It’s not just the women that are going starkers in 2016 — these fellas are muscling in on the action too
In honour of Orlando Bloom's saucy snaps, we take a look at other male stars who have upped the starkers stakes of late
THOSE nude snaps of Orlando Bloom caused quite a stir yesterday – yet it seems every Tom, er, Dick and Harry is letting it all hang out.
We’ve been seeing women in states of undress for years, now men are muscling in on the action.
As well as Pirates Of The Caribbean’s Orlando revealing his jolly todger while paddle-boarding in Sardinia, we have also had an eyeful of TV hunk James Norton.
Then there was a full frontal shot of actor Oscar Pearce in the BBC’s recent War And Peace, and pictures of a naked Tom Hardy filming scenes for the upcoming TV mini-series Taboo.
And when Justin Bieber sang I’ll Show You, who would have guessed he was about to do just that.
On Instagram.
So are men finally equalling women in the starkers stakes?
Cara Delevingne and Miley Cyrus have both supported Free The Nipple, the social media movement urging gender equality.
Well, here’s to the Free Willy movement, too.
The female form has always been embraced, and often objectified. Although the increase of male nudity indicates that things are changing, the current explosion of people daring to bare is not just a gender issue.
Whereas flaunting the naked body was once considered taboo, it has largely been stripped of its negativity and shock value.
This week Cara Delevingne has posed nude for Esquire magazine, while Glee’s Lea Michele and Made In Chelsea’s Binky Felstead stripped off for Women’s Health.
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Rita Ora bared her breasts for the cover of Lui magazine and fashion bible Vogue had a naked Gigi Hadid on the front of its French edition earlier this year.
Such exhibitionism is now often seen as empowering rather than scandalous.
A lot has changed since November 2014, when Kim Kardashian “broke the internet” with her full-frontal shoot for Paper magazine.
Former deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman even praised the reality star’s images, calling her “brave and pioneering”.
Since then, Kim has been pictured so often in her birthday suit it is more surprising to see her with her clothes on.
Social media has played a big part in changing attitudes. Millions of people send and receive nude photos, while stars including Kate Hudson and Emily Ratajkowski have posted naked selfies.
Last month American photographer Spencer Tunick called for volunteers to take part in his latest naked art installation in Hull.
He said: “I needed around 2,500 to 3,000 [volunteers] to do this work and 3,200 turned up.”
Meanwhile, on the controversial C4 dating show Naked Attraction mere mortals flash their bits in the hope of finding true love.
Body image campaigner Natasha Devon thinks all this flesh flashing is a good thing.
She says: “In a world where so many of us feel ashamed of our naked forms, it’s inspiring to see people who will shed their inhibitions and go au naturel.”
Attitudes towards nudity will continue to change as more of us shed our clothes — and our inhibitions.
The emperor’s new clothes are this season’s must-have.
Here we look at stars who have recently bared all, rating the blokes out of five for cockiness and the girls for being upfront . . .
Ahoy, matey
Pirates Of The Caribbean star Orlando Bloom gets out his jolly todger during a spot of naked paddle-boarding while on holiday in Sardinia with his pop star girlfriend Katy Perry.
Rating: 5
Batman and knobbin
Krays star, Batman villain Bane and all-round hard nut Tom Hardy reveals his tackle filming on the set of upcoming TV drama series Taboo.
Rating: 4
He's just showing off
Pop brat Justin Bieber strips bare on holiday but is “furious” after pics surface on the web – even though he posted snaps of his bare backside to Instagram just months earlier.
Rating: 4
Who's a Norty boy
War And Peace heart-throb James Norton does a spot of naked yoga while playing a hippy in the film Bonobo – giving new meaning to the Downward Dog position.
Rating: 3
Wowski
Blurred Lines video star Emily Ratajkowski shares her ass-ets with the world on social media.
Rating: 2
Breast in show
Shy and retiring pop star Rita Ora flashes her boobs in French fashion mag Lui.
Rating: 5
Chel-see girl
Made In Chelsea’s Binky Felstead strips off for Women’s Health magazine’s naked issue and drapes herself seductively but tastefully over a giant Polo mint – not the sort of polo event the posh gal is used to.
Rating: 4
Naked ambition
Supermodel Gigi Hadid bares all in an artful shot on the cover of Vogue Paris.
Rating: 2
Cracking shot
Peachy actress Kate Hudson shares a cheeky but arty snap of her naked self on Instagram.
Rating: 2