In the area of tension between emancipation and sexism

Around 1890: Exclusion in public bathing

Nineteenth-century women usually undressed in so-called bath carts to get into the water unobserved. This fact can be attributed in particular to the repressive sexual morality of a patriarchal society, in whose interest it was to preserve gender segregation while bathing and, in particular, to prevent female nudity. Although wearing heavy layers of fabric in the open sea often resulted in mortal danger, violations could result in denunciations and punishments.

1922: arrests on the beach

As part of the first wave of feminism in the early 20th century, female swimmers such as Annette Kellerman and occasionally swimming enthusiasts initially resisted the stigmatization of the female body. Courageous protagonists wore one-piece swimsuits, which were primarily reserved for men, despite checks by the beach police, as they allowed freedom of movement while swimming and helped improve body awareness.

1946: First bikini exposes the belly button

The invention of the bikini by Frenchman Louis Réard sparked a massive scandal in 1946, as he was the first piece of swimwear to bare the belly button. The two-piece series established since the 1930s always kept this covered. Réard's creation was presented by a nightclub dancer, as ordinary mannequins feared that the presentation would ruin their reputation. However, the sexually conservative and body-hostile 1950s initially delayed the establishment of the bikini in wider sections of society.

1971: The sexual revolution and the triumph of the bikini

As a result of the sexual revolution and the burgeoning emancipation movements, women of wider sections of the population began to wear bikinis more often when bathing at the lake or in the outdoor pool from the mid-1960s. The revolutionary two-part series was gradually freed from its disreputable image and received an emancipatory connotation in the face of burgeoning feminism.

1980: Between sexism and emancipation: “Everyone jumps in! ”

Starting in the 1970s, swimwear gradually left its terrain of sun, vacation, pool and beach and was finally exploited as an advertising dress for products that had nothing in common with it: cars, construction equipment, drinks or cigarettes — interest rose with a bikini. A woman is degraded to a “sex object” when the depiction has no discernible reference to a product associated with swimwear and the model only functions as a sexualized decoration.

2016: Bikini advertising causes scandal in Munich city center

In 2016, a bikini commercial by the brand “Calzedonia” on Marienplatz in Munich, showing Brazilian model Adriana Lima in a two-piece set, caused an immense scandal: The sexualized portrayal was criticized in particular, which would suggest to young girls and women that only a slim, trained body could be considered attractive. The voices of advocates of a ban on sexualized advertising are becoming increasingly louder today: On closer inspection, however, it is clear that the discourses about the female body over the centuries are characterized by great ambivalence: They meander between objectification, sexualization and emancipation and reflect both time-specific values and morals as well as gender orders.

Today, discussions on sensitive topics such as sexism and feminism are more relevant than ever, not least because of movements such as #metoo, and of political and social significance. The current use of swimwear represents an attractive basis for discussion, as in hardly any other area of everyday life is the light-clad body of women publicly visible. However, this discourse should not take place irrespective of the historical context explained above.
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In order to promote timely opinion formation and promote joint discourse, the BikiniARTmuseum has initiated the “Liberation versus Sexism” forum. We not only want to shed light on the historical development of swimwear, but also to focus on the discussion — weighing liberation against sexism.

In order to create a dynamic process, your opinion is needed:

• To what extent are bikini representations today regarded as an emancipatory act, and to what extent as objectifications?
  

• What does freedom mean in terms of physicality today? When will limits be crossed in this regard?
  

• What thoughts and emotions does the topic evoke in you?
  

Feel free to share your views and pictures with us via #bikinivoices via Instagram or Facebook! This is how we create a forum for joint discussion!