Female Flashers
September 14th 2006 15:08
There’s not enough of them! ‘Flasher’ is rightly defined in the dictionary as “informal: a person, esp. a man, who exposes his genitals in public.” But why is a flasher especially a man? I recently found myself wondering why every girl I know has a story about strange men getting their bits out in front of them in public, but we never hear of women doing the same.
Does a higher testosterone level make men more compelled to exhibit themselves to passive strangers? Is it because of the way they are built? It’s certainly not as physically easy for a woman to get her genitalia out there... Is it because men are more arrogant and get off on the feeling of imposing themselves on victimised onlookers? Is it because men are more insecure about their genitals and getting a shocked reaction gives them some sort of reassurance? Or is it that women refrain from it because a
chick with her vagina open to the elements in a public place is more vulnerable to rape? Maybe women are already so conscious of being always seen that there is no pleasure in apodysophilia? As John Berger told us "Men look at women. Women watch them selves being looked at."
Certainly the women who do flash in public fall under the fetishised male gaze and evoke a far more sexualised reaction than male flashers do. Perhaps the most famous female exhibitionist is the Italian-Hungarian porn star turned politician Cicciolina who is known for, among other things, exposing her huge breasts at at any opportunity, earning her welcome publicity. The American Girls Gold Wild videos show endless shots of young women flashing their tits and ass for the camera in exchange for a GGW hat or t-shirt, but they do it for the male gaze and the 15 seconds of fame it might bring them. Similarly the girls on the Jerry Springer Show, who are rewarded a string of beads for flashing their breasts, are not doing it because of a personal psychological desire.
Our culture is saturated with greased-up babes putting it on show and pouting for the camera, but where are the genuine female flashers who do it for themselves? Not the ones in it for glory or to please or to get a free t-shirt or string of beads, but the ones who flash just because they want to…
Flashing is also referred to as the Lady Godiva symptom, a term that arose from a legend involving public nudity in Coventry, England – by a woman. She is said to have rode naked through the streets to gain a remission of the oppressive toll imposed by her husband on his tenants. But this wasn’t what I was looking for either, as her action was out of a sense of duty to the people. I wanted to find a woman who did it simply to arouse herself. That’s why all those men do it, right?
And then, bingo, look what I came across in the fashion/art magazine Bon International (#8) from feminist artist Joanna Rytel:
“I want to expose myself to guys … I don’t want to do it to take revenge on the patriarchy, even if my cunt is a weapon now. I just want to do it. I want to give you the gift of pussy. That turns me on. I am a female exhibitionist.”
So, is she the only one or are there more female exhibitionists out there who “just want to”?
Does a higher testosterone level make men more compelled to exhibit themselves to passive strangers? Is it because of the way they are built? It’s certainly not as physically easy for a woman to get her genitalia out there... Is it because men are more arrogant and get off on the feeling of imposing themselves on victimised onlookers? Is it because men are more insecure about their genitals and getting a shocked reaction gives them some sort of reassurance? Or is it that women refrain from it because a
Cicciolina On Show
Certainly the women who do flash in public fall under the fetishised male gaze and evoke a far more sexualised reaction than male flashers do. Perhaps the most famous female exhibitionist is the Italian-Hungarian porn star turned politician Cicciolina who is known for, among other things, exposing her huge breasts at at any opportunity, earning her welcome publicity. The American Girls Gold Wild videos show endless shots of young women flashing their tits and ass for the camera in exchange for a GGW hat or t-shirt, but they do it for the male gaze and the 15 seconds of fame it might bring them. Similarly the girls on the Jerry Springer Show, who are rewarded a string of beads for flashing their breasts, are not doing it because of a personal psychological desire.
Our culture is saturated with greased-up babes putting it on show and pouting for the camera, but where are the genuine female flashers who do it for themselves? Not the ones in it for glory or to please or to get a free t-shirt or string of beads, but the ones who flash just because they want to…
Lady Godiva by John Collier, ca 1898
And then, bingo, look what I came across in the fashion/art magazine Bon International (#8) from feminist artist Joanna Rytel:
“I want to expose myself to guys … I don’t want to do it to take revenge on the patriarchy, even if my cunt is a weapon now. I just want to do it. I want to give you the gift of pussy. That turns me on. I am a female exhibitionist.”
So, is she the only one or are there more female exhibitionists out there who “just want to”?
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Comment by Joy
Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
Perhaps females in general have more to lose by public flashing.
But how common are public male flashers anyway? There's an occasional streaker at the cricket. But I've never seen the stereotypical guy with the long trenchcoat who's just waiting for you to walk past.
Here's a link to top ten women streaking, apparently...
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Women are more respective of their self because unlike men, they are constantly reminded of their sexuality.
They also have more self respect in general, for whatever eason, and the stereotype that they keep out of trouble while men get htemselves in is probably true.
I agree though that testosterone and perhaps alcohol has a lot to do with it.
Oh and Joy... thanks but no thanks, I'd rather you put them away
Comment by ag
Eat French Bread
Adrian, thanks for the link - they all look so happy! Consider yourself lucky to have not come in contact with trenchcoated strangers waiting for passers by. I have. Once as a child in Centennial Park an old man thought I might like to see what was in his pants. I didn't. I didn't even know what a penis was. Then in highschool when I was sitting on a bus a man driving by wanted to show me how much of a man was. I was looking down not even realising what I was staring at until he almost crashed. Another time a nude guy ran past me and a girlfriend in the street, laughing. That time was pretty funny though, and possibly doesn't constitute a flash since he didn't even seem to notice us. But anyway, they exist!
Comment by Adrian
Philosophy Blog
Young children frequently flash each other, incidentally. So maybe the adult flasher is something of a child.
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks