Why the Naked Ladies

Fun fact about me; I am the proud owner of quite the plethora of artwork depicting naked women. And, if you’ve ever been in my apartment or even dorm room, you probably already knew that.

To be fair, I don’t really remember when it all started. I say that like it is some crazy drug addiction, or at least something more riveting than collecting artwork. But if I’m remembering correctly, I believe I bought my first piece in Paris with my mom– my senior year of high school. How fitting.

Since then, I guess you could say the collection has possibly spiralled and grown. I can now boast that nearly every wall in my apartment has some sort of breast or vulva on it, not including my naked bust planter, a macrame uterus, or my candles shaped like women’s torsos and chests. It doesn’t really phase my family or friends anymore, because they have gotten used to it– but when I have someone over for the first time it’s usually one of the first things they notice or comment on. And the first question is usually “why?”.

I think naked women make people uncomfortable– because it is assumed to be inherently sexual. And a sexual women is assumed to be inherently bad– but that is a topic for another day as I can’t tackle all of the worlds problems in one day. But, for me, it’s something I find peace in. My artwork channels the divine feminine in me, and in all of us.

We, as women, are beautiful and we are strong and we are diverse and unique and bold in all of our own ways. And the media often portrays us in such a specific way– that I can very rarely actually relate to. And if a woman is naked in the media, it is often for the purpose of the male gaze.

So, when I come home to my walls covered with naked women of all different colors, sizes, and shapes– I feel inspired. It gives me a new appreciation for both myself and those I am closest to. I remember one particular afternoon, I had a feeling my boyfriend at the time was going to break up with me. So, before he came over I put in my vulva earrings. Not because they would make the situation suck any less, but I found that strength and identity in them. To put it another way-- it made me feel like a bad bitch. Did he even notice? Definitely not. But that's not why I wore them. I wore them for me. Because I am the bad bitch.

I've had people, typically men, tell me that they don't like it, or that it makes them uncomfortable, or that it's just weird. But, I must beg to differ. My artwork highlights "real" women, "real" life, "real" sexuality, and so much more. One piece I have that highlights the menstrual and fertility cycle typically makes men the most uncomfortable; "that's gross! I don't want to see all that" they usually say. But, as someone interested in spending my life working in that field, I think it's so powerful. And I think it's telling that it elicits such a strong and negative reaction from others. Why do real women, and real life, make us so uncomfortable?

Many of the artwork I buy includes women with red hair, and I like to do so because there is so little representation in my everyday life that I like to force it when I can. I turn on the TV, or scroll through instagram or tik tok, and I see all these skinny blondes. One day, I realized that I was equating these skinny blondes with beauty. And not that they aren't amazing, but I knew I would need to make an effort to give myself that representation. Especially in my own home.

So, I cover my walls with beautiful redheads. Or people with the same body type. Those that resonate with me, for whatever reason. So when I look at them and see their beauty, it’s a little bit easier to see it in the mirror.

I think it’s hard to walk through society today and not have a skewed view of women. Near impossible really. So, I guess you could say that I’ve dedicated my space to highlighting what I think is special and beautiful– not what society says. These skinny blondes can have the mainstream media, but that means I’ll claim my space in the world. Even if it is in my small one bedroom apartment. That’s where I spend most of my time– why not use it to try to bring myself a little positivity.

In the future, I want to become an OB nurse, and then eventually a midwife. Women's rights are such a problem in our country, and that is seen especially in healthcare. The United States come's 41st in birth outcomes, and is on the downward swing. And no one even knows why. This is not normal, nor is it acceptable. I think we need to look at an entire broken system and societal attitudes, and I try to calibrate that in myself just by decorating my own apartment.

For so long, the things that made us feminine were seen as negative traits. Weaknesses. But, I say no to that. I think our uterus's make us strong. We have the opportunity and ability to create so much-- and we endure so much. The very things society told us would be our downfall and that we should hide-- I choose to find my strength and my identity and my path in that.

It's okay to not want to plaster naked women all over your bedroom. But, if the very idea of it makes you cringe or blush, maybe think about why?