We’ve come a long way since women’s lingerie was referred to as unmentionables, or have we?
Recent protests and complaints concerning ‘inappropriate’ ‘pornographic’ advertising from retailers Bras N Things and Honey Birdette suggest otherwise.
Most recently, the shopfront of Bras N Things in Campbelltown’s Macarthur Square shopping centre had been labelled as“disgusting and offensive” by local Councillor, Cindy Cagney.
Speaking to the Macarthur Chronicle, Cindy said, “You don’t see that type of lingerie and poses on daytime TV.”
“It’s an unrealistic view of women and to me it is sexually suggestive. I don’t think it is necessary.”
She goes on to spotlight the issue as an irresponsible representation of body image and contentious depiction of female sexuality.
In these images and others in the campaign, the women featured are covered in more material than the average bikini offers. The poses and size of the women featured are no different than those plastering the walls of shops like Sports Girl or H&M.
The size of models used in mainstream advertising is a conversation that unquestionably needs to happen, but the amount of clothing worn by that model should not be part of the discussion.
Women should be allowed to celebrate their sexuality, to feel beautiful and confident. Lingerie has a unique power to do that, no matter what your size is.
It would be unrealistic to think any person looking at this type of advertising would feel pressured into wearing their underwear as outwear because, lingerie is for the wearer, not the starer.
Underwear can give us confidence while being completely hidden and it can empower women to feel confident in showing off their bodies.
