[Turquesa]

I went to Bath and Body Works the other day with my baby and 3yo DD. I was taken aback when I went to check out and saw a giant poster of a naked model hanging above the registers. I thought I was the only one uncomfortable with it. <a href="http://www.wisn.com/news/23481268/detail.html" target="_blank">But apparently, I'm not.</a><br><br>
I know that B&BW is part of the same corporation that runs Victoria's Secret. But unlike VS, they don't sell lingerie and have never before marketed themselves as risque and "R-rated." It seems strange that B&BW would be aiming for shock value.<br><br>
And I'll probably get reamed for saying this, <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/bag.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="Bag"> but the naysayers who refer to the poster's critics as "prudes" and "puritans" are missing the point.<br><br>
Little girls go to B&BW to buy their American Girl shampoo and glittery lipgloss. Now they're getting the in-your-face message that they have to have a perfect, hyper-sexualized body. And yes, I know that everybody sends out that message in our commercialized culture, but this ad seemed to throw sexualization into the faces of little girls. There's a great website about this topic: <a href="http://www.about-face.org" target="_blank">www.about-face.org</a>. In my mind, this is not a nakedness issue; it's a feminist issue.<br><br>
Am I the only one here? <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/hide.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hide">

 

[Storm Bride]

I agree about the hyper-sexualization in our culture. I don't particularly see that poster as an example of it. She's nude, but she's not looking all sexed up. I think we should be more comfortable with nudity than we are, and I don't like how naked always equals sexual.

 

[AllyRae]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Storm Bride</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15421601"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I agree about the hyper-sexualization in our culture. I don't particularly see that poster as an example of it. She's nude, but she's not looking all sexed up. I think we should be more comfortable with nudity than we are, and I don't like how naked always equals sexual.</div>
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Yeah, that. I mean, that same concept is used in a lot of lotion ads, and not just in this particular circumstance. I was actually afraid to click the link when you said "hyper-sexual poster of naked woman hanging over the registers" because I wasn't quite sure how PG it was going to be...I thought I was going to have to shield the kids' eyes. But that actual ad seems fairly tasteful as far as nude lotion ads go. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/lol.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="lol">: I think it's actually less risque than some of the magazine covers at the checkout line.<br><br>
I guess it wouldn't bother me, but only because it seems so common these days to see a lot more showing. I guess that doesn't make it right though...

 

[Learning_Mum]

I don't have a problem with it. She might be naked but she's not exposing anything. I don't really take it as being sexual, I saw it as the body lotion gave you smooth skin.<br><br>
ETA: Also, I don't have a problem with men and women being made to appear sexual. Human beings are sexual creatures. I have more of a problem with the media telling kids that to be sexy you need to be skinny and either have big boobs (or no boobs in the case of runway models) I would prefer to see more models of different sizes.

 

[MusicianDad]

It's not even a sexual image unless nudity = sex.<br><br>
She's just sitting there, naked. It isn't even mildly sexualized in my opinion, no where near hyper-sexualized.

 

[lonegirl]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Learning_Mum</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15422143"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I don't have a problem with it. She might be naked but she's not exposing anything. I don't really take it as being sexual, I saw it as the body lotion gave you smooth skin.<br><br>
ETA: Also, I don't have a problem with men and women being made to appear sexual. Human beings are sexual creatures. I have more of a problem with the media telling kids that to be sexy you need to be skinny and either have big boobs (or no boobs in the case of runway models) I would prefer to see more models of different sizes.</div>
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<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/yeahthat.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="yeah that"><br><br>
It likely wouldn't even have caught my eye....way more risque shots with VS, Guess, La Vie En Rose etc...she showed absolutely nothing....many ads I have seen where the models are clothed are much more sexualized.

 

[Joyster]

It's not a sexy ad. It's a woman sitting there naked. I don't have DDs, but if I did, I would hope they could see it for what it is, a naked woman in a shop dedicated to bath and body (which requires some nudity on your part *G*) and there is nothing wrong with that.

 

[sapphire_chan]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>Storm Bride</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15421601"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I agree about the hyper-sexualization in our culture. I don't particularly see that poster as an example of it. She's nude, but she's not looking all sexed up. I think we should be more comfortable with nudity than we are, and I don't like how naked always equals sexual.</div>
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<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/yeahthat.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="yeah that"><br><br>
She's sitting there enjoying the feel of her own skin. It's excellent as a lotion ad.

 

[NiteNicole]

I am a prude, I'm pretty conservative, I am not one who is comfortable with a whole lot of nudity and that does not bother me. We don't do "naked time" at home, I'm big on privacy and modesty, and that's not something I don't want my daughter to see. It's an ad for skin care showing a lot of skin. It doesn't make me uncomfortable and LOTS of things do.

 

[Livviesmom0207]

There is nothing even remotely sexual about that ad, and certainly nothing hyper-sexualized. Frankly I'm more bothered by the idea that little girls are going in there buying glittery lipgloss.<br><br>
Naked does not equal sexual.

 

[Raine822]

I agree, I found it tasteful and exposed skin for a lotion ad seems reasonable-not sexual.

 

[_ktg_]

With the lead in of hyper sexualized I was scared to open it since I'm at work!<br><br>
This is a tasteful ad, with a nude woman, who is covering all her bits, but appears to be comfortable in her own skin, its comparable in my mind with a nude painting.<br><br>
I know you said this is a feminist issue and not a nakedness issue and I'm having a tough time seeing the issue from a feminist standpoint. The ad campagin is not demeaning, overly sexualizing, or even suggesting a power conflict of men vs. women vs. society. It is in line with the current societial mindframe of perfect airbrushed bodies, but so is Teen Bop! I think a bigger feminist issue is the ad ban of Lane Bryants commerical becuase it didn't fit the stereotype of a "woman's body"

 

[KatWrangler]

Doesn't bother me. Doesn't bother me that my kids would see it either. It's the VS ads I have a problem with because those are sexual.

 

[ShadowMoon]

I think it's tasteful. I don't see it being sexual at all, unless nude=sex. I <i>can</i> see how her being cute, thin and having flawless skin contributes to our society's obsession with a particular standard of beauty. That's the only offense I would take with the add.

 

[enkmom]

I obviously doesn't bother me, as I have been in a Bath & Body Works 3 times in the last week and didn't notice it until I made a concerted effort to look for it yesterday. I would have no problem with a young girl or boy seeing this ad.

 

[choli]

Well, Bodies do tend to be nude when taking Baths. Seems relevant to the product to me. I wouldn't find it offensive.

 

[weliveintheforest]

I don't think it's too bad, but I also think they could have put a tank top and underwear on her.

 

[Drummer's Wife]

Seeing it wouldn't bother me - even if my 9 yo DD was with me (or one of my 3 sons, for that matter). That said, I'll never go inside Bath and Body Works b/c I can't tolerate their products. Just walking by the store I'm overwhelmed by the fragrances.

 

[Storm Bride]

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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>ShadowMoon</strong> <a href="/community/forum/post/15423129"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">I <i>can</i> see how her being cute, thin and having flawless skin contributes to our society's obsession with a particular standard of beauty. That's the only offense I would take with the add.</div>
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Oh, yeah - this.<br><br>
I do kind of understand why lotion ads would airbrush (after all, they're trying to sell you on how smooth your skin will be if you use their product). But, I'm <i>so</i> sick of that whole look. I'm finding that the longer I'm tv-free (only tv programming) and the fewer modern movies I watch, the more the "perfect" models, actors, etc. look strange to me.

 

[AFWife]

I'll jump in the OP's camp and say I think the nudity is unnecessary. I mean, yes it's tastefully done and she's not "all sexual looking" or whatever...but the point could have be made if she were in a tank top and shorts IMHO. My HUGE opinion...but I think the fact that a lot of people don't have a problem with it shows how sex and nudity has permeated our culture....