"The Genital Removal Experts" : Stop #3

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Melbourne’s Hosier Lane is one of the most known and visited tourist desinations. One piece inparticular, a two-story high painting, depicted another nude selfie, althouhg this one uncensored by black bars. Ironically this piece in an area that celebrates the freedom of public street art, has deemed this piece too inappropriate for the public. After a couple of hours, the council named as “the crack team of Genital Removal Experts” had removed the sensitive parts. The subject of the painting S. Winters, revealed that "It's all too common for female bodies to be commoditized and objectified in our society, but when a woman takes control of that it's deemed unacceptable and confronting.”

These issues of gender discrimination and inequality were overlooked through the original depiction of the naked body. However, the later censorship of the council created a much more intense and thought provoking topic. The artist, through an Instagram caption, reacted “I’m sure those nipples were going to start a world war or something?” (Quinn). At this point it is important to discuss how the group feels about the image, both before and after. Were the feelings of empowerment present when the image was uncensored, or does the censorship incite these feelings?