# Is high spirited breast flashing becoming a socially acceptable form of expression? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 3, 2004, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044 "2004-08-03T00:22:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/1 "2004-08-03T00:22:10Z")
Everywhere you look these days there’s a celebrity, night clubber, tipsy pub crawler, or girl gone wild flashing her breasts. I’m 46 and I don’t recall much public “fun” flashing (except for Mardi Gras) happening prior to the 90’s. Why all the flashing these days, and re the OP is flashing now out of the realm of being slutty or cheap, and into the social category of just being harmless, high spirited fun? ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/2 "2004-08-03T00:28:06Z")
**Astro** , I try not to question these times. I only appreciate them. In other words: Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jfortun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2acd7d/32.png) [@jfortun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jfortun)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/3 "2004-08-03T00:57:38Z")
let’s hope so. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/4 "2004-08-03T01:09:58Z")
If the brouhaha in February was any indication, it’s still taboo to an extent but thankfully, it seems to be growing less and less so over time. In the end, it’s just a bag of fat. And I say that as a hormonal 22 year old. What’s the big deal? ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/5 "2004-08-03T01:39:43Z")
Only on the _Jerry Springer Show_. StG ---
**Author:** ![pokey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ebca7d/32.png) [@pokey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pokey)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/6 "2004-08-03T01:48:39Z")
I’ll tell you one thing, the phrase “high-spirited breast flashing” is probably not going to catch on as a popular expression. “Where my bitches at? I just got paid and it’s time for some high spirited breast flashing, yo!” ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/7 "2004-08-03T02:26:48Z")
I would say it’s similiar to the “making out with another girl” thing that’s all the rage nowdays. With society so saturated with sex and sexual images, the gimmicks for attention are getting progressively bolder. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/8 "2004-08-03T02:47:36Z")
If there is indeed a benevolent Guiding Intelligence of the universe, it should. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/9 "2004-08-03T03:14:20Z")
Isn’t “high-spirited” a bit redundant? It’s not like there are the mopey sad women flashing their goth ta-tas about. 😛 But really, I don’t see the big difference between women’s breasts and man-titties. I think being topless should legally apply to both sexes. Whereever a man can prance his breasteses about, a woman should be able too as well. Then again, I’m gay 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/10 "2004-08-03T03:25:46Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > But really, I don’t see the big difference between women’s breasts and man-titties. I think being topless should legally apply to both sexes. Whereever a man can prance his breasteses about, a woman should be able too as well. Then again, I’m gay 😉 That is actually the law in New York, though it hasn’t led to an overwhelming wave of female boob exposure. However, I have seen, appreciatively, a bit of high spirited breast flashing. ---
**Author:** ![Call\_me\_Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Call\_me\_Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Call_me_Frank)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/11 "2004-08-03T04:52:31Z")
Is “high spirited breast flashing” going to become the new “1920’s style death ray”? I suppose you’d have to make a real study of it (anyone want to apply for a government research grant??), but I think that it might be something of a media-inflated incident. I don’t live in an area where women are prone to high-spirits that result in breasts being uncovered, but I think the infomercials for Girls Gone Wild and whatnot might create the impression that it’s slightly more prevalent than it actually is. Of course, as I said, I don’t live in an area where women would be prone to such behavior (IE, not a college town, city, etc…), but it’s a valid point to consider, imho. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/12 "2004-08-03T04:53:06Z")
I think in these troubled times, we as a nation need to gather together and thank those who are working towards making the world a better place. So for his ongoing encouragement of high spirited breast flashing, Joe Francis, we salute you. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/13 "2004-08-03T05:57:50Z")
Nothing to contribute re. the OP’s question, but i just wanted to say that i love the “Arrested Development” term for the videos with those women in them: “Girls With Low Self-Esteem” ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/14 "2004-08-03T06:19:51Z")
I’m with **Aesiron** on the warm bags of fat sentiment. As for the thread title… What exactly is the message being expressed? Besides the obvious “Look at Me!” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/15 "2004-08-03T07:00:01Z")
Ya’ know what I think? I think that we should all just go about in the bare minimum of cloth it takes to protect the delicate flesh of the nether regions of our personal universes (unless, of course, you live in chilly climes, in which case the near-nudity would be confined to indoors, or to the summertime). After a generation or two, the sight of a pair of shapely breasts (or buttocks, for that matter) would be no more exciting to your average male than the sight of a hand or foot. When this happens, there will no longer be any need for discussion of whether high-spirited breast flashing has become a socially acceptable form of behavior. The truly daring among us will then drape ourselves with cloth in order to create a sense of mystery, which will then become more exciting than high-spirited breast flashing ever was. And the whole thing will start all over again. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/16 "2004-08-03T12:52:35Z")
My best friend is a limo driver. She took a bunch of people to a Parrot Head concert, and she said everyone was flashin’ boobage. I guess it’s become the norm. I suppose back in days of yore when my ta-tas were more bodacious, it may have been fun, but nowadays I look at it as a public service to keep 'em covered. ---
**Author:** ![AngelicGemma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/439d5e/32.png) [@AngelicGemma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelicGemma)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/17 "2004-08-03T13:16:51Z")
If breast flashing is supposed to be the norm now, then I’m definitely hanging out in the wrong clubs. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/18 "2004-08-03T13:32:34Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > It’s not like there are the mopey sad women flashing their goth ta-tas about. 😛 For some reason, I found this line hilarious. For what it’s worth, the flashing of boobage doesn’t seem to have hit epidemic proportions north of Boston. Actually, it doesn’t even seem to have hit giant-meteor-strike proportions. ---
**Author:** ![bittersweet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@bittersweet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bittersweet)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/19 "2004-08-03T13:38:32Z")
> [@jfortun](#): > > let’s hope so. I’m with you. Boobies rock! ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2004, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044/20 "2004-08-03T14:53:54Z")
> [@trublmakr](#): > > I would say it’s similiar to the “making out with another girl” thing that’s all the rage nowdays. With society so saturated with sex and sexual images, the gimmicks for attention are getting progressively bolder. I remember plenty of high-spirited breast flashing as well as making out with another girl type stuff during college back in the 70’s. The breast flashing happened at concerts and parties, and the making out with another girl activity pretty much depended on how much wine the ladies might have consumed that night. It was all pretty innocent, but then it was not filmed for posterity _a la_ Courtney or Janet. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-high-spirited-breast-flashing-becoming-a-socially-acceptable-form-of-expression/258044.md?page=2)