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"There Is No Obvious Reason Why It Should Be Eroticized"
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clevernamehere
06/09/09

In reply to "There Is No Obvious Reason Why It Should Be Eroticized"
The entire female body is overly eroticised and overwhelmingly used to sell something. It isn't that uncommon to see just a picture of someone's eye in an ad, but the vast majority of the time that eye is female.

People like sexy pictures and that's fine, but the labia doesn't belong on the cover of a book about legs. It belongs as a discrete cover to a porno mag.

I don't think we're going to get fewer sexualized images of women, so what I really want are more sexualized images of men. Back when we had the post about the Apatow boys photo shoot in Vanity Fair, I went back and looked at the past covers online. Every female cover was heavily sexualized, but only one male cover (Brad Pitt) was similarly sexualized. Several of the guys got sexy women as props for their covers, but they didn't have to be sexy themselves. I'm really not interested in labia, so I want some gender parity- Tina Fey in a business suit surrounded by shirtless, headless men or a wet, naked Clive Owen.
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amowls
06/09/09

In reply to "There Is No Obvious Reason Why It Should Be Eroticized"
I'm not really a leg girl, but I adore a good set of forearms on a boy.
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saintbernadette
06/09/09

@amowls: Oh, me too!
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BiteMeMitchell!
06/09/09

@amowls: I am a leg girl, but the forearms, ooooohhhhhh...... There's nothing better than lovely, muscular forearms.
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sequined
06/09/09

@BiteMeMitchell!: I read in Cosmo the other day that women love forearm and I was baffled. I guess they're not 100% full of shit like I thought!
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saintbernadette
06/09/09

In reply to "There Is No Obvious Reason Why It Should Be Eroticized"
Shh! Don't tell the book cover designer, but that's not a leg on the cover!
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BabyJane
06/09/09

@saintbernadette: Ha!
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Rare Affinity
06/09/09

In reply to "There Is No Obvious Reason Why It Should Be Eroticized"
Until the twentieth century "decent" women were not allowed to show their legs in public so is it any wonder they were eroticised, the more so since they led directly to a woman's "secret parts". Nor has the female leg alone been eroticised. Men too were expected to have shapely calves. A book I read last week on Beau Brummel explained how fashionable men in the 19th century would buy stockings stuffed in such a way to give them shapely legs and Tudor and Elizabethean literature waxed lyrical over the male leg. Poor Malvolio wears yellow stockings and cross garters in the mistaken belief that it will instantly make Olivia fall madly in love with him when she swoons over his handsome legs.
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BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit)
06/09/09

In reply to "There Is No Obvious Reason Why It Should Be Eroticized"
I'm not gonna thigh, I kneed longer legs. Shiny, longer legs.
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save jinger
06/09/09

@BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit): I calf to have some!
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BabyJane
06/09/09

@BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit): But, you are the bee's knees!
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BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit)
06/09/09

@BabyJane: I'm hip to your jive!
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Ailatan
06/09/09

@BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit): this feeture does nothing for me.
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Mary McCarthyite
06/09/09

@BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit): Just stay away from the veiny feet...
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sequined
06/09/09

@BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit): Why do we have to gamorize leg fetishists? Their interest stems from a preoccupation with perambulation, I'd imagine.
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vamusical
06/09/09

@BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit): Please don't tibialize my obsession with legs.
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BabyJane
06/09/09

@vamusical: Don't let it rankle you.
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Uncommon Whore
06/09/09

In reply to "There Is No Obvious Reason Why It Should Be Eroticized"
Mmmmm... I was just at Good Vibrations yesterday flipping through the Big Book of Dicks. Although the title may use the word penis. I was quite enjoying it. Them.
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Mary McCarthyite
06/09/09

In reply to "There Is No Obvious Reason Why It Should Be Eroticized"
I just immediately thought of this:

Long clip, but worth it.
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BeckySharper
06/09/09

@Mary McCarthyite: EPIC WIN!!
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homoviper
06/09/09

In reply to "There Is No Obvious Reason Why It Should Be Eroticized"
For what it's worth, I like men's legs the way many straight men like women's legs. Not that I fetishize them, but I sure do appreciate a good set of legs on a guy. I dunno how many other gay men or straight women feel the way I do, but..
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Jello Mix
06/09/09

@eXXX: Oh, I love a good set of legs on a man. They're my husband's best feature, in my opinion.
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BrutallyHonestBabes (aka Mrs. Sarah.of.a.Lesser.Hobbit)
06/09/09

@eXXX: I lurve my hubs' long legs. Sexy, strong, leading up to a nice butt!
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philoclea
06/09/09

@eXXX: Hey, thanks for this, because I was about to write the same thing. I have nice legs, I think (inherited from my mother!), so men who like legs do remark on them. But I also really enjoy looking at, well, soccer players' legs, and most of all, at my boyfriend's legs when he's walking around in his underwear. They're just... strong, and nicely shaped.

The other great thing about legs as a sexy part of the body is that you don't have to be super thin to have great legs. It's really more about the shapeliness of the gams than about thinness.

But really, the question is, why shouldn't any part of the body be considered sexually appealing by someone?
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BabyJane
06/09/09

@eXXX: I agree, I love my husband's legs.
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thesciencegirl
06/09/09

@eXXX: Oh, yes, I notice legs. Something about the muscled, leaner nature of many men's legs in comparison to a woman's (difference in common areas of fat deposits and all that) is super hot to me.
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sequined
06/09/09

@eXXX: I really like long, lean legs on a guy. I keep seeing facebook photos of my douchebag ex (we have many mutual friends) and the way he wears jeans is so hot to me for some reason. It is really embarassing, since I know he's a tool. He just has these really hot legs!
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gangey
06/09/09

@philoclea: Soccer legs! Yes! There is something incredible about the way the shin guards and shorts frame the knee and lower thigh that gets me all atwitter.
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bowleserised
06/09/09

@eXXX: I was just coming into the thread to say I'd love a book on men's legs. Guess Taschen won't be doing that any time soon.
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pear.shaped.Sara
06/09/09

@eXXX: Yes! Sculpted calves from years of marching band + a very cute butt = my boyfriend. I love it when he walks around in boxers.
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KittyKittyCat
06/09/09

@eXXX: I LOVE legs too!

@LAkebandit: @gangey: @philoclea: You ladies think soccer player's legs are nice (I've dated tons of them) wait until you see cyclists legs. My fiance is a cyclist and damn they are even better than soccer player's legs. HUGE muscular thighs and calves. Yum!
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gangey
06/09/09

@KittyKitty Texas-is-bigger-than-France Cat: Oh yeah! My husband's two sports are soccer and mountain biking.

But he's not wearing the fetching shin guards when he bikes, so I still prefer the soccer look!
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homoviper
06/09/09

@eXXX: I'm in good company apparently! Heheheheheh. Yes I do love some nice legs on a man. Thighs in particular. Mmmmhmmmm. We need to make our own book.
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whynotshesaid
06/10/09

@eXXX: You are not alone. My husband runs marathons, and so his calves and thighs are all sculpted and chiseled, and they are absolutely beautiful. I just want to bite them they look so good.
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blueberrypancake
06/09/09

In reply to "There Is No Obvious Reason Why It Should Be Eroticized"
Honestly, I don't really appreciate that you can see the outline of her labia on this book cover. I just get really sick of seeing the most intimate parts of women's bodies splashed all over news stands and book shelves.

Sorry, I'm not really a prude, but it's just so fucking tiresome.
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Rare Affinity
06/09/09

@blueberrypancake: I don't mind seeing the outline of her labia. I do mind that it has been deliberately darkened so at first glance it becomes less a book about legs and more a book about female genitalia.
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thePrototype
06/09/09

@blueberrypancake: the book is a look at erotic photos, so you can expect some imagery like that, and what would you have the model do, trim her labia... newsflash women have labia!!
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Rare Affinity
06/09/09

@thePrototype: But it is about her legs so you could easily have the photo stop at the top of her stockings. She isn't showing her breasts and women have breasts too, which most women are likely to expose more of in the every day world than our labia.
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Rare Affinity
06/09/09

@blueberrypancake: I have befriended you for your comment as I heartily (no pun intended for once) agree with you.
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thePrototype
06/09/09

@Rare Affinity: Right, I get that, but the book in question is an erotic photography book, and I personally really enjoy this image.

@blueberrypancake: I haven't seen this book in particular, but I have seen the 'Big Book of Breasts' at Barnes and Noble, and if it weren't for it being there I wouldn't have been exposed to the series.

The whole being able to see it while browsing articles is an interesting one, because should I be forced to go into an adult bookstore to buy books with artistic nudes, or should you be forced to look away because it does not adhere to your moral standards.

ps. I am not trying to be confrontational, I honestly think it is an interesting discussion to have.
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annainthebox
06/09/09

@thePrototype: I think that if it's going to be sold in a non-specialty bookstore, then oughtn't the OUTSIDE cover be expected to adhere to public exposure standards?

Once inside, you've chosen to look at it.

Again, I'm sort of playing devil's advocate here, as I'm all for vagina pride, but I can see where it could be offensive to someone who might be very open-minded but, perhaps, have a child or parent along.
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thePrototype
06/09/09

@annainthebox: I was also playing Devil's Advocate of sorts, and was referring the the book above (which shows classic and erotic photos), not the industry as a whole, and I do think that this book should be shown with the spine outwards, outside of the reach of children... but by no means should it be relegated to adult books stores.

But I do not like it when people complain about labia or 'camel toe' showing through panties or swimsuits, it is naturally occurring on some women and they shouldn't be made to feel about about what they look like.
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RainbowBrite
06/09/09

@thePrototype: I think it's one thing to not be ashamed if that shows through a swimsuit at the beach, but I also agree with blueberrypancake that the outline of the labia takes this image from "sexy" to "explicit".

Kind of like how if a magazine or something shows a close-up of the bulge in a guy's briefs. That'd be "sexy" (or some would say), but if it showed like, enough detail to see the ridge on the head of the guy's boner, that's taking it to another level, even though it's perfectly natural and normal.
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Penny
06/09/09

In reply to "There Is No Obvious Reason Why It Should Be Eroticized"
I need this book. My legs are my favorite feature by far and I always feel like I'm in the minority.
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Rare Affinity
06/09/09

@Penny: Gentlemen callers tend to like my legs and my breasts in equal measure. Sadly I have just discovered that one of my knees will need to be replaced soon so I am hoping that won't leave it too scarred.
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Uncommon Whore
06/09/09

@Rare Affinity: Gentleman callers? Ha! Ladies pinch, whores use rouge!
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Jello Mix
06/09/09

In reply to "There Is No Obvious Reason Why It Should Be Eroticized"
First, I love Taschen books. Second, might the eroticism be a hold-over from when it was forbidden to mention that fact that women even had legs?
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BeckySharper
06/09/09

@Jello Mix: Taschen also published a giant coffee table book called THE BIG PENIS BOOK. Complete with pictures of...y'know. They're classy AND dirty!
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Rare Affinity
06/09/09

In reply to "There Is No Obvious Reason Why It Should Be Eroticized"
The lady in the cover looks as if she has had an unfortunate accident.
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Mary McCarthyite
06/09/09

@Rare Affinity: I didn't notice that at first, but you're right!
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save jinger
06/09/09

@Rare Affinity: Maybe she's just really horny...
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morninggloria
06/09/09

In reply to "There Is No Obvious Reason Why It Should Be Eroticized"
Men who will find a woman attractive solely based on her legs are just inches less creepy than foot fetishists.
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Porcelina
06/09/09

@morninggloria: To be fair, I have some pretty hot stems (At least, me and Mr. Porcelina think so) and he stares at them, touches them. It doesn't seem creepy at all. But I think anyone who JUST is attracted to ONE body part should be dating a doll, not a real person.
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Mary McCarthyite
06/09/09

@morninggloria: Agreed. At the same time, my legs (and, ahem, ass) are my best features, so I don't feel bad that Boyfriend McCarthyite appreciates them.
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morninggloria
06/09/09

@Porcelina: There's nothing wrong with appreciating a good pair of legs. But here's an example of when leg appreciation is creepy:

A few weeks ago, I was wearing a skirt (business skirt) and walking down a busy street in downtown Chicago. A man stopped me and gestured for me to take off my headphones. I hoped that nothing was wrong, so I listened to him. "You have amazing legs. Can I photograph them?"
No, creepo. You can't. He was wearing a suit and tie. I'm still skeeved out by it.
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NerD: Blattella
06/09/09

In reply to "There Is No Obvious Reason Why It Should Be Eroticized"
"There Is No Obvious Reason Why It Should Be Eroticized"

... and yet I can't stop looking at that cover.
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Phyllis Nefler
06/09/09

@NerD!!! - R.O.A.C.H.: maybe because there's a big vagina in the way??
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DinaRonson : Elizabeth Cady Stanton
06/09/09

@NerD!!! - R.O.A.C.H.: As a non well endowed femme - quite happy I've ended up with a self described "leg man". Heels=easy; whereas fake boobs= ouch + $$
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