The goal of protecting children should have no argument. But making children afraid of all nudity doesn’t protect them. It makes them anxious, insecure and more susceptible to poor body image and other problems, including abuse.
The desireless subjectivity that we construct as childhood innocence seems never to work. Then we construct dangers to justify our wrong notion, like pedophiles lurking on every street, or good sex education causing teens to have sex. These are contemporary versions of warnings about masturbation causing blindness.
Australia’s insidious media frenzy in these fiascos may seem exaggerated to us. But the censorious attitude is also found in North America. To develop real child protection and teach teens about responsible sexual health, we must stop misconstruing photographs, oversexualizing children and fabricating a moral panic.
This is some of the sanest arguing on this subject I have seen. and not just because it mirrors my own beliefs. I believe that they are tackling this issue the wrong way and in a way that will ultimately be more harmful for children. the latest news in this long line of histrionics is the decision to change classification laws in Australia. in other words, “we don’t like the results the classification board is giving so we are going to change them to suit our own means”. does this strike anyone else as wrong? I thought the point was that the classification board was above the meddling of any one group. totally autonomous. that was supposed to be their strength last I heard.
there are genuine child sex abuse crises happening in Australia at the moment. and have been for some time. and I’m pretty sure that the key demographic involved neither read Art Monthly Australia nor visit upscale Sydney Galleries. but this is a way for the government to look like it’s doing something I guess. it’s something that says we care about children (white, middle class children anyway). it just happens that what they are doing is completely useless to the children involved, and harmful in other ways that they’ve never considered. but like most crusades, it’s more about the face value than the actual damage and actual results.
Jennie's Palette 
I look at images like the one above, and I can’t see how amyone can see it as pornographic. The fact that certain people do seem to makes me worried. Especially when our Prime Minister is one of them. What does that say about him?
I look at your nude paintings, and do they go straight to the spank bank? No. If I want to look at porn there’s plenty of the real stuff available online, and sadly, this goes for child pornography as well.
One woman said that if by censoring art one child is protected, then it’s worth it. But where does this stop?
Off the top of my head, I believe it’s something like 1 in 3 women are the victim of a sexual assault. Perhaps we should stop the publishing of nude images of women. No. That’s not enough. A short skirt, a hint of cleavage, the curve of a woman’s neck, all these things can arouse a man. To fully protect women, I propose all women can only leave their house if they are covered head to toe in a shapeless covering.
If it protects one woman from rape, then it’s worth it.
You hit the nail right on the head, Steven. A number of Muslem countries figured that out centuries ago, and see how well that’s working! They sure know how to treat a woman!
Why is it that those who are just a little sick in the head are the ones that wind up with the power to tell all the sane ones what’s best for them?
Perhaps the lust for power is related to lust in general, huh? – S
THE HOLY EARTHY GENOCIDE TRINITY OF THE BLOODTHIRSTY ORGIES, the MEDIEVALIZED rancid NEURONS, the CRUSADERS SAVAGERY,the CELICE DISCIPLINE IDEALIZERS and LORD BLACK DEALERS, have no CONCEOTS, PRECEPTS, MORALITIES, IDEOLOGIES and THEOLOGIES, but FUNDAMENTALISM, INTEGRISM, NAZIFASCISM,BUSHITLERICISM and CHURCHOLOCAUSTICISM.
The BRAINLESS TRINITY and the DEVILISH CRUSADE were met at las AZORES and in PRESENCE of CHRIST, who they TORTURED ON THE HOLY CROSS and BETRAYED.It might have been also with the help of his DISCIPLES.
The VICAR of the PENTAGON PLANET, the NEW CONVERTED INTO CATOLICISM at the PENTAGONIZED VATICAN and the NAZIFASCISTS RIGHT WINGERS, whose majority are from the OPUS DEI-OPUS DAY-OPUS DORIS DAY, were represented by the LAP and STRAY DOG an my BIG BROTHER AT OPUS DEI, who was the MINISTER OF DEFENCE. What have both BLOODTHIRSTY CRUSADERS PRETENDED? HALLICINATIONS could play a CANNIBALISM ROLE, that EVERYONE GETS FAME and WIN with the IMPERIAL INCOHERENT EMPIRE and the PENTAGON PLANET. At the end, they were satisfied with the rest of FOOD that was left by the DOGS of CAMP DAVID I have said CANNIBALISM. instead of CHILDISH, because of my RESPECT and ADMIRATION for CHILDREN.
I paid full ATTENTION to three WORDS in the PREVIOUS COMMENT. They are NUDE, CHILD and CRUSADER. EUROPEAN or WESTERN COMMUNITIES are used to comparing CRUELTY, MASACRES, GENOCIDES, ATROCITIES AND WILDNESS with CRUSERS OR CRUSADE. That is VALIDATION, CONVALIDATION and AUTHENTIZATION that CHRISTINITY is SINTONIZED with SATANITY and CRUELTY. They show that they are well that CRUSADERS are those what INVADED and BATTLED with the CROSS painted on their SWORDS and SHIELDS. If you LOOK up a simple dictionary and I am having it in my hand. It says: CRUZADO means GUERRERO and LUCHADOR. That means WARRIOR and FIGHTER, but BUSHIT CODE says “TERRORISTA OR TERRORSIST” in the that CHRISTIANITY abuse of MANKIND, HUMANITY, DIGNITY AND CONSACRED BODY that destined to LIFE, HAPPINESS and PLEASURE, but they make SATANITY use of the POOR SOUTH AMERICAN CONDITIONS OF LIFE, POORNESS AND BODIES ARE SOLD TO SHOOT, COMMIT TORTURES AND GENOCIDES. What does that mean? CHRIST was born in a CAVE at BETHLEHEM, next to our HOLY MOTHER and among the DANCES and the JOYFUL of the VILLAGER PASTOR , who came to adore and venerate the BIRTH OF THE NEW BABY WHO WILL BE GOD. CHRIST WAS TORTURED ON THE HOLY CROSS, so he rushed away to HEAVEN and kept nothing of DOCTRINE, THEOLOGY, LAWS AND COMANDMENTS.
The GERMAN PASTOR who has no PEDIGREE is MEDIEVALIZED in LUXURIOUS CONDITIONS of LIFE and FAITH on CHURCHOLOCAUSTS, CORRUPTION, BLACK MONEY TADE, LORD BLACK MONEY FOUNDATIONS. I EXPERIENCED the FUTURE CANDIDATES of SANCTITY, as A SUPERNUMERARIO MEMBER and the same time, as EDUCATOR of the ones who come from aristocracy, greatrness, highness, nobilitity and with great honour ROYALY, during three DECADES. COUNTLESS AND UNCOUNTLESS TESTIMONIES SPEAK MUCH LOUDER THAN WORKS AND BARKS OF STRAY DOG. The GERMAN PASTOR should have visted AFRICA or SOUTH AMERICA to FEED them with the WORD OF GOD and no the CONVALIDATION OF BUSHITLERCISM.The ANCESTORS of BOTH come from GERMANY and SERVED the CHURCHITERICISM and PERSECUTED THE JEWISH AND FULL AMMENDMENT was PAID by the PALESTINIANS.
CHILDREN learn from what they see and do. The First EDUCATION is originated at HOME, them SCHOOL is the COMPLEMENT and SOCIETY is the MIRROR that reflects and incrusts HUMAN VALUES that may lead to the SUPERNATURAL ones for some PARTS of PEOPLE, but nowadays, we are ideoligists and nothing theologists. The UNDRESS CODE has SUBSTITUTED the PORN ONLINE. GET INVOLVED WITH CREATIVITY THAT COMES OUT OF THE PEACE OF NATURE. HUMAN VIRTUDES ARE ADQUIRED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT. What ABOUT HOMOPHOBIA, ISLAMOPHOBIA, PERMITED INJUSTICE, ILLEGALITY, IMMPORALITY, HUMILITY, PATRIOTISM, FRIENDSHIP, SOCIABILITY, OBEDIENCE, PRUDENCE, FRIENDSHIP, SINCERITY, LOYALTY, FORTITUD, GENEROUSISTY AND RESPECT? CHURCH IS SOWERING HATRED.
FUTURE GENERATIONS are coming with CLUSTER BOMBS under their armas, instead of bread, as presents for the POOREST of the POOR.
LIFE doest not work as you wish and time does not adapt at your duties. HUMAN COBSACRED BODY treasures LOVE, JUSTICE, BEAUTY, SWEETNESS, SENSUALITY and TENDERNESS. Hujan body and nature are pure NATURALISM AND CREATIVITY. You are not able to stop the CREATIVITY of an ARTIST. PORN is not NUDITY. GOYA, VELAZQUEZ and OTHERS were not PORN PAINTERS, but MASTERPIECES. I have got two portrait in my bedroom “THE NUDE WITH THE MIRROR of VELAZQUEZ and “THE NUDE OF GOYA”. WHAT IS WRONG? WE do not have to understand PORN by NUDITY. NUDITY BECAME SANCTITY, in favour of PEACE and AGAINST WAR, but OPUS DEI, WARLIKE SANCTIFIERS and REAL GODLESS were WAR MAKERS, WAR SUPPORTERS, ABORTIVE WARRIORS and ANTI ABORTIN. THE WORLD WIDE NATIONS NEED NATURE WITHOUT BUSHES and GODDESSES of LOVE. NUDITY AND DIVERSITY ARE NEEDED. WE ARE NOT IN NEED FOR DOGMAS, LIKE GALILEO. CHURCH SLAVERY gave rise to dictatorchips and crimminals. HUMAN BODIES CANNOT BE DIRECED BY REMOTE CONTROLLERS. THE ONES WHO WEAR INVISIBLE CASSOCKS AND DO NOT GO WITH THE MAJORITY, SHOULD HAVE THE VASECTOMY.
VICARIO : EX OPUS DEI SUPERNUMERARIO AND EDUCATOR.
Steve and Steven, I agree with you both whole heartedly. I think they are ridiculous in their assertions and assumptions. I worry that their assertions that works like this are pornographic are because they feel some form of arousal from the pieces. censorship is never the answer.
Vicario, thankyou for your vehement reply! you can put basic html formatting in these comments such as bold and italics which may be easier to read than capitals 🙂
I think it’s going to take more than a bit of html to make sense out of Vicario’s comments…
Thanks, Jennie, for posting part of my article and adding comments. There’s much more to this problem than even the whole article indicated, because I had to explain the events to North American readers.
Best wishes in fighting this insanity in your country — and elsewhere.
Whys there such a big thing out there anymore on making sure children know about nudity? And some people thinking its ok to do so.. I’d sure like to know .. The way I was raised,we werent supposed to be afraid of our bodies. But we weren’t taught to go just go and show it out there in public view of everbody to see. I’m the kind of parent that would like my children taught when they are at the right age in their lives.. Not shove it down their throats like other parents do. my children will learn the way I did..Naturally..I know we come into this big world wearing nothing but our birthday suits. But then were all clothed afterwards…I’m just trying to understand why young children have to know this so young..I’m sure my children wonder about things,but i will be here to teach them the birds An the bees in due time when i think its appropriate to do so.. and not any faster.. but this is my opinion..everyone have a nice day..
Perfect. jenniespalette.com is my favorite site.