This is probably the reason why I don't have a Facebook account...

[reviews_and_ramblings]

... and why I'm thinking to delete my quite unused MySpace one.

read on Michael Breyette's blog: http://michaelbreyette.blogspot.com/2010/02/when-does-objection-to-nudity-become.html

Do you remember my post about the next exhibition of Paul Richmond and his Cheesecake Boys? Michael will be one of the gaylebrities that will model as Cheesecake Boys and he posted a funny picture on his Facebook fan page:



and yes, I'm reposting it not under the cut. I don't have anything against nudity, and people that frequent my Man Candy posts well know that, but if there is a full frontal nudity I put it under a cut. In this case, I will not, but not since I want to be daring, but since I don't find the above picture "scandalous". There is only an hint of cheeks, no butt crack, I even find it more thoughtful than sexy.

As I said in my comment on Michael's post, I don't like the majority of people on those media, so I'm not surprised that a woman, who was in the list of Michael's friends (!) asked for the picture to be removed... but that Facebook actually did it? They don't have a thinking mind? There is porn and there is art, and all right, sometime there is a subtle line between them, but not in the case above.

So I will state it here, profiting of Michael's disaventure: I will post pictures of naked men (or women if I like), but if it's a full frontal nude, I will put it under a cut. If not, I will post it as above. Friends, you will have to trust me and my judgement.

Comments

[tattooedraven.livejournal.com]

I trust you because you have great taste and style. ^_^;

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Thank you. As I said I really like some artistic nakedness, and I'm against the idea to post it, but I understand that people maybe is looking my journal on a public place... even if, really, some romance covers are "worst" than the above picture, so probably people should not open my journal in a public place ;-)

Actually I'm more worried on the heavyness of the page, to create problem to people when they upload the page, and so probably, I post most of the pictures under a cut for that reason.

[koshweasley.livejournal.com]

That is one of the sexiest pictures I've seen in a while. I too will trust your judgment.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Thank you. The above picture is a sexy that is not scandalous, it's a picture that it shouldn't arise preoccupation. But I understand that maybe my "mind" works differently from other. I understand that my journal is not always Work Safe, but I try to make it a good place where to spend time. Elisa

[koshweasley.livejournal.com]

All your posts are awesome. I've been lurking for several days. For the most part...mine's not work safe. lol

[clarelondon.livejournal.com]

Heavens, I have *always* trusted you and your judgement.

I understand that everyone has their personal opinion and different levels of comfort regarding nudity. I actually find some images and videos on the TV nowadays much more aggressive and potentially offensive than most of the art you feature, and much more subversive.

But again, that's just IMHO! :)

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

I don't find nudity offensive, if it's tasteful. Right, my taste can be "extreme" for some people, and I did wonder on some people who removed me from their friends list after I post some pictures, but then, I think, if you friend me, you know me, I don't think to hide anything LOL

What I find really unsettling is that Michael's fanpage is rated, not allowed for under 18, and it's right, Michael's art is a bit extreme. So, if you are on his friends page, you know him... why do you have to complain for a picture as the one above?

[norton-gale.livejournal.com]

Facebook should stop being so puritanical. Nudity does not equal sexually explicit.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Exactly. I even don't find the above picture particularly "sexy" if you give to sexy a "naughty" inclination. It's more romantic than sexy. Elisa

[kika-k.livejournal.com]

Non ho facebook perchè ritengo invada troppo la privasy delle persone. E' da un anno che penso se iscrivermi o no ma penso che ognuno è libero di mettere le foto che crede solo magari avere un poco di decenza o filtrare a chi si desidera far vedere le foto.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

La pagina di Breyette è per over 18 e lui è un erotic artist, così non credo che nessuno listato come suo amico dovrebbe scandalizzarsi per una foto come quella sopra.

[kika-k.livejournal.com]

Vero.

[pandorasvase.livejournal.com]

Sono tra quelli che si rifiutano di avere un Facebook account per svariati motivi. Ma mio fratello ce l'ha. Così spesso notiamo che chi ha il compito di moderatore o quel che è, non ha il tempo per poter controllare cosa effettivamente ha davanti. Qualcuno segnala e lui/lei toglie. Punto.
E se nessuno segnala, beh, restano gruppi come "A morte questo o quello" o simili.

Trovo questa foto di M. Breyette molto bella e sensuale, senza mostrare quasi nulla. E sottolineo il quasi nulla, perchè quella curva di sedere che si vede è meno di quello che vedo quotidianamente e a qualunque ora in televisione...

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Si penso anche io che nessuno si sia fermato a riflettere prima di cancellare, ma facendo così danno "potere" agli omofobici che ci sono in giro.

Naked man and women

[(Anonymous)]

I love naked men and women too, I like them both...

Mick

www.mykoladementiuk.com

Re: Naked man and women

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

If it's a good naked picture, it's art, point, and art is beauty, so it should be no scandal at all. Elisa

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

Hm. I just put up a facebook page and now I'm inclined to pull it right back down. My covers don't have much nudity in the new editions, but goddamn it, I'd LOVE to have that pic you posted on one of my covers.

If the self-righteous zipper-sniffers who are "protecting" children from knowing that gays and lesbians existed would turn their attention to being better parents, they'd have less to worry about.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

And again, I'd like to highlight that Michael's profile was over 18 and you have to be friend to see the picture, so who "complained" for it, was totally out of topic.

> but goddamn it, I'd LOVE to have that pic you posted on one of my covers.

LOL Michael is a cover artist, but maybe, if you ask nicely, he can be a model too ;-) I'm jocking, I don't think he wants a second career!

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

I couldn't afford him anyway. And really, I can't complain about the work Alex has been doing on my covers!

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Mind if I ask you something? How much an original cover art can cost? I saw price range from 50$ to more than 400$ and I was curious to know the average price. Do you have an idea? Elisa

[lee-rowan.livejournal.com]

Most of the small-press seem to have a budget around $50; that was LBR's base rate, though I know they sometimes went over it. When you consider the costs of getting a book up, and the tiny profit small publishers get back from their sales points (I believe Amazon gobbles up 55% of the cover price, in addition to forcing deep price cuts on everyone) it isn't a matter of being stingy.

Alex did a great article on the subject over here:

http://bookworld.editme.com/CoverArtTorsos

I really wish some attractive, enterprising young men would go into business for themselves. There's a model who sells pics of himself (alone and with models) specifically aimed at romance cover designers--but he won't do m/m poses.

For a model or actor who wants to get his face (and other attributes) out in print and build a reputation, small-press could be a real boon in the way of free publicity. He/they wouldn't make much off each picture, but it'd be pizza money, at least.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

I really love the work of that 400$ cover artist, but I supposed it was a bit too much...

[erah-haruna205.livejournal.com]

i had an account in Facebook but i deleted it because i don't feel safe and its pretty much useless to me (i already have Livejournal to rant anyway ^__^) i had a Myspace too but deleted it. Had a Twitter but deleted it too =______=

i think the Facebook people have no right to remove that picture (that woman who commented, does she even know who she friended?)

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

We are pretty similar: I had twitter for less than a month, deleted it; I had facebook for less than half day, deleted it when I started to receive strange friend request; I had myspace, but spend most of the time there deleting friends request from people I don't know and am not interested in knowing. Till now, only LiveJournal gave me a positive experience. Elisa

[shadownyc.livejournal.com]

I think this pic is very thoughtful. It's an interesting pose.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think so. He has not a sexy expression, it's like he wants to tell something serious, bared off all. Elisa

[sidhe-woman.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting about this - I have a FaceBook account so I went straight to it and became a friend of Michael *g*. I hate bigotry in all its forms and I won't be a party to it.

Um, does that make me a bigot...?

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

LOL if you are a bigot, you are the type I like ;-) Elisa

Thanks

[(Anonymous)]

Hey Elisa

Thanks for posting about this. I am quite amazed by all the positive reaction I've read on here, on my facebook fanpage and another blog that posted about the complaint and censorship.

With all that goes on in the world, It's hard for me to comprehend that people choose to be offended by the human body, or even by sex for that matter. But offended they are, even over the slightest hint of skin, how do they get through their day?

~Michael Breyette

Re: Thanks

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

As you can see by the comments of my wonderful friends ;-) it all depends on the intelligence of people. If you have a thinking mind, you can't be "armed" by something beautiful as the human body. I take in highly regard my friends on LJ, I think they are wonderful. I wish you to find more friends like them in you blog and life, don't know on Facebook ;-) (yes, I'm a little bitter on that media...)