In defence of glitter boobs

Recently, the BBC had to defend its decision to share a tutorial covering the new festival trend of "glitter boobs".

Numerous people complained about the tutorial's appearance on The Social, BBC Scotland's social media platform.

Screenshot / BBC Scotland

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The question, however, is why were so many of the audience, typically aged between 18 and 34, offended by a young woman spray painting her own body and then coating it in glitter, in a video that they were in no way compelled to watch if they were so against the concept?

BBC rapped over glitter breast video – and it’s gone VIRAL #RT https://t.co/e0H6Vfxub5 pic.twitter.com/dIISUWRoyh
— Report UK (@ReportUK) June 28, 2017

I'm not opposed to outrage on social media, as who doesn't like scrolling through the comments of a controversial video? In fact, I've even found myself encouraging outrage on a whole host of topics, from Theresa May magically finding the previously non-existent money tree to fund the recent DUP deal to Donald Trump's general existence.

However, I have to draw the line at glitter boobs. Why people are getting offended by sparkly nipples is absolutely beyond me.

In an age where we're taught to accept all bodies and praise individuality, it really isn't anyone else's business what someone chooses to wear, or not wear. If someone wants to wear a woolly hat and wellies with their bikini this summer that's great! Equally, if someone wants to cover themselves in stick-on gems and glitter they should feel absolutely free to do so without worrying about offending someone.

It seems that the real issue many people have with the entire glitter boob craze is that women are doing something with their bodies which isn't purely sexual or for the benefit of men. Just like breastfeeding in public has, entirely unfairly, caused controversy in recent months, making our chests into disco balls is causing issues because someone might find out we have nipples, and that really would be the end of the world as we know it. Indeed, many of those who were outraged by the BBC tutorial managed to base their entire comment on the appearance of the featured model's body, rather than the allegedly offensive trend itself.

Ultimately, this is a call to all those who, like me, think glitter boobs simply look like a really fun way to spend an afternoon at a festival if, unlike me, you're lucky enough to be going to one. Personally, I'll have to pass for now, or at least until Edinburgh gets hit by a heatwave. But until then you have my unwavering support from the sidelines.

In defence of glitter boobs

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