Baring it all for Feminism and Empowerment

By: Jill

WARNING: NSFW!!

Is it possible for a feminist to also participate in a boudoir session?

A close friend asked me this months ago as I had accepted my blogging position here at The Boudoir Studio. Honestly, it flustered me to give her an answer that would satisfy her curiosity and also hold me accountable for my own woman empowering values. If you were to ask Google, “does taking off your clothes empower a woman?” the short answer is no. However, in my own boudoir experiences, both assisting sessions and being in front of the camera, my answer would be yes. Perhaps it is an unpopular opinion. . . but I know that for some women, there is no better way to own your space, be proud of your body and to encapsulate that feeling forever than to be photographed nude.

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Nude Subjectivity

Empowerment has been a newly crazed word that so many women have been using in the wave of the gender equality, body positivity and #metoo movements. During one of our monthly Boudoir Studio team meetings, we all talked about how boudoir photography doesn’t have the ability to empower a woman because empowerment comes from herself, within. We merely are only showing her what is already there through our photography.

“ They felt that they were presenting authentic and genuine sexuality rather than images which presented them simply as objects of heterosexual male desire”

While researching for this article, I came across so many answers that suggest that being photographed in your birthday suit only further objectifies women in our culture. It seems ironic that women are once again told what we can and cannot wear by the patriarchal society. Katelyn Nagel, a researcher from the University of Colorado majoring in Women and Gender Studies had an interesting take on this subject. Her thesis titled, Nude Subjectivity: Making Meanings of Participation in a Nude Feminist Photographic Practice sheds light on why women chose to be photographed nude and includes intimate interviews on their thoughts after being photographed. She remarks that all of the research participants “made connections between feminism and our creation of nude images reflecting their sexuality. They felt that they were presenting authentic and genuine sexuality rather than images which presented them simply as objects of heterosexual male desire”.

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This reminded me of my own boudoir experience at The Boudoir Studio. My original intention for my boudoir session was that these images are for me. It isn’t because I wanted to show off my body to the world or intended to give these to anyone specifically. It was a powerful decision, not one that I would feel is linked to narcissism as many of the “selfie generation” is all too quickly label it to be. There is a level of creative control that happened between Asif, my photographer, and I. I wasn’t just showing up with all the lingerie I had in my dresser and allowing him to tell me what to wear and how to look. I knew how I wanted to convey myself and Asif manifested all of my ideas. It was an absolute collaboration between us.

“I knew how I wanted to convey myself and Asif manifested all of my ideas. It was an absolute collaboration between us. ”

One of Nagel’s participants in her research quoted during an interview that, “respecting sexiness involves seeing others not (only) as sex objects but necessarily as sexual subjects; human beings who are in charge of their sexual agency […] she chose to display herself sexually despite doing it ‘the wrong way, because we’re not doing it for a man’”. Nude art and boudoir photography was originally intended to appeal to men and images that aren’t, are less accepted by society and mainstream culture.

How would you define empowerment?

So many of The Boudoir Studio’s clients claim that they feel empowered after their photo sessions. It is a feeling that is hard to describe and the act of being empowered is even harder to define. Nagel asked her participants in the Nude Photography study to provide their definitions of empowerment and each offered their unique answer:

Lilah: By empowerment I mean, someone [is] enabled and inspired by a collective mentality or act that makes them feel more confident and able to accomplish things or experience feelings otherwise unattainable—kind of like a group mentality or strength in numbers.

Meg: To me, empowerment is being able to own your own body, and not allowing anyone else to lay claim through acceptance of the space you fill and even being able to take up more space than that.

Regina: I would define “empowerment” as a conscious act of unapologetically honoring what feels authentic to you. To elaborate a little, I feel empowered when I resist the feeling that I have to suppress some aspect of myself in order to come off as “likable", or “normal”, or "non-threatening"—whatever it is. Instead of constantly having to shut yourself down and pretend like something (feelings, social injustices, sexuality, bodily imperfections...) doesn’t exist, you get to just own it and that makes me feel invincible against anyone who doesn’t agree.

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“I would define “empowerment” as a conscious act of unapologetically honoring what feels authentic to you.”

After a boudoir session, every single woman interprets her experiences differently and empowerment can come from gaining body acceptance during the session or from others appreciating her boudoir photos. Some women may also experience fear or discomfort from being seen by unforgiving audiences especially with all of our beauty expectations that society puts on women. (Check out a previous article ‘How Snap Chat Made Me Hate My Face’ for more on this subject).

Vulnerability and Self Growth

Steven Clark has an inspiring quote that tells us, “there is no growth in the comfort zone; there is no comfort in the growth zone”. There is nothing more scary, vulnerable and yet exciting to take photos where there is nothing to hide. I remember when I had my hair and makeup done, in my first outfit and I had those pre-session nerves. I stepped out of my comfort zone and in front of the camera. As Meg said so perfectly, I owned my space and took up even more space than that. This was me, all of me, and I am beautiful enough in my own right to take these photos just for myself. Nagel offers her insight into this by coining the term erotic power to mean: “refusing to allow societal and cultural currents to suppress and disconnect them from their own sexuality, and by defiantly displaying ownership to their sexuality and bodies”. As a proud feminist and supporter of boudoir photography, I could not agree more.