Some say that Taiwan is currently con-ducting another wave of "liberation" akin to the lifting of martial law, only this time it has little to do with politics. The publication of nude photo spreads has become trendy in entertainment circles, and while in the past female stars were branded "sex kittens" for life for posing for sexy pictures, today such devices are commonly employed to promote performers' careers. Not only is audience acceptance excellent, but the trend has even blown over to the male side of the entertainment business, as top male celebrities try to attract attention to their careers with pictorials. Loath to let youthful beauty slip away without leaving its mark, young people as well are following their idols and shooting personal pictorials.
Many television program segments, such as Twins' "Taiwan's Hunks" and Super East/West Army's "Male Underwear Models," follow a beauty contest or game format and enjoy exceptional popularity. On these programs, young people freely put their fine bodies on display, boosting ratings, titillating audiences, and stuffing the TV stations' pockets.
On the other hand, many youths are taking jobs as bubble tea babes and betel nut nymphs, which has elicited considerable criticism. For instance, the nurses association recently held a press conference to protest the use of nurses' uniforms by certain corners of the sex trade to attract customers, calling this "the yellowing [perversion] of white uniforms."
What does this liberation of the body bring to society, and what does it reflect? Fashion trends, or marketing ingenuity? Once Adam and Eve have eaten the apple, can they ever return to Eden?
This summer, Hsiao Lin will graduate from university. At 22, in the prime of her youthful blossoming, she went to a photographer she knew to shoot her for a collection of fully nude pictures.
"My buddy Rongrong went with me. Since I had already spoken with the photographer and had mentally prepared for it, apart from a little bit of awkwardness at the very beginning, the entire photo shoot went very naturally. Actually, it was Rongrong's reaction that scared the daylights out of me!" Hsiao Lin says that as soon as she removed her clothes, her friend Rongrong got all stone-faced, as if given a frightful scare. Previously, in women's club meetings at school she was always full of righteous opinion on body issues, demonstrating far-left thinking, and prior to the photo shoot they had engaged in quite a bit of discussion and joked around a lot. So it came as a surprise when Rongrong "lost her wits" when it came down to real business.
Rongrong scoffs, "I just couldn't take how Hsiao Lin, who's always such a 'pure girl,' started looking like a porno film star no matter what pose or expression she affected during the shooting."
Subsequently, Rongrong told her roommates about Hsiao Lin's spicy figure, prompting two roommates to lay down a challenge.
"Without hesitation, Hsiao Lin just dropped her clothes to the floor. My roommates took one look, turned around and said 'we give up.' We're confident about our bodies, but still care when others have a better body than us," Rongrong explains.
"I posed for a pictorial simply to leave myself a beautiful memento, not as a way to make an entry into the entertainment business or something. Other than my body, I'm proudest of my brain," Hsiao Lin says. Granted, if she attracts notice, she wouldn't mind a crack at the entertainment industry.