On December 5th through 6th, 2015, there was an event called “Oppai Bokin,” (translated as “Boob Aid” on their website) which was hosted by a television program that airs on a cable television network. The participants donate money, and in return are allowed to touch the breasts of the young women involved in the event. What occurs isn’t petting over the clothes, or a bra, but is skin-to-skin contact, where the participants directly touch the exposed breasts. There is a special website that live streams the event online. In the publicity photos, the women are shown pulling up their shirt, bare breasts exposed, as they line up and wait for the participants who have “donated” in exchange for the right to go down the line touching their breasts one by one.

This petition campaign is not criticizing the (legal and consensual) sex/porn industry, nor is it trying to discourage people from expressing their sexuality or being sexually active. That said, this event should not be condoned and continued.

Please stop exploiting women’s body for promotional and commercial aim.

This event hides behind the front of being a “charity event” but in reality, the participants are basically just paying to touch bare breasts. If this is really a charity event, where all involved parties are volunteering (meaning they aren’t financially compensated), then technically, aren’t the real donors the women themselves, who gain little to nothing from this event?

The organizers of the event disclose the amount raised and where it gets donated here, and from it we can see that the same individual is head of both the company that is hosting the event and the organization receiving the donations from said event. Furthermore, this organization is fairly new, and the website has very little information about the mission and activities. The organization receiving the donations should be held accountable by being more transparent about how the donations are being used or allocated.

Using the word “donation” makes it seem as if this is a good thing that serves public interests. However, sexualizing female breasts and using it as part of fund-raising is merely a ploy to attract public attention to the program or channel. This entire deal, from the women’s bodies to the fund-raising, is an effort to boost viewership, and in the long run, generate profit for the companies involved.

By catering to men’s desire to touch female breasts under the guise of a charity, treating erotic content as if it were anything but that and making it accessible to the vast public shows a lack of discretion on the part of the event organizers. Despite the blatantly sexist and exploitative nature of the event, they promote it on their website and through social media openly using women’s bodies as an advertisment tool, accessible to the general public, including minors.

Moreover, what do boobs have to do with AIDS advocacy?
Charity fund-raisers are a means to garner support by raising awareness and solidarity for the social issue or cause. But in this case, it is clear that the “donations” function as a “fee” to touch the breasts. By allowing such exploitative events to exist under the pretense of a charity fund-raiser, undermines and mocks other organizations and advocacy groups and individuals who are dedicating their time and energy working to fight AIDS and prejudice.

Fund-raising to support AIDS groups is much needed. It can and should be done in ways that are appropriate in the public sphere, without exploiting women’s bodies and reinforcing sexism.

Reference: An article written about last year’s event. (please note that this year, it was not backed by the Japan Foundation for Aids Prevention)
http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/boob-aid-japan-porn-queens-take-part-in-24-hour-squeeze-a-thon-for-aids-charity