I received a message from a facebook user yesterday:
"Keep selling your body like cheap prostitution. Your fucking livelihood depends on the sexual desires of men, flaunting your disgusting body all over like we want to see it and calling it art."
There's a few issues here I want to address.
First off. I am creating and selling images of my body that may arouse sexual desires in people. A prostitute is selling sex as a service. Neither of us are selling our bodies. A woman's body is not sex, but she may choose to express sexually or have sex. And that is her right, as it is her body. Enough of people shaming women over what they choose to do with their bodies!
Nudity does not equal sex. Some of my images are of a sexual nature, some are not. A body is a body, and every human has one. For some a nude figure can be aesthetic, speak emotionally, or be arousing. I am content with any of these reactions to my images.
I don't model to suit anyone's desires. I express myself the way I choose to and people can take from it what they will.
Supposedly my images are not art - however, who decides what is and is not art? Art expresses human experience. Do we draw the line when something "taboo" gets involved? Is sexuality not a strong enough human experience to be welcomed into the art world?
Also - disgusting body? dunno I think I'm doing fine...
