Go ahead. Take your top off

[Skwim]

In the 1999 movie American Beauty, Jane, the daughter of the protagonist develops a happy friendship with a shy boy-next-door, Ricky. One evening Jane, played by Thora Birch, is up in her bedroom where she notices Ricky watching her from his his bedroom. In dead-pan and without so much as a nod of recognition she approaches her window where she slowly takes off her top revealing her bare breasts to Ricky.

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Not a particularly notable scene, but when the scene was filmed Birch was only sixteen years old.

"[Thora Birch was] actually only 16 years old at the time she was filmed nude for a scene in American Beauty (1999). She told TV talk show host Craig Kilborn when she appeared on his show in 2002 that her parents didn't have a problem with her doing a nude scene, despite her being under age, and they encouraged her to go ahead and do it. They agreed that her character's nude scene was so important to the development of her character that they gave their approval."
source
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My question then is, would you as a parent approve of your 16 year old daughter doing the same?

 

[Sunstone]

Sure, no sacrifice for art is too great.

More seriously, I would allow my daughter to do the scene. By the time she's sixteen, she'll have flashed them at Mardi Gras anyway.

 

[Sapiens]

It's the sort of thing that would be her decision and I'd support her either way,

 

[Smart_Guy]

I think the poll question is better as "Are you okay with it?".

But not sure if that's what the OP is about.

 

[Deathbydefault]

My question then is, would you as a parent approve of your 16 year old daughter doing the same?

I don't really think it would be my place to approve or disapprove, just to step in if I felt she was being in any way manipulated.

 

[Godobeyer]

In the 1999 movie American Beauty, Jane, the daughter of the protagonist develops a happy friendship with a shy boy-next-door, Ricky. One evening Jane, played by Thora Birch, is up in her bedroom where she notices Ricky watching her from his his bedroom. In dead-pan and without so much as a nod of recognition she approaches her window where she slowly takes off her top revealing her bare breasts to Ricky.

​

Not a particularly notable scene, but when the scene was filmed Birch was only sixteen years old.

"[Thora Birch was] actually only 16 years old at the time she was filmed nude for a scene in American Beauty (1999). She told TV talk show host Craig Kilborn when she appeared on his show in 2002 that her parents didn't have a problem with her doing a nude scene, despite her being under age, and they encouraged her to go ahead and do it. They agreed that her character's nude scene was so important to the development of her character that they gave their approval."
source
​

My question then is, would you as a parent approve of your 16 year old daughter doing the same?

No, I don't think nudity is an art whatever the age.

 

[Mindmaster]

I don't promote body shame to my children, so if they wanted to do it is fine with me. Also, it is not quite weird families of nudists/naturalists often attend functions completely naked amongst strangers. That includes the kids, the teenagers, and everyone else. Why does it matter if that nakedness is on film as long as it is not sexually explicit? Anyway, for most of the world, sixteen is the age of sexual consent so no foul.

 

[Draka]

I wouldn't object if it is not for some ulterior motive, but it would be her choice in the end anyway at 16. They're just boobies. @turk179 may have something to say about it, but I don't think he'd be too far off from my opinion, though he's free to correct me.

 

[4consideration]

I don't think I would. At sixteen she would be underage and would require parental permission. I do not think I'd give it.

At eighteen she could make her own decisions. I wouldn't reject her or anything like that, but I'd attempt to influence her against it.

 

[Father Heathen]

Would depend on how tasteful or degrading the scene in particular was.

 

[Father Heathen]

No, I don't think nudity is an art whatever the age.

What's wrong with the natural beauty of the human body?

 

[Revoltingest]

I saw the thread title.
I took my top off.
Now what?

 

[Draka]

I wouldn't object if it is not for some ulterior motive, but it would be her choice in the end anyway at 16. They're just boobies. @turk179 may have something to say about it, but I don't think he'd be too far off from my opinion, though he's free to correct me.

He's not replying to me on here, but he did vote yes. So I'm guessing it wouldn't be an issue really in our house.

 

[Godobeyer]

What's wrong with the natural beauty of the human body?

Go outside naked and you will know

 

[metis]

In America, we tend to be very schizophrenic on this. It's not OK to show nudity on prime-time main-network television, and yet we see affairs constantly and blood and guts even more so.

Studies have shown that young children are more affected by violence in the media than by nudity and even sex, and yet violence permeates the air-waves. Ever watch Scandal, for example, which has shown torture and dismemberment?

 

[4consideration]

In America, we tend to be very schizophrenic on this. It's not OK to show nudity on prime-time main-network television, and yet we see affairs constantly and blood and guts even more so.

Studies have shown that young children are more affected by violence in the media than by nudity and even sex, and yet violence permeates the air-waves. Ever watch Scandal, for example, which has shown torture and dismemberment?

You didn't answer the question of the thread. Does this post mean you would give your 16 year old daughter permission to appear topless in a movie?

 

[Draka]

Go outside naked and you will know

?? There are plenty of places where people go about naked. Nothing is seen as wrong with it.

 

[metis]

?? There are plenty of places where people go about naked. Nothing is seen as wrong with it.

Studies have shown that attempts to hide nakedness actually tends to stimulate eroticism more than completely showing it. I've been at beaches in Europe whereas topless is popular, and after a while you just look and think "Nice body!" but just move on as if you hadn't seen it.

Wanna create an obsession-- just hide body parts and say "You can't look!".

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

American society in particular has developed very warped ideas about nudity, especially in public. I think our society needs to loosen up; frankly, that that scene mentioned above was considered "necessary" for the development of the character in the movie seems necessary only because American culture is so sexually and bodily repressed. At the same time, just hang around Wal-mart for a short time and people-watch...most people say, "Ew! Don't want to see that naked!" But that's part of the same problem, having hangups because of physical appearance.

I answered yes, but there are qualifications that others have raised. And this may end up being more than just idle speculation in my family, as my granddaughter is showing signs of interest in fashion and modeling, and my stepson and his ex have talked about whether or not to pursue that, and when.

 

[Father Heathen]

Go outside naked and you will know

Doesn't answer my question.