Of course, men in Japan have nipples. And seeing those nipples, it seems, is unsettling to some of the country's women. Good thing there are several products for men to hide those nipples.
In a report published on Huffington Post Japan, a recent poll asked 750 adult women, ranging from their 20s to 60s, if it was okay if you could see men's nipples through their shirts. Only 15.7 percent said it was, with the remaining 84.3 percent saying it was totally not okay.
Many said seeing nipples through shirts was "unpleasant" and that they wanted men to wear undershirts. Being able to see a man's nipples meant, for some of those polled, that the man wasn't properly dressed! "It's gross," said one 20-something year-old woman. "It's like they're showing them off on purpose." Or maybe, it's the middle of summer, and it's hot, and they don't want to wear layers of t-shirts as not to nipple offend people? However, even among those polled, some of them were willing to give men a nipple pass, if the dudes were models or actors or a guy they liked.
And among those who said they don't mind seeing man nipples through shirts, there were some who said things like they thought it was "sexy," "erotic" or "cool." "It's kind of unpleasant if you can see a woman's nipples as she goes around town," said one of the women polled, "but if it's a man, then it's sexy." These opinions are in the minority, however.
Keep in mind that Japanese women, generally speaking, don't show off their nipples, either, and dress more conservatively than many women in the West do, with more layered clothing. So, there's a general no nipple rule for much of the country! What's more, in the U.S., there are nipple covers for runners, because their clothes can rub against their chest and actually begin to bleed. Several Japanese companies have also rolled out male nipple covers for runners, including some products specifically aimed at office fashion or those worried about having bad manners. Bad nipple manners.
This one is called Men's Nipple.
The idea of taking this sticker, or any of them, off seriously makes me cringe in pain.
Here are "Nipple Stickers." Sexy!
This one is called "Nipple Man" and is for "mannered men."
And earlier this year, writer Cory Doctorow spotted these "Nipple Shield" stickers while shopping in Japan.
I'm pretty sure none of my Japanese male friends wear these, but most guys I know do rock undershirts. Better than sticking tape on hairy nipples.
男性のTシャツから乳首が浮いてるのはアリ？ 許せないという女性が84.3％！！ [Huffington Post Japan]
Photo: FXQuadro / ShutterStock
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