Nudity in Tarot.

[violetdaisy]

Penises are just another body part. I've seen quite a few and each one is a bit different. But None are like the guy in Robin Wood - that one disturbs me, it's like semi-erect and hanging strange and therefore looks disproportionate. It's not enough to make me not use the deck but it bugs me. In general though, tastefully done, nudity doesn't bother me. Large perky breasts bother me too....because large +perky = plastic surgery generally. If you're gonna make em' big adjust for the gravity.

 

[cbiz83]

Penises are just another body part. I've seen quite a few and each one is a bit different. But None are like the guy in Robin Wood - that one disturbs me, it's like semi-erect and hanging strange and therefore looks disproportionate. It's not enough to make me not use the deck but it bugs me. In general though, tastefully done, nudity doesn't bother me. Large perky breasts bother me too....because large +perky = plastic surgery generally. If you're gonna make em' big adjust for the gravity.

I totally had to dig out the Robin Wood to see the card. You're right. He's got some funky junk. I agree too, penises are just another body part. I do wish there was more equanimity, as others have said, in nude portrayals. We all know a bare chested man and a bare chested woman are not the same thing. Breasts are viewed as erotic objects almost universally. What I tire of, as many have said, is the objectification of the female form in Tarot (with its insidious placidity--it's only innocuous because we're culturally socialized to expect it to be there). If you want to include erotic bits, what's good for the goose is good for the gander, as it goes. And, so fully agreed, let's not have barbie parts (I'd say Ken, but we all know he's uh, missing some stuff). For me it's the difference between lewd and not. A penis requires lewd context to be lewd.

 

[VGimlet]

I like nudity in tarot especially if it is there for a reason.

I don't really find it offensive in general. I just don't. But I am not easily embarrassed, or offended by the human body in general, and all it's working parts.

I agree, nudity should be equal between the sexes though.

(I was always a bit peeved about Ken, myself...lol).

 

[Beanfeasa]

Nudity doesn't bother me at all, but badly drawn anatomy I find distracting, especially Ellen cannon reeds witches tarot, I can't use that deck at all. It's a classic I know, but I find the images of men to be ridiculous. He hanged man comes to mind, it's just over the top musculature. And the high priestess arms are way too long. It's all I can see when I use this deck.

 

[Alta]

This thread was moved from Tarot Deck Creation (with the agreement of wooden-eye) as it has turned into a very wide ranging topic.

Alta

 

[JylliM]

The discussion has become rather lengthy <Heads for the hills>

 

[earthair]

And sometimes nudity POPS out at you even when you don't expect it in the cards. I was doing a romantic relationship reading with my Tarot Illuminati the other day for someone when sexual organs became exposed in the Queen of Pentacles (the Asian queen- see her sleeve at the wrist) and the Prince of Swords, he's holding it in his hand. Even if the creator didn't intend for these cards to appear this way, it surely came as a surprise to me. <blushing> Perhaps it's time for an appointment with my Ophthalmologist.

It's one of my main reading decks and I never noticed this before... but now I cannot unsee it

 

[Marcus R]

I like nudity much as anyone else but feel it must have real purpose in Tarot. A deck that has nakedness throughout just for the sake of it is not my thing.

 

[greatdane]

I don't like gratuitous sex, nudity, violence in any art form. If there seems a reason, if there is somehow a balance with the theme, not just done for the sake of showing "more" or in a more overt way, not to just go oh, look at this! Like the sex or nudity is done in such a way to just highlight that over the deck.

But I believe in freedom and that is just what I don't like, that type of nudity.

Thankfully, there are many decks and many designers and people can get what they like.

What is gratuitous to me, not a deck I want to read with, someone else may think is fine.

 

[Thoughtful]

l do not mind nudity in tarot as long as it is elegant and refined and not in your face. Lady Frieda Harris has done it beautifully in the Thoth tarot. She shows the females graceful and feminine and the nude males are painted with just the hint of penis.

When reading for clients the last thing l want is blatant porn style huge boobs and penis's. l want to focus on the serious matter of reading