Rihanna’s 'Lui' Photo Shoot: Is Nudity Empowering or Objectifying?

Rihanna’s Lui Magazine Photo Shoot: Is Nudity Empowering or Objectifying?

By Claire

Yesterday, Fashion Bomb Staff writer Faith drafted up a Snapshot of Rihanna’s latest photo shoot: a series of images lensed by Mario Sorrenti for men’s magazine Lui.

Although the pictures were artful and beautiful, my knee jerk reaction was to trash the post…because I didn’t see much in terms of fashion. Our favorite Bajan was basically nude.

On top of the nudity, I felt some images were borderline vulgar. For example, a picture of a bottomless Rihanna in a modified downward dog pose, looking entreatingly at the camera with her bikini tanned buttocks stuck high in the air.

Titillating? Indeed. Risqué? It’s Rihanna, so of course. But something about this set seemed to push past the limits of taste and decency.

Who can deny Rihanna’s beauty? Few can. But is her unapologetic embrace of sexuality and nudity empowering or objectifying?

Are we seeing her as a boss, fashion icon, business woman, and leader in her field? Or is she a glorified pinup girl in a high end Hustler magazine? And if it’s the latter, then are we slowly becoming desensitized to soft core pornography? Has the negative connotation associated with prostitutes, strippers, and exotic, erotic workers gone out the window because our favorite songstress has given it her ringing endorsement? Yes, women can be ladies in the streets and freaks behind closed doors. Nude pictures reserved for your significant other or even kept in the privacy of your home is fine. There’s nothing wrong with being sexual. But should the world have an all access visual pass to your breasts and behind?

I’m far from conservative, and am totally on board with sass…as long as it’s tempered with class. If you’re a lady of substance and accomplishment, why let it all hang out? But perhaps I’m reading into this too much (Rihanna’s naked, who cares, right?). I’m sure you’ll love the flix and eat them up (and ask about her netted bikini bottoms. They’re by Palace Costume). And there is certainly a market for these types of shots. Maybe they shouldn’t live on a website about fashion, but on something that starts with an xxx vs. a www (if that even exists, but you get the point).

In the end, are we regaling Rihanna’s feminine wiles because she’s powerful or because she’s a piece of meat? Can a woman be both respected and hyper sexualized?
And are these pictures empowering, objectifying, both…or none of the above?