Titties and Culture

Historically, titties were regarded as fertility symbols, due to the belief that milk is life-giving. Ancient statues of goddesses—so-called Venus figurines—often emphasised the titties, as in the example of the Venus of Willendorf. In historic times, goddesses such as Ishtar were shown with multiple titties, alluding to their role as goddesses of childbirth.

titties are considered as secondary sex characteristics, and are sexually sensitive in many cases. Bare female titties can elicit heightened sexual desires from men and women. Since they are associated with sex, in many cultures bare titties are considered indecent, and they are not commonly displayed in public, in contrast to male chests. Other cultures view the baring of titties as acceptable, and in some countries women have never been forbidden to bare their chests. Opinions on the exposure of titties is often dependent on the place and context, and in some Western societies exposure of titties on a beach may be considered acceptable, although in town centres, for example, it is usually considered indecent. In some areas, the prohibition against the display of a woman's titties generally only restricts exposure of the nipples.

Certain types of work may also require that a woman expose her titties, and in these contexts it is considered acceptable even if it would not be in another context. Female university students working as art models for fine arts classes generally have to work bare tittieed. Actresses sometimes need to go bare tittieed for particular scenes. Many women have bared their titties on the Internet, and such displays are generally considered legal and acceptable.

In some cases, their display may be interpreted as indecent or sexual, even when they are being used for their primary purpose of nursing offspring. This has led, in several cases, to women being arrested for indecent exposure for tittiefeeding their children in public.

Women in some areas and cultures are approaching the issue of tittie exposure as one of sexual equality, since men (and pre-pubescent children) may bare their chests, but women and teenage girls are forbidden. In the United States, the Topfree equality movement seeks to redress this imbalance; this movement won a decision in 1992 in a New York Court of Appeals which seems to substantially support their assertions. A similar movement succeeded in most parts of Canada in the 1990s. In Australia and much of Europe it is acceptable for women and teenage girls to sunbathe topless on some public beaches, but these are generally the only public areas where exposing titties is acceptable.

In some religions, titties must always remain covered for, for example: Islam forbid public exposure of the female titties except when tittiefeeding.

In addition to the above references, see also modesty, nudism and exhibitionism.

In some paintings women are sometimes shown with their titties in their hands or on a platter, signifying that they died as a martyr by having their titties severed. One example of this is Saint Agatha.

 

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