By
Everest Turyahikayo, PhD[1]
Published online: www.everest-turyahikayo.com
Published on 6th September 2024
Updated on 7th September 2024
Introduction
When people leave their bathrooms, they wrap towels around their waists. They take extra measures to ensure their bedrooms are kept private, even when they believe no one is watching. Privacy is a fundamental need that transcends cultural boundaries. Dressing is a universal human trait, whether you live in the Amazon forests or the Kalahari Desert. Nude protesters have attempted to defy the natural normative prescriptions. They throw towels away and walk out naked, push their gates wide open, entering the public domain with the boldness of a newborn emerging from its mother’s womb. They challenge societal norms around decency, autonomy, and the boundaries of civil disobedience (Perel, 2006). In the past, many saw nude protest as a way to reclaim the body against patriarchal oppression. While patriarchy was once considered the root cause of women’s oppression, it is no longer a topic of discussion because it has slowly given way to matriarchy.
This paper acknowledges the great women who continuously make a positive impact on the lives of other women. Yet, we make absolute general statements about them in this paper as though they are all culpable. The intention behind the generalisations we make here is to highlight the full extent of the phenomenon under question. Women are becoming increasingly thieves, stealing from public offices, manipulative, cheating in business and caring more about their self-interests and less about fellow poor vulnerable women. Women are now engaging in workplace harassment against other women, causing them to feel devalued and discarded. They give vulnerable women tokens to frame others in order to cast victims in bad light. Women feel good when fellow women are suffering, poor and below redemption. Whenever a woman sheds tears ten times, nine times are caused by another woman’s actions. One would compare wicked women with a pool player. She positions herself strategically around the table (victim), aligns her cue stick (motive) with the cue ball (the agent), and uses precise strokes (tokens) to strike the ball, aiming to pocket it into one of the table’s pockets. She adjusts her stance and grip as needed, assesses the angles and positioning of the balls, and calculates her next move to continue her turn effectively until the victim is annihilated. When a woman is supervising a fellow woman, the subordinate cannot plait her hair in a style better than her boss’s. The subordinate must be conscious about the dress she buys and the car she drives. Institutionally, women have become more corrupt than never before. So, it is no longer a question of naked women protesting against patriarchal or male oppression, but against fellow oppressive and manipulative women (Baldwin, 2019; Raisborough, 2016; Witt, 2017). This complex phenomenon raises significant questions about the morality, impact, and effectiveness of such protests, particularly in terms of how they are perceived by different demographic groups. By examining the historical roots of nudity in protest, its ethical dilemmas, and psychological and political effects, we can develop a more nuanced understanding of its role in modern activism (Joan, 2015; O’Leary, 2021; Ruiz, 2020).
Moral and Ethical Dilemmas of Public Nudity in Protests
Let us start from a common agreement that public nudity in protests inherently disrupts established social norms surrounding decency and morality. Normal human beings are expected to appear in public fully dressed. The quality of the outfit does not matter. A woman’s chest is even more sacred than any part of the body because it represents life. Breasts are a vital source of breastmilk, the nourishing first food for newborns, and should not be treated as a commodity to be displayed in public. Within the female body, certain parts act as the primary means of bringing new life into the world. It is unacceptable for a woman to strip down and move about in public, regardless of any anger or detest she may feel. It is also unacceptable for men to engage in such a distasteful absurdity. While one may argue that such acts of nude protest are a bold form of free speech, we should all find them deeply troubling (Baldwin, 2019) because free speech, self-ridicule, and self-embarrassment are parallel. We know for sure that many countries have failed to legislate against such misfortunes of nudity because law and public decency have, at times clashed.
There is this argument that women’s use of nudity in protest challenges the historical objectification of the female body by patriarchal institutions, framing it as a tool for reclaiming autonomy and confronting oppressive power structures (Rippon, 2019). This contention is challenged by the observable realities. Most women in power conduct themselves in ways that are more exploitative to fellow women. There are also deep questions that require careful consideration. If women really undress to protest against male oppression, why are they always shunned by fellow women in power? Why is it that whenever naked female protests are arrested, you will hardly find women at police and in court securing for them bail or giving legal representation? We are yet to see at both local, regional and global domains these so-called powerful women take part in philanthropic projects aimed at uplifting vulnerable women. Instead, what we see is an absurd phenomenon of these well placed, wealthy women playing extortionist and exploitative games against fellow vulnerable women. They vehemently condemn gender-based violence against women, yet many of them have chosen to forgo marriage and are completely unfamiliar with its intricacies. In Africa, the dusty, potholed streets are where street children, especially young girls, endure unimaginable hardships. The silence surrounding these powerful women is amplified by their deliberate decision to have only one child. Like ardent supporters rallying around an effigy of their politician, they dote on the kid, unaware of the chilling nights some children endure on the streets. The powerful women only speak out against the security forces when a naked protester is arrested, leaving many questioning their true motives.
Does nudity protest produce a socially efficacious value? Raisborough (2016) answers this question. He reasons that nudity, even when framed as a protest reduces the perceived legitimacy of the protest itself. And Blum (2022) gives a complementary view that such acts of nude protests reflect a conflict between individual rights and collective moral values, creating a sense of moral ambiguity in the public consciousness. When you meet a naked protester on the street regardless of your age, it hurts your mental health however much you try to suppress the mind-eroding experience. The mental torture and anguish stem from the shocking sight of a naked, ordinary human being in a public setting.
Research continues to reveal that the broader societal and cultural contexts forbids the use of nudity in protests. According to Witt (2017), cultures with more conservative views on public decency often perceive such protests as immoral and counterproductive. These protests can alienate potential supporters who agree with the cause but are uncomfortable with the method. Yet, a close scan of cultural environments across the globe reveals that the condemnation of nudity goes beyond conservative cultures. Even in more liberal societies where nudity may be viewed as a legitimate form of expression, its faceless and manipulative approach raises questions of legitimacy as it claims to highlight issues such as gender inequality or sexual violence (Blum, 2022; Joan, 2015; O’Leary, 2021). We would agree with Ruiz (2020) who argues that public nudity, when used in protests, often functions as a form of moral shock, designed to provoke an emotional response rather than foster genuine dialogue or understanding. While this tactic can be effective in drawing attention to an issue, it often undermines the cause by alienating those who might otherwise be sympathetic. This highlights the ethical dilemma of whether the ends (raising awareness) justify the means (provoking public discomfort) (Raisborough, 2016; O’Leary, 2021; Ruiz, 2020).
It is difficult to comprehend why some women choose to engage in nude protests while their counterparts enjoy the comfort of air-conditioned offices. Most female musicians often rely on their nudity to promote their music during physical shows, on television, and on the internet. They post nude photos on social media platforms and blame their ex-boyfriends. Could it be the case that some nude protesters pretend to be advancing a social cause when in an actual sense they have personal motives? Friday (1973) examines how women use their nakedness and sexual fantasies as a means of manipulation, revealing complex relationships between female sexuality and control. The author challenges traditional norms by exposing the nuanced ways in which women’s desires intersect with their calculated parochial sentiments and control.
Nudity Protests as a Tool of Manipulation in Political and Social Contexts
This paper advances the thesis that using public nudity in protests can be a form of manipulation, where the spectacle of the naked body is employed to sway public opinion or gain political leverage. Joan (2015) suggests that in some cases, women who lack political or economic power may use their bodies as a form of currency, manipulating both the public and political figures to achieve their goals. This view is echoed by Witt (2017), who argues that the use of nudity in protests often exploits societal taboos and moral sensibilities. It forces a reaction that may not be based on the merits of the cause itself but on the shock value of the act. This manipulation of public perception raises questions about the sincerity and authenticity of such protests (Baldwin, 2019; Joan, 2015; Witt, 2017). One would also add that public nudity represents emptiness, sinfulness, lifeless and death. This explains why music videos with half naked stage dancers do not see their first birthday. In addition, nude videos may arouse a half minute curiosity and appear to attract billions of views, but the propensity to re-click them is shorter than a brink of an eye. By protesting naked, one is essentially stripping themselves of all dignity, surrendering their humanity, and engaging in a form of public suicide. What reason would compel one to take away one’s life? We all live in a suppressive society, full of hatred, malice, greed, corruption and envy. However, if we all protest without clothing, it can be seen as stripping away our human dignity and compromising our humanity in the face of social injustices, allowing evil to prevail over good. Creating more evil won’t help us in our fight against evil. Instead, we must foster social connections, build meaningful partnerships, encourage collaborative interactions, and provide innovative strategic options.
Sometimes normal women who stage nude protests are just employees. The most powerful women hire and pay them to set traps for the vulnerable innocent, like digging a pit for them to fall into. But what motivates these powerful women? They want to use nude protests to destroy a fellow woman. They develop envy, nurture malice, and plot to completely eliminate fellow women from the surface of the earth in order to take over their offices. Here men can also be victims, but that’s beyond the scope of this paper. What is uncommon is that men are unlikely to recruit nude protesters. O’Leary (2021) extensively discusses the recruitment of nude protesters, arguing that many female-led organisations with hidden agendas orchestrate these naked protests. They use public nudity not as a genuine form of political expression but as a means to attract media attention and financial support. After they have satisfied their needs, they now turn their necks and vomit on the shoes of unsuspecting donors. In this context, the women involved in protests may be seen as pawns in a larger political game. This exploitation of the female body for political, economic or social gain not only undermines the legitimacy of the protest but also perpetuates the very power dynamics it seeks to challenge (Raisborough, 2016; Ruiz, 2020).
Some recent studies have even gone beyond analysing nude protests in view of political, social or economic realms and focussed on the mental balance of the individual nude protester. Witt (2017) argues that women who use their bodies in protests may also manipulate their own sense of agency and autonomy, commodifying their bodies in ways that ultimately reinforce the very systems of oppression they seek to dismantle. When women use their bodies as tools of protest, they contribute to their own objectification, reinforcing the notion that their worth is tied to their physical appearance rather than their ideas or actions (Blum, 2022). The authors construct their argument on the premise that nothing defeats ideas, nothing defeats reason. Even the worst of the armed conflict conquers using arguments, not soldiers stripping naked against the enemy. The Second World War ended shortly because of the German and America’s use of the mental power rather than force. So, surely, one can substitute exposing their naked body to the public with reason. The world hinges and propels on reason. If you strip naked and suppressive factors remain intact, will you make incisions on your body to protest with lungs out next time? A woman should stuff her breasts in a bra and wear a blouse on top of the bra. Every woman should wear an undergarment and a dress on top. To prevent any sense of immodesty or unease. A typical well-raised woman should wear a half-pet over her pantie (The Champa Tree (2022).
The Psychological Impact of Nude Protests on Society
The psychological impact of public nudity by protesters is an area of significant concern, particularly when considering its effect on children and adults. Parents are cautioned to monitor their children’s internet usage to prevent them from being exposed to nudity on social media platforms. Parents should worry when children witness public nudity during protests. These children become victims as they may experience confusion and anxiety as they struggle to reconcile the conflicting messages they receive from society and the protest itself (Witt, 2017; Joan, 2015; O’Leary, 2021).
Throughout our learning journey, we are taught following knowledge protocols. These protocols are based on knowledge complexity and specificity. When children start school, instructors teach them kindergarten content. The content has some level of complexity befitting that level (Bloom, 1956). You cannot teach a learner in the kindergarten the human reproductive system. Knowledge about such a topic has some level of complexity and specificity that shoots above the learning capabilities of the learner. Exposing children to nudity is therefore a violation of their inherent rights to rightful knowledge.
For adults, the psychological effects of public nudity by protesters are no less significant. The sight of a naked body in a public space triggers a feeling of discomfort, moral outrage, and even psychological distress, as it challenges deeply ingrained social norms (Nagoski, 2015). The discomfort of nakedness creates barrier to engagement with the protest’s message, as individuals usually focus more on the act of nudity than on the political or social issue being addressed (Blum, 2022; Raisborough, 2016; Joan, 2015). Weinstein and Chapman (2021) assert that public nudity has psychological effects that impact not only individuals but also society. When public nudity becomes a common feature of protest movements, it can desensitise the public to the shock value of naked bodies, leading to a gradual erosion of social norms around modesty and decency. Over time, this desensitisation may contribute to a broader cultural shift in which public nudity becomes more normalised, undermining the social fabric that holds communities together (Joan, 2015; Witt, 2017).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the use of public nudity in protests is a highly complex issue that intertwines notions of manipulation by both the masterminds referred to here as moral hitwomen, and the recruited executors. People should never use public nudity as a symbol of resistance. The danger of nude protests extends beyond the psychological pain it inflicts on the children, causing discomfort among onlookers. The sight of protesters manipulated by influential women confronts the public, whether witnessing these protests on the streets or through media channels like TV and newspapers (Sales, 2016). It often risks overshadowing the cause itself, reducing the message to mere spectacle, and reinforcing the very stereotypes it seeks to dismantle. It is distressing to coerce fellow women into organising nude demonstrations against societal wrongs, countless of which are masterminded by either fellow avaricious, dishonest, and self-centred women in influential roles, or individuals intent on undermining their female counterparts to seize political, social or economic positions. The ethical concerns, particularly regarding the potential harm to children and the unintended consequences for participants, must be contemplated. As society becomes increasingly interconnected and digital, the methods of activism must also adapt. However, it is crucial to carefully analyse these methods for their effectiveness, ethical considerations, and their influence on driving societal transformation.
References
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Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals (Vol. 1). Longmans, Green.
Blum, R. (2022). Activism and the body: Exploring the ethics of nude protests. Journal of Contemporary Social Issues, 25(1), 45-62.
Friday, N. (1973). My secret garden: Women’s sexual fantasies. Dial Press.
Joan, K. (2015). Feminism and public nudity: The paradox of the female body as protest. Feminist Theory Quarterly, 8(3), 76-93.
Nagoski, E. (2015). Come as you are: The surprising new science that will transform your sex life. Simon & Schuster.
O’Leary, T. (2021). Protest or performance: The effectiveness of nudity in social movements. Social Movements and Society, 33(4), 12-26.
Raisborough, J. (2016). Naked bodies and political action: The ethics of bare protest. European Journal of Gender and Society, 11(1), 31-48.
Rippon, G. (2019). The gendered brain. Bold Type Books.
Ruiz, A. (2020). Body politics and the spectacle of protest. Global Activism Review, 29(2), 99-114.
Perel, E. (2006). Mating in captivity: Unlocking erotic intelligence. HarperCollins.
Sales, N. J. (2016). American girls: Social media and the secret lives of teenagers. Knopf.
The Champa Tree. (2022). How to wear a bra correctly: Step-by-step guide for women. The Champa Tree. Retrieved from https://www.thechampatree.com
Weinstein, J., & Chapman, R. (2021). The psychological and societal impact of public nudity in protest movements. Journal of Social Psychology, 57(3), 45-60.
[1] Dr. Everest Turyahikayo has published widely in peer reviewed journals. He is the author of two novels available on Amazon and all leading online bookstores.
Introduction