The fact is that until about 100 years ago neither sex in the western world would go topless at a public beach. If you have seen Victorian bathing suits you know that the man's suit included a top.

Women's breasts exist for the purpose of feeding the young. It is our society that has sexualized them. In other parts of the world women go topless all the time and men don't give it a second thought.

I have noticed that you can easily pick out most of the American men on topless beaches in Europe. They are the ones staring at the topless women. Most of the European men don't pay much attention because to them it just isn't a big deal.

 

[SirKenin]

The fact is that until about 100 years ago neither sex in the western world would go topless at a public beach. If you have seen Victorian bathing suits you know that the man's suit included a top.

Women's breasts exist for the purpose of feeding the young. It is our society that has sexualized them. In other parts of the world women go topless all the time and men don't give it a second thought.

I have noticed that you can easily pick out most of the American men on topless beaches in Europe. They are the ones staring at the topless women. Most of the European men don't pay much attention because to them it just isn't a big deal.

Bingo!!!!! I had a dear friend who passed on in April 2000 that was German. This was exactly his opinion on the matter.

 

[WolfGate]

That's true for all societies. Part of what men view as sensual is the forbidden. If breast exposure is normal, then exposure won't spark thoughts and reactions as often as in forbidden societies.

For that matter, some Muslim countries have men who would tell you seeing a woman's face sparks thoughts and lust - because it is forbidden.

The fact that societal norms help determine what sparks lust in men of that society doesn't change the fact that it is still lust. I would expect American men to respond differently at a topless beach than European or African for that reason. And as such, American men should be more careful and aware.

FWIW, I agree with SVT4Him about "most" being correct. I've seen enough in men's ministry group seminars to firmly believe it is a majority. Though clearly not universal.

 

[Yitzchak]

The fact is that until about 100 years ago neither sex in the western world would go topless at a public beach. If you have seen Victorian bathing suits you know that the man's suit included a top.

Women's breasts exist for the purpose of feeding the young. It is our society that has sexualized them. In other parts of the world women go topless all the time and men don't give it a second thought.

I have noticed that you can easily pick out most of the American men on topless beaches in Europe. They are the ones staring at the topless women. Most of the European men don't pay much attention because to them it just isn't a big deal.

I think that you make a valid point but I also think that you take it too far. Just because some cultures have reduced the female breast to a non sexual object doesn't mean that is the norm. There is evidence to suggest that even in the times that the song of solomon was written the breast was seen as sexual. There are plenty of German men who are turned on by seeing a woman's chest.

I would say that the female breast plays more than one role. One of the roles it plays is sexual.

 

[Archivist]

I think that you make a valid point but I also think that you take it too far. Just because some cultures have reduced the female breast to a non sexual object doesn't mean that is the norm. There is evidence to suggest that even in the times that the song of solomon was written the breast was seen as sexual. There are plenty of German men who are turned on by seeing a woman's chest.

I would say that the female breast plays more than one role. One of the roles it plays is sexual.

There are also plenty of women who are turned on by seeing a man's chest. Yet we allow men to go topless in public.

The Song of Solomon, which you raised, mentions several parts of a woman's body in sexual terms--hair, eyes, neck, teeth. Should require that women cover their teeth simply because the Song of Solomon mentions them in sexual terms? Of course not!

The fact is that we are sexual creatures so yes also any part of the body could be seen as sexual. However, except for the sex organ itself, a woman's breasts are no more naturally sexual than any other part of her body. Whatever sexual connotation comes as a result of the view taken by our society.

 

[Svt4Him]

Can you ref. the part where Song of Solomon mentions teeth, hair and eyes in sexual terms? I know it talks about them, but I don't recall it being in a sexual way.

 

[Archivist]

Can you ref. the part where Song of Solomon mentions teeth, hair and eyes in sexual terms? I know it talks about them, but I don't recall it being in a sexual way.

It is actually at the same place where it references the breasts, Chapter Four. Her teeth are described as "a flock of sheep just shorn" a few lines before her breasts are described as "two fawns." However, there are references to various body parts throughout the entire Song and it only takes a few inutes to read the entire passage.

 

[Archivist]

BTW, please note that I am certainly not trying to promote topless beaches. If they offend you then by all means don't go. My experience has simply been that once you get used to seeing both women and men lying topless at a beach then it isn't a big deal.

 

[Svt4Him]

It is actually at the same place where it references the breasts, Chapter Four. Her teeth are described as "a flock of sheep just shorn" a few lines before her breasts are described as "two fawns." However, there are references to various body parts throughout the entire Song and it only takes a few inutes to read the entire passage.

Yes, but I don't recall it ever saying let her teeth satisfy you, I recall it simply saying her teeth are like sheep. So the ref to the breasts is not the same as to the teeth, hair or neck.

 

[Archivist]

Yes, but I don't recall it ever saying let her teeth satisfy you, I recall it simply saying her teeth are like sheep. So the ref to the breasts is not the same as to the teeth, hair or neck.

Yes, but the reference to breasts says nothing letting them "satisfy you" as you have said. At one point it describes them as "two fawns," and another as "like towers" and at a third as "like clusters of fruit." Only the third reference could be said to be directly sexual as the next verse talks about climbing "the palm tree" and taking "hold of its fruit." The Song contains, however, similiar reference to other body parts such as the mouth being "like the best wine" or the hands "dripping with myrrh."

The overall reading of the Song is not that the breasts are any more sexual than any other part of the body, but that the human body--female or male, for the woman also describes her lovers' body--is an attractive and enticing thing.

 

[SirKenin]

Yes, but the reference to breasts says nothing letting them "satisfy you" as you have said. At one point it describes them as "two fawns," and another as "like towers" and at a third as "like clusters of fruit." Only the third reference could be said to be directly sexual as the next verse talks about climbing "the palm tree" and taking "hold of its fruit." The Song contains, however, similiar reference to other body parts such as the mouth being "like the best wine" or the hands "dripping with myrrh."

The overall reading of the Song is not that the breasts are any more sexual than any other part of the body, but that the human body--female or male, for the woman also describes her lovers' body--is an attractive and enticing thing.

Amen

 

[seebs]

I think most women are well aware that long, strong, fingers can be a very sexually attractive feature. Should I wear mittens?