February 21, 2005

The 'Posture Photos' The questions about nudity and our attitude to the naked body on the Lolo thread reminded me of this: freshman students, both male and female, were being photographed nude by university authorities during the 40-60's. Supposedly a voluntary practice for some anthropological project, most weren't consulted, and they accepted it as a normal procedure. But ever since, the value of the project has been questioned. While some of the institutions take it lightly nowadays, it was quite an strange event. A few pictures can be seen here, with the needles quite visible (900K Acrobat PDF)

Have you been subject to a similar examination in some academic or professional context? Would you comply if asked? Main link taken from old, old MeFi thread

posted by Flagpole 19 years ago
  • There was some interesting additional information on the MeFi thread about this. Fascinating stuff.
  • there was an article about this in the NY Times Sunday magazine about 10 years ago. Apparently the fear that these would resurface has haunted many a successful coed (to the point where the first thing at least one woman said was "you haven't found mine, have you?"). Scoliosis examinations in public schools can be similarly invasive, though at least there are no photographs for that. shows us we should all be a bit more careful and not just accept things because it's touted as a normal procedure.
  • What were they thinking? I mean, really.
  • I believe I found this, The Century Project, on MeFi, some time ago. I considered it a wonderfful exposition of the female body, although others see it as contraversial.
  • Great complement to that natural boobs page MoneyJane posted... thanks, dx.
  • The compliance question reminds me of the famous Milgrim experiment in psych. I tend to think that people object more readily to things today -- especially the privileged -- but given that obediance to authority has also been steadily rising (as measured on an index -- can't think of the name at the mo) maybe not. Also, there's something eerie yet irresistable about a process which should be terrifying or disturbing but is treated by those involved as de rigeur. Insert nightmare or snippet of history here.
  • I remember being checked for scoliosis in middle school and can't really remember if we had to take our shirts off or not, though certainly no pictures were taken. If the intention of the posture photography practice was to record posture, I wonder at the need to remove bras/briefs/etc. as those items of clothing don't seem to impede a view of body posture. As a quote in the last linked article suggests, posture is affected by mood, tension, comfort level, etc. and it seems weird to study connections between personality and posture by recording posture during a strange and what was for many, uncomfortable moment. "What kind of natural pose could a student take when she was suffused with self-conscious embarrassment?"
  • Who wrote that article? I wasn't able to tell. Anyway, fascinating...
  • I imagine bras could affect posture, especially for larger-busted women who have back problems due to breast size. Likewise things like gusseted underwear (is that the right word? the ones that flatten your stomach/butt) or the like.
  • js, if you mean the article I mentioned, from the joint campus journal, the author is Sarah Ligon. tracicle, that kind of makes sense. Now that I think of it, I have seen ads for bras that supposedly correct posture.
  • I really like the Century Project! Those are some beautiful older women--not necessarly conventionally beautiful, but what character they exude. MonkeyFilter: What were they thinking? I mean, really.<>/b>