The open-source what now?

[hazliya]

So, as I was scanning my f-list just now, I saw a number of posts mentioning something called the "Open-Source Boob Project."

So, I went and read the post, glossing over the few hundred comments responding to it. And felt a tingle go down my spine.

Now don't get me wrong - I'm all about the "it's-not-dirty-it's-a-normal-part-of-your-anatomy" view of the socially-sensitive bits of body* - but something about it gave me a "back away slowly" vibe. Maybe it's that the guy comes off as creepy. Maybe it's the writing. If someone came up to me with a reverent (read:wide-eyed and staring) expression, nervous, and quiet, asking me "can I touch it," my instinct would be to say "no" with no regard to whatever "it" happened to be. Boobs, puppy, can of soup, you name it.

I really think what wigs me out a bit isn't the fact that it's wanting to touch racks. It's wanting to touch people with varying degrees of acquaintance and context. As I just mentioned, if some random guy came up asking to touch my face, feet, or shoulders, I'd say no just as quickly as I would to the same question regarding my breasts. Even if a friend came up to me, wanting to touch my knees with no context whatsoever, I'd be a little cautious. I'd probably let a friend go ahead, but ask why the hell they'd want to. But red flags would go off in my head if they gave me a spiel about desexualizing the human kneecap and having no reason other than wanting to touch, never mind hearing the same bit from a stranger. And I think the general population is going to ask for an explanation when faced with that one.

Not to say that I'm anti-boob-touches. I've been in situations where a friend or more of mine (female, pretty close) were discussing breasts openly, and felt that theirs were unnatural somehow and pretty much everyone around offered theirs as comparison. Or I have a friend of mine with whom boob-grabbing is our standard greeting due to an inside joke. That's one thing. I'm not 100% sure why, but this is another.

I don't know. I think it's just the guy that gives me the willies. There's something deep in what you could whittle the original idea down to that strikes a chord with me, but everything else just ruins it.

What do you guys think? If you have ideas as to why this wigs me out/shouldn't, I'm all ears.

-H

*Though I admit to having no problems accepting free things from men behind counters who stare openly at my breasts.

Comments

[kadath.livejournal.com]

Check the_red_shoes and springheel_jack.

[dariusk.livejournal.com]

Wow, springheel_jack's commentary is DEAD FUCKING ON.

[kadath.livejournal.com]

He bowls a 300, usually.

[neuromancerzss.livejournal.com]

I do think his description was sort of creepy. He could have been asking her name and those descriptions would be creepy.

I also agree that I personally would be a little weirded out if people asked to touch me, even in non-sexual ways. Not angry with them, just a "why are you acting so weird" and "no, I like my personal space" mix.

However, all that said, I don't really see an issue with the core concept. Sure, the individual in question sounds creepy. Sure, it's not my thing. But beyond that, I don't really see anything wrong with it. It's consensual and opt-in. Just being a purely physical admiration, even when focused on one sex, doesn't make it illegitimate in my eyes (though I don't find pornography or prostitution to have any inherent flaws either). People should be able to choose their own way.

So I think you have perfectly good reason to be personally wigged out by the idea of it happening (uninvited) to you, I'm just curious whether the concept as a whole wigs you out or if it's more on a personal level.

[hazliya.livejournal.com]

I'm all about the "it's-not-dirty-it's-a-normal-part-of-your-anatomy" view of the socially-sensitive bits of body

I'm good with a bit of core concept, as long as his core concept was what I think it may have been. I just think his motivations and methods are way off.

[pezzonovante.livejournal.com]

I'm a very touchy-feely person, but I'm also very protective of my face & neck. So I understand both sides of this (at a personal rather than political level).

I can't reconcile the desexualization of breast-fondling with the fact that it's a known erogenous zone. I can understand a 'Look, but don't touch' mentality. But in my mind, it's no different than trying to claim that letting relative strangers stroke your inner thigh isn't sexual in nature.

I don't know if it's disingenuous or not, but the whole things seems rather incredulous to me either way.

[shogunhb.livejournal.com]

I think this has already been invented. It's called Mardi Gras.

[maverick-weirdo.livejournal.com]

I have not read the conversation because whenever I try to follow the link my system freezes (I guess he's getting alot of traffic over there).

What I can say is that I have met him before at cons, and while he seemed a bit "off" I didn't get the "creepy" vibe from him in person. My guess is that his words, out of the context of knowing him, is the problem.

[jalawingedone.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I thin he had a good experience with whatever particular dynamic he had in the group he was in. But then he was high enough on the experience to wish it could happen more often. I think he's a guy who didn't consider the broad-based implications enough, but I'm not sure he deserved the floodgates of internet hate.

[elenuial.livejournal.com]

This specific guy exists to say stupid inflammatory things on the internet. If the floodgates hadn't opened, he would keep his head firmly stuck up his you-know-where and believe he was right. Considering that he was reinforcing a pretty all-encompassing societal prejudice, that only doubled the justification, and did nothing to lessen the irony.

For an amusing perspective on the issue:

http://misia.livejournal.com/1055120.html

Also, what actions would justify the floodgates of internet hate for you? I'm curious.

[jalawingedone.livejournal.com]

I guess I'm not sure. I haven't exactly put down a line and said "If you cross this line, we throw you to the INTERNETS!" I guess I find I worry that if I share too much of what I think about on LJ or other public forums, I'll get a flame-war myself. And I suspect that if I started exclaiming the things I felt the most deeply about, something like that would happen, although I trust that enough of the people who read my journal understand that intent to harm is the farthest from my mind. I guess the whole discussion comes down to someone who intended not to harm, dealing with something that by nature often harms.

[vjnightshade.livejournal.com]

When I read "Open-Source Boob Project" I thought, "Oh, did scientists discover and release the gene fingerprint for breast size?"

Nope, it's just a "cause" made up by some guy obviously lacking in social skills as an excuse to ask random women to second-base them.

If this guy honestly things he's doing women a favor, he should think again.

[elenuial.livejournal.com]

When I read "Open-Source Boob Project" I thought, "Oh, did scientists discover and release the gene fingerprint for breast size?"

That's exactly what I thought. :)

I thought it was going to be something scientific and awesome, not... that.