Non-nude pornography
Non-Nude is an underground, primarily online movement which aims at distributing photographic (and sometimes video) content of a sexually suggestive and provocative nature but that does not feature explicit nudity as its selling point. Non-Nude is sometimes considered a form of pornography despite its lack of nudity because of its basic purpose: the sexual arousal of viewers and distributors.
Unlike standard pornography, however, non-nude photography is usually harvested from preexistent online communities such as Webshots, Pbase, Flikr, or Photobucket, as opposed to being created exclusively for the purpose of sexual gratification. Because of this trend, Non-Nudes's legal status is questionable, as these photographs are often obtained, reproduced and distributed entirely without the permission of their original owners or copyright holders. In addition, they are often removed from their original context, and could thus be considered humiliating or even damaging once placed in their new sexual context.
Non-Nude photography has been referred to as an "alternative" to pornography because of its more innocent, pristine reputation, and is most popular in online forums and message boards. Oftentimes photos are saved to the hard drives of individual collectors or photo sharers, and then uploaded to a forum or message board in groups for viewing. Other times, links to the original photos are provided.
The origins of the movement are up to debate. However, the use of personal computers and high-speed Internet connections has definitely proliferated its growth and popularity among younger web-surfers.
Types of Non-Nude
Over time, two distinct varieties of Non-Nude have evolved.
The earlier type, which still has a strong online presence, remains closer to pornography (of a soft-core nature) than its later reincarnation. This variety often takes the form of websites owned and operated by individual models (usually between the ages of 18 and 24, sometimes adolescent in physical appearance and dress), who post themed galleries at random intervals, and who participate in weekly web cam chat sessions in order to generate additional revenue. These models often blur the lines between standard pornography and Non-Nude by performing live or pre-recorded stripteases in video format, and by posing in clothing that often fails to obstruct one's view of their areolas, nipples, or genitalia. Due to these practices, not to mention the fact that many of these sites open as member-only paysites, they have become increasingly similar to standard pornography, and thus their classification as true Non-Nude content is arguable.
The second (and more true to its name) variety exists primarily within forums and message boards, and membership, much like the content gained through it, is often free of charge and provided on a daily basis by supporters and fellow file sharers. Sites such as NonNudeGirls.org feature images uploaded directly to their server by visitors to the site, while others, such as Webshots Most Wanted cater to those who would rather post links to content than save it onto their hard drives.
Unlike the original variety of Non-Nude, which has begun to resemble soft-core pornography in recent years, true Non-Nude (of the latter type) does not exploit individuals for profit or generate its own content. Photos are often harvested from various sources and redistributed and viewed as random sets. Furthermore, the users who post these sets are often met with congratulatory and esteem-building remarks depending on the size and quality of their collections, which leads many members of the community to cherish participation in it as a sort of hobby, as opposed to the unhealthy obsession associated with pornography.
- External Links - Examples of Non-Nude models
- External Links - Examples of forum or message board-based Non-Nude