The Best Naked Pregnant Woman on a Magazine Cover
I know it's been done before. Sure, I get that it's designed to shock and awe. And indeed, I realize it may cause some to stumble and plenty others to stand in judgment. But I must say: although I usually shake my fists at the number of scantily clad "cover girls" we must endure, I couldn't help staring and smiling upon seeing a coyly covered, nude and pregnant Jessica Simpson on the cover of the April issue of Elle.
Maybe it's because I've grown weary—especially during the recent birth-control mandate-related political debates—of the cultural conversations in which pregnancy is seen as a tragedy, as a horrible inconvenience needing public dollars to prevent. Maybe it was just nice to see a pregnancy celebrated so publicly and audaciously.
But I also smiled because a photograph—even a sexy, nude one—of a woman huge with child on the cover of a fashion magazine is a welcome change of pace to the typical portraits of women's bodies as mere harbingers of lust and envy.
Of course, I'm not fool enough to think that the Elle cover is free from objectification or that it was done to make a political point (at least not the one I'm thinking) or that it's not meant to highlight what writer Margot Starbuck calls, in Unsqueezed, being "instrumental" over "ornamental." Goodness, I'm a former magazine editor. I know that the entire purpose of anyone on a cover is ornamental—a lure to compel readers to grab the magazine.
But even if the reason for the nude image of Simpson is to sell magazines (and that is the reason), if it's true that there is a time for everything—including a time for a naked woman to be used to sell a magazine—I say, it's during pregnancy. At least then, we see a woman's body in a fresh twist on "sex symbol"—this time as a symbol of the amazing and mighty miracle-worker it is.
I must confess: I demurred a bit on my stance when a friend asked why Simpson had to be nude to showcase her pregnant body. "Couldn't she have been more decent?" my friend asked. "Wouldn't a bikini have done the trick?"
Maybe. But what I love about the cover is that, aside from Simpson's fancy hair and earrings and, of course, all the retouching, it's so primal, so physical, so, well, naked—like reproduction itself.
Pregnancy is the one time of a woman's life when she is so openly and unashamedly (for the most part) public with her sexuality and physicality—meaning, with rare exception, the pregnancy is the result of having sex. Pregnancy is a season when modesty gets tossed out the window—where our body parts stretch ever toward people, where strangers will ask to touch our stomachs (and we usually let them!), where millions watch videos of our husbands kissing our growing, bare tummies, where doctor visits are the most intrusive sorts, where room-fulls of people will one day view our most private parts. And we don't feel embarrassed; we don't feel ashamed. We feel proud, grateful, and amazed at what God created our bodies to do.
Auditing America's Political Integrity
Stay Sexy or Else? Well, Please Forgive These Mommy Hips
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Jean
What is wrong with being a "prude?" What exactly is a prude anyway? (just kidding) Why do we continously allow men to encourage us to use these cliche terms, that were created to put women down? Females, we need to throw that word right back at the men, because it is used to try to shame us into doing degrading acts, such as exposing our breasts. And if we do not do this and some other female degrading acts, we are labeled as prudes. And guess what, some females are so gulible and so brainwashed, that they go along with this "put down." It doesn't hurt anyone for a woman to be modest and want privacy. Let's not call it prudish just because a woman does not want everyone to see her breasts. Do we promote men posing nude. Nooooooo, we protect their modesty and dignity. And we don't call them prudish. Just another double standard.....right men?
Beryl
What makes this all so sad, is that we show women naked in magazines and all other media, while we never show the male. For those of you who think it is okay to show women nude, just because they are pregnant, it is a cop out and just another excuse to show women's naked bodies. It is wrong and unfair, it is a double standard and we are exploitating and degrading women and exalting and protecting men. We sure are !!
Lily
Seeing a woman naked may be beautiful, but we are not in Eden Garden anymore. Things have changed. Just because CHRIST came to die on the CROSS and we have His infinite GRACE, doesnt mean we should walk around NAKED. Christian people need to do less talking and admiring and MORE glorifying GOD.. God tells us HIMSELF that you should not discover a woman or a man NUDITY. Posing naked, though it may look BEAUTIFUL, does NOT glorify GOD. PERIOD. LIFE is not about BEAUTY all the time, i'm sorry guys. We are not supposed to see a woman's body NAKED cause our body are GOD'S OWN PROPERTY, and also not when the woman is married cause that nudity belongs to her husband !!!! When will you guys STOP finding BEAUTIFUL every little stuff and START acknowledging GOD's COMMANDS ? SMH.
Bob
It is, of course, not true, that "there is a time for everything." This is not hermenutics. It's the far-too-common practice of someone taking a phrase from Scripture and injecting it with whatever meaning the writer wants it to mean in order to justify a point of view. If "there is a time for everything" is a valid rationale for a magazine cover featuring a nude woman because she is pregnant (and for a Christian writer to be delighted to see it), it is just as valid a rationale for a magazine cover (or its pages, for that matter) featuring nude couples engaged in the act that produces pregnancy. Both pregnancy and sex were created by God. If we are to cast off antiquated notions about whether or not someone's state of dress (or undress) is "decent" (not to mention, "more decent") and truly portary the unashamed beauty of human sexuality, now is the time to do so. Sure, there once was a time most folks thought that some things should remain private. But then, there once was a time most folks thought marriage should precede sex and pregnancy. Perhpas, Caryn, you could persuade CT to allow you to use your editing skills for an offshoot magazine for Christians that would help us all celebrate the beauty of sex. After all, when a husband and wife have sex, modesty goes out the window. And who doesn't know that married couples have sex? Why not portray on the cover of a magazine (and inside as well) what we all know is happening behind closed doors? How can we properly celebrate something so wonderful unless we expose it fully for all to see? Since what you loved about the magazine cover is that it is "so primal, physical, and naked" (I'm still doing a mental review of the Bible to figure out exactly where those are Christian values, but now I realize that's an irrelevant digression), how could you help but love a primal, physical, naked visual testament to human sexual relations even more? Think of it: You'd probably have subscribers for such a publication from a fair number of professing Christians, particularly ones who've become comfortable over the years in a culture where moral scruples related to the concept of modesty hardly exist anymore. You could even help Christian couples who may have vestiges of embarrasement regarding their own sexuality overcome that embarrasment. You would also be affording them a bold opprotnity to demostrate that they are "proud, grateful, and amazed" at this aspect of human relationships that God has created. (Sounds downright spiritual, doesn't it?) And for those unwilling to be appear in such photos themselves, you would still be helping them by giving them an unshielded, graphic view of other couples so they could come to feel more comfortable in their own bedroom. They might even learn some helpful techniques to enhance their own expereinces. Moreover, you wouldn't have to be constrained to use only married couples for the photo sets. Since the pregnancy of an umarried woman is to be celebrated as something beautiful, sex between an umarried couple should surely be celebrated as well. Just as pregnancy is a marvelous thing to be celebrated regardless of moral context, so, too, should be sex. Perhaps you could even inject an element of evangelism. I suspect there are plenty of performers in the porn business who could use more work. You could hire a couple, allow them to use their skills and experience to created visually compelling scenes, and then sit with them and share how God created sex and they should thank Him for it. (Just don't mention the part about sex outside of marriage being a sin. They'd just call you judgmental, and we could't have that now, could we.) And here's a related idea. In addition to of a magazine featuring couples to celebrate the beauty of sex, you might also consider one that simply features nude women to celebrate the beauty of the human body as God created Eve's in Eden. Oh, I know you'd be competing with Playboy Magaine and the ...
Ellie
Ok Jessica, now you made me laugh! You say Caryn is a hypocrite to read about Jessica Simpson.... and yet you seem to know all about her yourself! I knew next to nothing about her. It doesn't make me a good Christian just because I know nothing about her. Knowing about her would not make me a bad Christian either! Choosing to respond in love might... after all wasn't it said that they will know we are Christians by our love? Just so you will know that I am not a good Christian and ignorant of sin... I work in the health care field... trust me, I know about sin! I even read about sin. I need to understand what teens are talking about when they come and say they did this or that or tried this. I need to know what people are talking and thinking about and doing since I am a nurse. Caryn needs to know what people are thinking and reading about since she is a writer. If all that is true about Jessica Simpson, and I have no reason not to believe you, it is sad. The proper response should be a deep sense of sadness, prayer, and love.
Jessica
Jessica Simpson is FAR FAR from being a Christ follower. I realized just how much of a Hypocrite this woman is by reading magazine articles about her. There is nothing Christian about this woman. She used her "Christianity" to get money and fame. Funny how Jessica Simpson claimed to save her self for marriage and now she's been with different guys (including her secret lovers that she told People magazine she had). and now She's knocked up before marriage.
Ellie
Wow, this got a lot of attention! Relax a little. I think all Caryn is saying is that it is nice to see pregnancy and a pregnant belly not seen as ugly, fat, and embarrassing. The rawness of pregnancy does have a beauty. I worked for awhile in labor and delivery rooms, and there is even a beauty in the rawness of birth. (ok, ok, I know you all don't want to see it, so don't..) Now I work with old people. I had one patient who was 102. She was practically bald, only a few wispy hairs clung to her head. Every night, I would remove her wig, take off her clothes, and get ready to wash her while she sat on the toilet. Every night, I thought the same thing - "I wish I could take a picture of her" (NO -I NEVER WOULD!! I am a professional!) But there was a beauty to her body, naked as it was; a beauty to the wrinkles, the little bald head, the bent back, slightly swollen ankles, and the smile on her face... a body that has seen over 100 years. There is beauty in life... newborn, awkward teen, pregnant, tired moms, and old people. We can get all hung up on people's sins and other things and miss something God created - LIFE which is good. When I was pregnant, I would listen to many of my friends talk about how their husbands didn't like their bodies when they were pregnant. "Fat, a beached whale, awkward..." Those are some of the words that were used. I was blessed with a husband who loved the way I looked pregnant and made me feel beautiful... even though I have stretch marks, varicose veins, and the extra skin afterwards. I felt sad for my friends who never got to feel beautiful and desired while pregnant by the very men who made them pregnant. Our society still sadly views pregnancy as something mildly embarrassing and "ugly" too often. I think part of what Caryn is saying is that it is good to see the beauty of pregnancy celebrated (even though she admits it is altered and has problems and all). Life has beauty. Trust me, it does... in all its odd and awkward moments. And strangely, that beauty disappears when life does... I've sat and watched people die many times, and with life goes beauty. After life is gone, there is only a body which we wash and send to the funeral home... but life is gone, and so is the spark of beauty.
Elizabeth Ponder
I'm with a bunch of others here in saying - WHAT? Why are we celebrating Jessica? Yay - she got pregnant outside of marriage and is now standing naked for all to see. If anything, she is flaunting that she has chosen to violate God's plan for marriage and children. I'm not saying that baby is not to be celebrated - I'm just saying why in the world are we saying on a christian blog that this is a good thing? If anything, Simpson is bringing dishonor to her unborn child because when he/she is born they will have a naked picture of their mother out there for all to see. I get where you were going, but I think it went a little far. Let's not be ashamed of pregnancy or babies - but let's do be grieved of our sin in a way that would lead us to repentance.
cabbagejuice
Hello Caryn, please don't patronize me. My view of beauty is the sum total of a person, more her character than looks. If that makes a person "sad" especially on a Christian blog, that is pretty incredible. In fact, I really don't believe you were/are sad for one second. There are ways to denigrate another person and keep within in the rules. Apparently you don't have any disabilities knowing where the boundaries are. "Oh, that breaks my heart" - yeah, right!
marie
2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; 2:19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 2:21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 2:22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 2:23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
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