no wait. i don't.
but when michele posted an apology for some of the content posted during her blogathon, namely boobs, i had this tremendous sense of deja vu, because it wasn't so very long ago that a small war broke out over another incident in which breasts were bared, and semi-bared, on the internet. i know, i know, what is the world coming to, who will think of the kittens, all that.
this is so un-switzerland of me, because i had friends vehemently on both sides of controversy number one, and i am directly involved in controversy number two, in that i was a little nervous the night before blogathon so i got quite tipsy, and the combination of (a) admiration for her choice of charity, the Daniel Pearl Foundation, (b) feeling bad about not being able to donate more than pocket change myself, and (c) a digicam and a dsl line and (d) beer, caused me to donate some cleavage to cause. as did any number of others. also, i confess that my frequent visits to the site throughout the long 'thon, helped keep me happy and awake.
so i'm going to go out on a limb and say, while i understand there are people that find this horrifyingly, um, exploitative or something? yeah, i think that's the standard objection. anyway, when madison avenue stops using boobs to sell everything from ... well, everything, when we can turn on MTV without being assaulted by boobs (and navels, lots of those too, it's like, all you see anymore), ... ok wait i see the flaw in that logic. because if boob projects on the internet are exploitative, then we should also be mightily offended by pretty much every magazine in the checkout line, every ... oh, never mind.
i know i've just pissed off and/or alienated some friends here. but every once in awhile even switzerland has to stand up and say, ok, i've thought this over, i've given it careful consideration and looked at all sides of the arguement, every side has merit, no one is wrong, and these are my boobs.
happy monday.
you know, visiting michele's blog during the night was a big part of me being able to get through all this -- she really had some enthusiasm going. and yes, boobs help that, how could they not?
ack! again. Big frikin' deal.
;)
xoxo
I'm only offended that nobody is mentioning my boobs.
ummm... wken has boobs. up there. go see.
and ... ummm ... that 'blog of breasteses' was almost the most fun i ever did have with my boobs ... ALMOST ...
all god's chillun's got boobs.
amen to that ratty, amen to that.
um, and yeah, i forgot to mention that the boobs of wKen are over there too. nekkid man-boobs. go see!
Thank you for being a Switzerland. ;) Oh, and for posting your boobs too.
Know what's a cool feeling? When I'm typing a comment in to your blog and then get an e-mail to let me know that you just commented on mine. It's like ... wow!
Awright! You know, life is too short to care too much about what other people think, especially about whether or not to show your boobies...!
But see, that's what's so cool about you being Switzerland - it's ok to have diverse views in Switzerland, it's supposed to be a refuge.
I didn't like the rack browser - it wasn't the boobs, it was the "empowerment/raising self esteem by posting boobs" hooha that I didn't buy the logic of. But I didn't go into a caustic rant about it - just made a joke of it. Nothing wrong with boobs, I have a couple I'm rather close to. I haven't been to Michele's yet. But I wasn't bothered by the boobs at her place - it was just another bit of wackiness to help everyone stay awake and laugh a bit, and it wasn't presented as anything more than that. The two different boob projects? Two different beasts in my book - and all a matter of presentation. I didn't go see the boob blog - because it was off of her main site where the blogathon stuff was going on - and I figured, hey, saw the photos once, been there done that.
Now that I think about it - I dunno - if it'd been me I woulda stuck a graphic in somewhere about "the tone/content of this blog in no way reflects on the seriousness of the charitable cause it's rasing funds for" - or something like that. Because I can see how some folks could take the stance that this was mocking the seriousness of the charity. But I didn't think of this til after I read your post just now, so it's real easy to make statements like this in hindsight. Now, off to read Michele and see who has their knickers in a twist...
People took the boob shots a little too seriously. I thought they were funny and beautiful.
Ok, I've gone and read stuff - but I don't see anyone being huffy against anything in the comments anywhere . So either the mean stuff was edited out of the comments (which I completely understand) or people emailed their complaints. So why is everyone getting so upset in Michele's comments after she apologized? Apologizing is just about saying "sorry if that offended you" and explaining yourself - it's not about bowing under pressure or not having the right to post whatever you want on your own blog. I mean you can say "sorry if you're upset, maybe you should move on and not read" - and it's still a polite apology. (Unless you add "move the fuck along and stay the fuck away" - that tends to rile up some people.) I don't see that there are any big ol issues of trust or decency or winning the war against tyranny or anything. And Michele clarified how she saw the project. No controversy. All is well. And I still need to go lingerie shopping, which is really what this boob thing keeps reminding me.
And I am never gonna catch up on sleep from blogathon, y'know?
the complaints were most likely in email, the fact she felt the need to openly apologize is what really pissed me off.
because all the public response was overwhelmingly positive, and it was a really fun thing which brought lots of traffic, and out of that attention, she recruited more sponsors.
and Daniel Pearl seems like he was the kinda guy that would have said, 'cool, go for it'. and his foundation is about tolerance and acceptance.
But see - apologizing is also about explaining - and perhaps, for some people - she needed to clarify some things, show them that they were perhaps misunderstanding what her goals were. Of course I have no idea what the people who complained had issues with. But there's nothing wrong with apologizing - like I said, it's not always about bowing to pressure - it's often having to do with pointing out where your perspective and other people's are being misunderstood.
The other type of apology is when someone's being hurt in some way and you are to blame - that's not what this is. From her post, Michele isn't sorry she posted boobs - she's sorry some people question her motives in doing so, and she's clearing up the important parts - the money that was raised, and the importance of the charity.
Frankly, it's the kind of apology that only makes me respect her more. I see it as an intelligent and strong response.
I didn't get to see the entire boobie blog, but I thought it was a fun idea and I can't believe she has to apologize for it. Sheesh. What is with people attacking other people for their blog content?
I can't believe how very puritanical the internet is lately. When will people learn that it's all about the boobies, damnit? hee.
That's a damn fine rack you've got there, by the way, kd. :D
Show that rack girl! People crying about site content is so annoying, from my experience the whiners are usually dipshits. Boo hoo! Cry me a river! LOL!
ok, well, i know people who did find the former rack project offensive, and i don't want to discount their feelings or opinions, or call them names.
however, whoever bitched at michele for the awesome fundraising event she staged, well, i might call them a name or two. i mean really. she generated a whole helluva lot of publicity, raised a ton of cash, and made the blogathon fun for lots of the rest of us too.
one of the reasons i'm neutral in controversies is that i tend to be swayed from side to side by any expression of opinion. so rather than change my mind dozens of times, i tend to just make understanding noises at everyone, like, mmhmm, i hear you, and things like that.
but in this case, i've thought it over. at length. in depth. and thoroughly. and i've decided this is my opinion.
also i'd like to observe as a side note the overwhelming number of people that eagerly submitted boobies to both projects. i mean, it's not like you have to drag this out of people, you know? you say 'send boobies' and suddenly the cup of your inbox runneth over.
I did seen this and thought of sending my own (I'm on Hooptys rack browser) but after seeing yourself and Jessica I decided I was *way* out my depth here :)
but there was such a wide variety of boobs, and all shapes and sizes were amply represented. and they all had their own unique appeal. variety is spicy!
Jessica's were my favorite, though Kymberlie's were also quite magnificent -- and those nails -- rawr. ahh, they were all wonderful.
true, calling names is bad. Sorry about that, no offense! :D
s'ok, none taken. well, by me anyway :)
the definition:
ex�ploit Pronunciation Key (ksploit, k-sploit)
n.
An act or deed, especially a brilliant or heroic one. See Synonyms at feat1.
tr.v. ex�ploit�ed, ex�ploit�ing, ex�ploits (k-sploit, ksploit)
1. To employ to the greatest possible advantage: exploit one's talents.
2. To make use of selfishly or unethically: a country that exploited peasant labor. See Synonyms at manipulate.
3. To advertise; promote.
I'm thinking to employ to the greatest possible advantage would be the correct use of the word in michele's work on Saturday.
And I also would like to note that it wasn't being used in a sexual nature (would that be bad though?) or in a way that served to objectify anyone (and would the objectification be bad since folks were willingly participating, having to take the overt action of actually taking a picture and submitting it?).
Sometimes people need to put away their '100 things to be offended by' books and look objectively at a situation. Context is a very important thing folks.
also, she did an impressive job of advertising and promoting her cause.
Jessica's photo is rather amazing.
The combination of a nice bra, the tattoo and the mere suggestion of her blond hair is *very* hot.
She gets my vote with you a very very close second :)
Jessica got my vote too. have you ever been to her page and checked out the photos of her tattoo adventures? she has the most amazing, exceptional, wonderful art on her body.
and the bra. and the blonde hair. that was perfect.
Once again I feel obliged to quote Walt Kelly in Pogo: To each his dagnab own.
I thought that was a helluva fun thing for all the participants to do, and I'm sure it helped draw in some sponsors, so anyone who complains should lighten up. Don't they ever notice the content of the spam they get?
Oh, "you say 'send boobies' and suddenly the cup of your inbox runneth over." Would that be B, C, or D?
Verrry nice KD. You need to drink and blog more. Also, I think people have got to stop saying "Send boobies" and start saying "Bring your boobies". You just have to take it to the next level, know what I mean?
gosh, thanks for all the compliments!
I thought the boobie blog was lovely, all of it. Esp. Kymberlie's fingernails, yipes and yowza! It was a nice communal effort, and it was what I could do to support the cause. The only creepy lecherous-type comments I saw were from a certain cleavage exposing participant, and even those were mostly harmless. Except the idea of someone climbing my vines made me feel very Giant to someone else's Jack, and well I'm a pretty small girl so he'd have to be extra tiny.
kd, I'm embarking on a new tattoo project and I'm so excited. I took some "before" shots, and hope to have the first of several "after" phases up next week.
I've also stopped taking birth control pills. I should take another breast portrait quick before/in case they change!