I saw a brief clip today of the actress/reality star Lisa Rinna talking about her decision to pose naked in Playboy at the age of 45, and having had two children. This is her second time posing.
She had the support of her husband and I saw the pictures - done in a tribute to the movie The Graduate, with Rinna portraying Mrs Robinson - albeit a naked Mrs Robinson!
Ms Rinna looks absolutely amazing - not because she is 45 and a mother of two, but because she has a rockin' body! Anyone, of any age, with that body, should be very proud!
She said she wanted to show that you can be older, a mother, and still look amazing. I'm sure air brushing helped her a lot (and she does have breast implants and finally admitted that her famous plump lips are implants!) but still - she should be very pleased with the hard work she puts into having such a fit and toned physique.
But other women believe she (and anyone posing in Playboy) are doing women a great disservice by posing totally naked. They feel that women are objectified and due to the air brushing involved (and there is a lot of airbrushing, to be honest) it creates an unrealistic expectations of how women "should" look. And admittedly, many women don't really look like their Playboy spreads, in real life.
Other women have also posed at an older age, like Farrah Fawcett at age 50 and Carol Alt at age 47. Alt's mom said she supported her because a Playboy spread is nothing more than anyone could see in a museum!
Tell Us
Do you think posing naked for Playboy (at an older age than average Playboy models) is empowering to women? Why? Why not?
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Not sure what to say or if I should say anything at all! Playboy has been known for one thing and one thing only: exposing women's bodies to satisfy their readership (or should I say viewership) pleasure. I do not recall ever hearing that this magazine portrays women for their intellectual value to society as a result of posing naked. So I am really concern with why some women continue to find this avenue a way to build up the nature of women. Is it personal gain (money) and desire for acceptance? Can women find other ways to do it?
Ok, so she knows she has a great body at 45, but why naked? And why in Playboy? Who buys this magazine? MEN mainly, correct? Ask any men why do they buy this type of publication? I bet they will not say: "the interesting articles" or maybe they will to get you off their back!
I know many great female athletes and dancers who look wonderful at her age but show up in magazines wearing clothes. Unfortunately women continue to send mixed messages. I am sorry, but I find her decision undermines what women have worked so hard for years to dismiss from society. Posing naked achieves two thing: 1. the sensorial pleasing of the viewers of Playboy who will probably will not look beyond her full woman potential and 2. money for her pocket. Ok, maybe a few drools from women who want to look just like her...come on!
I asked my kids what would they think of me if I did show up naked in a magazine like Playboy, they responded: "Mom, if you did something like that we would not be able to see you as a mother figure any more, you would be forever in our minds as this naked thing even if you looked physically great" That was actually profound and enough for me, so I will not send my pictures to Playboy!
May 18, 2009 - 10:09pmThis Comment
Go, you!! Coach Virginia, you said so well what I'd wanted to say, but honestly I'm so burned out on this issue that it's a real chore to drum up the words. How long are we going to have to speak out on this issue (and, yes, we women are seriously sending mixed messages, BTW!) that so obviously contributes to keeping women from achieving equality on several levels.
May 18, 2009 - 10:31pmThis Comment
I personally don't believe it's empowering to women -- it's just the opposite. There is the airbrush issue, but that's not really what bothers me -- it's how women are objectified that bothers me. It keeps us several steps back from where we should be.
May 18, 2009 - 9:48pmThis Comment