Rest in peace, feminism. This is the end

BE as naked as you like, but please don’t pretend it’s for female empowerment. Just be honest and concede it’s for the attention, writes Louise Roberts.

Is Amber Rose’s viral picture proof of the death of feminism? (Pic: Amanda Edwards/FilmMagic)

CAREER faux-feminists are beating around the bush again this week employing their favourite weapons: genitalia, lashings of baby oil and a repetitive screech of “misogyny” should anyone object.

Amber Rose, the American stripper turned activist, lay on a fur coat without wearing her undies and then posted a photo of her non-waxed bits on Instagram and twitter.

It was, of course, a stunt designed to provoke a response — attention at any cost.

The now viral image was part of a tiresome narrative about being a strong, empowered woman blah blah blah who owns her sexuality.

“Nude? Where?” Amber, who self-describes as “feminist monster”, tweeted as the outrage escalated.

“My breast nor my vagina were showing and my legs were closed. I am assuming you are referring to the pubic hair that was shown in the picture. Uncomfortable? Get over it.”

Rose says she used the image to promote her annual Sl*tWalk march in Los Angeles in October, a push back at male oppression achieved by dressing as an S&M fan, among other things.

But let’s call this what it really is.

This is the death of feminism. It’s titillation not liberation.

Narcissism reigns. Dignity is out the window. Intimacy and privacy for your own body is redundant because scrutiny is given a front-row seat.

Feminism in its most textbook definition of equal rights for men and women has been pornographised and reduced to smut in the name of materialism.

Showing breasts, buttocks and everything else has become a familiar, corrupted narrative to “define” yourself on your “own terms”.

But note it is only celebrity women doing this internet flashing, not men. Ah yes, I forgot this is all about equality.

It’s superficiality in its purest form.

Empowerment? Nope, just narcissism. (Pic: Amber Rose)

The emboldened sheeplike fans looking at Rose were also encouraged to do the #amberrosechallenge and post a naked picture of themselves.

Meanwhile you can fork out for a T-shirt with this message: “Slut? Only when I want to be.”

So hands up if you know a parent who teaches their daughter that stripping off and doing some porn-style posing means you are taking control.

Didn’t think so. This is where the empowerment argument dissolves like yesterday’s lip gloss.

But apparently I’m the misogynist for thinking that women are demeaning themselves when they objectify themselves.

Kim Kardashian claimed to have broken the internet with her oil-coated butt and full frontal photo shoot three years ago and Chrissy Teigen has since flashed on the red carpet.

Unfortunately this lewd, dumb technique to supposedly to enshrine gender equality is still being passed around the celebrity playbook.

So this week it was Rose again peddling the myth to young women that going bottomless in public is all you need, a technique guaranteeing page views and downloads.

But girls, remember to wear heels, a bikini top, sunglasses and a necklace. And carry a virtual airbrush so you can magic away the stretch marks, squishy bits, the ingrown hairs and cellulite.

When Instagram pulled it, she replied: “When IG deletes ur fire ass feminist post but you really don’t give a f*** because everyone picked it up already.”

Rose says it is not her role to provide moral guidance to young people: “Stop looking for famous people to influence your children,” she argues. “The nicest way I can put it is... RAISE YOUR OWN KIDS!!!”.

But it’s pathetic when, as a mother and influencer, she could use this power instead to reach out with a message to other mums. A message that we parents on the coalface are trying to impress on our kids. Your intellect and personality and your charisma, empathy and charity will always trump nudity and sexploitation.

I’m already concerned about the culture which my daughter, nine, will soon be stepping into — a culture in which your body defines your worth.

I would have more respect for these celebrities if they flaunted their bodies just because they wanted to, rather than insisting it sends a message to those who would oppress them or cover them up. At least that would be honest.

*No caption needed* (Pic: Paper Magazine)

Chrissy Teigen takes the side slit to new heights. (Pic: Getty)

How refreshing it would be if one of these young women stood up and said: “I’m not wearing any underwear today because I like the attention I get when I don’t”.

The other issue with these 2017 feminists is they deny their technique is a ploy to look sexy to men and please men because that would be sexist and degrading, right?

This was perfectly illustrated by Rose’s attempts to outwit and out-twit TV host Piers Morgan when he called out her hypocrisy.

It was a brief exchange before her cover collapsed: “Oh @piersmorgan if I had u in front of me right now I would have you eating out of the palm of my hand you dirty boy”.

It’s a bit like when your parents ticked you off for swearing, and invariably some wise grandparent would chip in their two cents worth, along the lines of “Do you know why people swear?”

“No grandpa” “Well, It’s because they lack the imagination and the vocabulary to come up with something that will get the point across without the need for profanity”.

This is exactly the same thing.

It made my dad wonder if we are going backwards. Naked pin ups have been banned in workplaces for degrading to women. That same type of image is now promoted as a tool of empowerment.

I am not offended by nudity but I find it ludicrous that exhibitionism could promote gender equality.

I’m pretty confident Instagram wouldn’t allow men to put photos of themselves naked below the waist either.

Rose and her Kardashian-style pals are, of course, free to be as nude or hairy as they like.

But the celebrity tumbleweed moment is this: seeking attention is quite the opposite of being empowered.

@whatlouthinks