I thought the thread could use a little levity.

I 100% respect Lenna's wishes to stop using the image. I have a small tinge of regret based on some of the comments in the subthread, but it is for the better.

I even own a copy of the Playboy this was taken from, but funny thing is, I have never opened it. It is on my shelf next to the Utah Teapot. I guess in a way, I could justify it as one less use of the images.

I think the most appropriate response to this kerfuffle was when an all-female team of researchers published an image processing paper... using Fabio as a test image.

The issue with Lena is objectification, the equivalent male photo would be like a picture of the chest of a bodybuilder.

To be blunt, male don't feel threatened by a poster of a manly topless macho. It won't incite inferiority complex, at least not by much. Else The Terminator would offend and upset a shit ton of men, and it would been a very unpopular movie. So why should it be suddenly problematic the subject of a poster had assumed certain gender that isn't men? If it's biological, why can't it be said? Is arachnophobia and ophidiophobia shameful to admit too?