We live in a country that has a weirdly puritanical attitude towards the human body, especially considering how obsessed we are with sex.
And Instagram still takes down images of women’s nipples and bodies are censored all the time.
It was only 2004 when Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction” at the Super Bowl revealed her nipple and sent her career into a tailspin, while her co-star Justin Timberlake did just fine. Justice for Janet!
Then there were a series of nude leaks of Jennifer Lawrence and Scarlett Johansson that got posted everywhere, and even had a gross name associated with their release—the “fappening.” It’s a work still associated with celebrity nude leaks. I hate people.
The only small silver lining to all this stuff is that people aren’t putting up with it anymore. They’re sick of feeling ashamed or manipulated by people trying to control their bodies.
This particular story is about Whitney Cummings, a stand-up comedian decided to share her “nudes” on Twitter after someone else threatened to do so.
She tweeted: “In April I accidentally posted an Instagram story that showed a nipple. Once I realized, I deleted. The people who took screen grabs are trying to get money from me, some said they have offers to sell them, some are asking for money to not post the photo.”
1) In April I accidentally posted an insta story that showed nipple. Once I realized, I deleted. The people who took screen grabs are trying to get money from me, some said they have offers to sell them, some are asking for money to not post the photo.
— Whitney Cummings (@WhitneyCummings) August 12, 2019
Then Cummings followed up by sharing the picture of her nipple herself, writing, “They all must think I’m way more famous than I am, but they also must think I’m way more easily intimidated than I am. If anyone is gonna make money or likes off my nipple, it’s gonna be me. So here it all is, you foolish dorks.”
https://twitter.com/WhitneyCummings/status/1160938580757188608
She also shared a screenshot of one of those sad dorks’ messages to her, mercifully hiding their user name:
“How much would it cost to not share this photo?” the person asked. It’s hard to even understand what they mean with that grammar, but good for Cummings for rejecting this nonsense. Her nipple pic is so tame. Anyone who cares about it needs to leave the house a LOT more.
Most folks are being very supportive and are completely disgusted by her wannabe blackmailers…and are wondering what exactly she’s taking a bath with?:
Omg
1) did someone hack your phone and then try to extort you?? That’s terrifying.
2) perfect nipple stunning can— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) August 12, 2019
LOL – it’s a giant lychee DUH
— Whitney Cummings (@WhitneyCummings) August 12, 2019
“The Human Nipple: to Stigmatize, or to Monetize?”
Next slide, please.
— cshermanrun.bsky.social (@cshermanrun) August 12, 2019
Pretty sure that’s a wheel of mozzarella… so many unanswered questions
— Andrew Armstrong (@donfrijole) August 12, 2019
Agree, may the day come soon, and for mens ballsack too!
— Christoffer C.S. (@ewwegCCS) August 12, 2019
A few people even shared “embarrassing” photos of their own to be extra supportive:
Real friends send you their embarrassing pix when you're embarrassing pix come out. Thank you @chrisdelia for humiliating yourself to make me feel better. pic.twitter.com/TdZ6vuzpye
— Whitney Cummings (@WhitneyCummings) August 12, 2019
https://twitter.com/Barry_Chapman/status/1160959066732187654
Not a lot of ladies, though. We still haven’t come that far. Hopefully, by the time we’re all famous, red carpets will be top-optional. Good luck getting anything out of that, creeps!